Ongoing aviation services secured for Aboriginal communities

• Aviair to continue operating regular air services between Kununurra, Halls Creek and Balgo
• State Government investing $700,000 annually to subsidise and support the service
• Investment in aviation services critical to keeping Aboriginal communities connected

Air services between a number of major Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region have been secured for a further 18 months, with the appointment of Aviair to operate regular public transport (RPT) air services between Kununurra, Halls Creek and Balgo until 30 June 2025.

The appointment is the result of an open, competitive, tender process and will allow Aviair exclusive rights to continue operating on the route, which the company has serviced since it was first established in 2018. The agreement includes an option to extend a further 12 months.

State Government funding of $700,000 per year will subsidise the air service, which includes an annual allocation of $200,000 to continue a third weekly service, introduced as a trial in 2021.

The Kununurra-Halls Creek-Balgo route is one of two RPT air services supported by the State Government that connect to Aboriginal communities. The other is the Kununurra to Kalumburu service, also operated by Aviair, which was established in 2017 through upfront State Government infrastructure funding to support RPT air services into the community.

More than 7,000 passengers have flown on the Kununurra-Halls Creek-Balgo route since the service began. An estimated 48 per cent of passengers use the service for medical appointments and 19 per cent use the service for business reasons.

The support of key routes is in addition to significant investment being made by the State Government to improve remote airstrips in the Kimberley region. This includes nearly $850,000 towards upgrading the Balgo runway and Kalumburu terminal, and more than $5 million for the recent sealing of the runway in Warmun.

The State Government is also investing $750,000 to undertake adaptation planning on 34 airstrips in remote communities, to ensure they are fit for purpose in an environment of increased rainfall and flooding due to climate change.

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

"Reliable air services are absolutely critical to remote Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region, which is why our Government sought to establish these routes and continues to support them.

"Securing Aviair for the next 18 months on the Kununurra-Halls Creek-Balgo route will ensure people living in these communities can still access critical services and conduct business, particularly throughout the wet season when roads often become inaccessible because of flooding.

"The continued support of this air route builds on the State Government's significant investment in aviation services and infrastructure for Aboriginal communities."

Comments attributed to Kimberley MLA Divina D'Anna:

"Our Government established this service in 2018, and we continue to support its ongoing operation.

"Access to reliable air services is vital to remote Aboriginal communities because it ensures people can access critical services but maintain their connection to country.

"We've seen in recent years how devastating weather events can be, further highlighting why these air services are essential to people living in remote communities throughout the Kimberley."