Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Airport Development Group General Manager of Operations Rob Porter hopes the NT will secure new flight services thanks to the launch of the government’s aviation attraction scheme

Transcript

Airport Development Group General Manager of Operations Rob Porter hopes the NT will secure new flight services thanks to the launch of the government’s aviation attraction scheme · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: We know that the government yesterday announced new funding to
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: attract more airlines to Darwin and Ala Springs. So it's
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: a scheme. So essentially the way it's going to work
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: is it's ten million dollars could go towards trying to
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: entice airlines here is my understanding. But joining us on
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  Speaker 1: the line to tell us a little bit more about
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: the initiative and the difference that I guess it could
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: make for us here in the top end, particularly in Darwin,
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: is the Airport Development Group's executive general Manager of Operations,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: Rob Porter.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning, Rob, Good morning Katy.
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  Speaker 1: How are you today, Yeah, really good. Great to have
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: you on the show.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: Rob.
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  Speaker 1: As we know, the government announced this new funding this week.
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: It's aimed to attract more airlines to Darwin and Alice Springs.
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  Speaker 1: What's your reaction to the scheme.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, A good bit where we're certainly very very pleased
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  Speaker 2: and I think that we all appreciate that Darwin, Alice
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: Springs and even you are two of the most isolated
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: cities in Australia and such. You know, we need these
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  Speaker 2: kinds of attraction funds so that we can reconnect with
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  Speaker 2: you know, family and friends and certainly you know, do
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  Speaker 2: business with the with the right Australian community. So yeah,
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  Speaker 2: we're really really hopeful that we can work together to
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  Speaker 2: make this a success.
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  Speaker 1: How will it work in a practical sense, you know,
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  Speaker 1: in relation to that ten million dollars and how it
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  Speaker 1: would go towards an airline.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so the scheme is to be matched dollar for dollars.
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  Speaker 2: So ADG will certainly work with Tourism NT to source
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  Speaker 2: those markets and work with the airlines both domestically and
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  Speaker 2: internationally with this with this fund in our back pocket,
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  Speaker 2: so we can go and have conversations with with airlines
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  Speaker 2: and other operators with some confidence that we've got something
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  Speaker 2: real and tangible to put on the table.
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  Speaker 1: And I know that you know that the Minister is
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  Speaker 1: flagged in the past that there are different airlines that
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  Speaker 1: they're talking to. I mean, are there a few airlines
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  Speaker 1: or different serve says that we were looking at kind
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: of expanding here in the Northern Territory. Bondser, I know,
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: is one that has been suggested.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely, we're talking to Bondser and in other operators
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  Speaker 2: in the Asia region as well. So these things do
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  Speaker 2: take time. So you know, if you build the relationship,
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  Speaker 2: understand the dynamic of each of the different markets that
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  Speaker 2: we want to tap into. But yeah, it does take time,
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: but we've definitely got something in our pocket that we
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  Speaker 2: can use. So we have got a compelling offer. Now
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  Speaker 2: it's both ADG and NTG working working together.
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  Speaker 1: Rob. How difficult is it going to be though? You
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: know we've spoken over the last few weeks about those
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: runway works and the fact that it has meant that
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  Speaker 1: one route in particular from Darwin to Bali has been
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  Speaker 1: canceled around October. How big an impact is that work
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  Speaker 1: going to have. When you're talking about enticing airlines to
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: the terrat tray.
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  Speaker 2: You'll think of the runway weeks. So we'll still have
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  Speaker 2: an operating runway and so you know there will be
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  Speaker 2: times through the night where it will need to be
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  Speaker 2: closed for the works to take place. So we've still
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: got magnificant windows to work with operators. And once we
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: get right down to the tin taxs of what those
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: closures are and what days and what weeks will be impacted,
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  Speaker 2: then you know we can have some solid conversations with
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  Speaker 2: airlines to say here's the opportunity and what we'll see
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  Speaker 2: is one of two things. You know, they'll reschedule to
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  Speaker 2: those periods when they can operate if we're what we're
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: seeing and making adjustments to schedules. So there's still a
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  Speaker 2: bit of a way to go, but I still think
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  Speaker 2: we've got a golden opportunity with this, with this attraction scheme.
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  Speaker 1: So do you reckon just stepping away from the attraction
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  Speaker 1: scheme for a sec and with those runway works, do
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  Speaker 1: you reckon we might end up in a situation where
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  Speaker 1: some of those routes that have have been canceled all
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: that one in particular, that it might end up back
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  Speaker 1: on the table.
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  Speaker 2: So I think what we're with the what it's called
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: like a myth of the works plan. Okay, so that's
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  Speaker 2: that's the detail, and we share that with the airlines,
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  Speaker 2: and that's been shared with the airlines, and now they've
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  Speaker 2: got some detail to work with as to whether and
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  Speaker 2: then the airline think can freely make some decisions around Okay,
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  Speaker 2: so the runway's not available between these hours, well maybe
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  Speaker 2: I can reschedule a flight. So we're getting getting closer
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  Speaker 2: with the detail and working with the Department of Defense
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  Speaker 2: to get that detail in front of the airlines and
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  Speaker 2: we've done that, and we'll see how the airlines make
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  Speaker 2: those adjustments in accordance with the particular work plan.
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  Speaker 1: And so then just going back now to the you know,
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  Speaker 1: to this initiative that the government announced, how quickly do
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  Speaker 1: you reckon we might see some you know, some of
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  Speaker 1: these airlines sort of taking I guess taking the government
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  Speaker 1: up on this offer.
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  Speaker 3: Oh look, I think all of the airline are now
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  Speaker 3: taking notice, right, and so they'll be they'll be looking
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  Speaker 3: to you know, this this attraction steam and how they
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  Speaker 3: may be able to benefit from it as well.
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  Speaker 2: So look, it is hard yacker getting new airlines and
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  Speaker 2: getting new routes developed. But I think that the team
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  Speaker 2: here and working with TOURISMNTEE that they've got some work underway.
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  Speaker 2: And so yeah, we'll just have to watch this space.
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: I think I think we're in a good spot.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, And look, I think that Territorians would like, you know,
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  Speaker 1: everybody would like to see some more options because it
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  Speaker 1: does feel as though sometimes you know, we sort of
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  Speaker 1: get forgotten about a bit by the airlines, or you know,
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  Speaker 1: we're flying the Red Eye flights and arriving and leaving
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  Speaker 1: it at really late times and paying an arm and
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  Speaker 1: a leg to fly around the place. So it would
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  Speaker 1: I think make a huge difference to have other options. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, And you know, all of the team here at
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  Speaker 2: the airport, we're all Territorians, were all. You know, we
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  Speaker 2: all one to access flights as well, so you know,
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  Speaker 2: we're all on the same page here in terms of
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  Speaker 2: getting the best options, not just outbound, but certainly inbound.
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  Speaker 2: You know, it's a wonderful time of year up in
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  Speaker 2: the territory right now, and we've really got to really
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  Speaker 2: got to leverage that with our airline partners.
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  Speaker 1: Rob, any other updates that we should be aware of
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  Speaker 1: at this point in time in terms of those runway works,
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  Speaker 1: I know you said earlier that's working closely with Defense
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: to try to minimize those impacts, But any other updates
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  Speaker 1: At this point.
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  Speaker 2: We're probably a couple of weeks away from having a
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  Speaker 2: really finally defined so you know, we're working with the
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  Speaker 2: Department of Defense the irresponsibility. They're taking the lead, but
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: we're not far away from having a solid plan that
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: we can we can talk more about. Well.
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  Speaker 1: Rob Porter, the Airport Development Group's executive general manager of Operations,
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  Speaker 1: good to speak to you this morning. I appreciate your time.
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, thank you, you two