COMMITTEES

Senator DAVID POCOCK (Australian Capital Territory—Independent ACT Whip) (16:28): At the request of Senator Lambie, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 February 2026: The state of Australia's aviation sector and its ability to deliver reliable and affordable services to rural, regional and remote communities, with particular reference to: (a) costs, fees, levies, taxes and charges that are core components to the pricing of airfares and associated services; (b) disparities of these costs across rural, regional and remote airports and the basis for the disparities; (c) mechanisms for recovering federally mandated security and regulatory costs and options for achieving greater financial equity across the aviation sector, including the merits of a uniform national levy to cover security arrangements; (d) competitiveness of the aviation sector to service regional, rural and remote communities and the implications of reducing or withdrawing those services; (e) adequacy of government fees and levies to equitably address costs for airline services incurred due to federal legislation and regulations; (f) effectiveness of government processes and mechanisms to identify and quantify capital and ongoing costs due to federal legislation and regulations; (g) policy and practical measures in place, or that could be established, to assist the aviation sector to provide services to rural, regional and remote communities; (h) review of government responses to recommendations from previous relevant inquiries and the status of associated actions; and (i) any other related matters.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1, standing in the name of Senator Lambie, be agreed to.