Wagga Wagga Airport Commitment

The Committee 4 Wagga welcomes the news that a re-elected Coalition Government will commit $20 million to the upgrading of the terminal, car parking and runway at Wagga Wagga airport.

Listen to the announcement by The Hon. Michael McCormack MP here.

City of Wagga Mayor, Cr Dallas Tout and The Hon. Michael McCormack MP, Federal Member for Riverina at the Wagga Wagga Airport for the announcement this week.

We are waiting to hear if Member for Riverina the Hon. Michael McCormack's challenge to the Labor candidate for Riverina will also endorse the plan for funding should Labor win the election, but we are also waiting on the finer details of the lease to be reached too. This airport is the gateway to the Riverina by air, and whilst the current passenger terminal facilities, runway and ca rpark improvements are a step very much in the right direction, we also need to ensure that Wagga Wagga City Council has the very best terms as the major tenant of the city airport. On top of the funding commitment, Committee 4 Wagga also backs the City of Wagga who is requesting a Peppercorn lease with a 50 year + 49 year option starting as soon as possible. The Mayor of Wagga, Councillor Dallas Tout spoke to me and said he was confident that it isn't likely that money would be handed over without a plan for the commercial aspect of the deal taking place at the same time, with an indication that this would happen over the next 6 to 12 months, should the current government be re-elected.

We will continue to keep abreast of any developments in this regard as there are many sub-lessees who are out at the airport who also need security and peace of mind for commitments and investments they want to make on their airport assets. Let's hope negotiations for the lease renewal are brought forward within the next six months or as soon as humanly possible.

We appreciate the commitment made by our local Member and understand the complexities of such a commercial arrangement and thank him for mentioning Committee 4 Wagga in his announcement speech as supporters of Wagga's population growing to 100,000 people by 2038. In his own words "that's the plan - let's do it sooner".