Funding to upgrade the Busselton-Margaret River Airport terminal remains on hold.
During an estimates hearing at parliament on Thursday, the Transport Minister confirmed there was $10 million in the budget for the project yet it required the tick of approval from regional development minister Alannah MacTiernan.
The Nationals WA transport spokesperson Vince Catania said Ms MacTiernan's refusal to release the funds was hurting the South-West economy.
"The Busselton Margaret River project was on time and on budget prior to Labor coming to office in 2017," he said.
"There is $60 million worth of infrastructure on the ground already and attracting major airlines to fly direct into the South-West hinges on the terminal upgrade.
"The McGowan Government moved the goal posts halfway through the project. By ripping out the last bit of required funding, they are deliberately undermining the project."
Regional development minister Alannah MacTiernan said they were faced with more than $40 million of debt left by the previous government.
Ms MacTiernan said they commenced a review of all Royalties for Regions projects to identify where savings could be made. That included the Busselton-Margaret River Airport project.
"On completion of the review, we made a decision to continue with the landside works," she said.
"However, we decided the financially responsible thing to do would be to work towards securing an airline before commencing construction of the new terminal.
"The clear evidence of our commitment to giving the project every chance to succeed is that we have kept the allocation for the terminal in the budget at a time when we have had to make some very tough decisions.
"But, as we have repeatedly stated, there is no point building a new terminal without an airline secured to fly there.
"The National Party's inability to grasp that spending $12 million on a terminal that has yet to find a customer sadly suggests they have yet to grasp basic economic management."
South West MLC Colin Holt said it was disappointing that Bunbury MLA Don Punch was refusing to stand up for the project he once championed as a game changer for the entire South-West.
"In 2017 the former chief executive officer of the South West Development Commission, Don Punch, based his election campaign on successfully working with state and federal government to drive development of the airport," he said.
"People in Mr Punch's electorate are losing out due to these prolonged delays, which is costing jobs and jeopardising tourism growth in the region."
Mr Holt said money for the project had been in the budget since 2016.
"People are getting sick and tired of hearing excuses about funding cuts and shortfalls to the regions being a budget repair measure," he said.
"The McGowan Government is gloating about having a budget surplus yet won't fund a vital region-building project such as the upgrade of the Busselton Margaret River Airport terminal."
Bunbury MLA Don Punch said the business case for this project was always predicated on the City of Busselton securing a commercial passenger airline to fly to and from the airport.
"This is the missing piece of the puzzle to complete the project," he said.
"All infrastructure elements necessary for the airport are complete, with the exception of the terminal.
"Once an airline is secured, the terminal will be built. I don't see this as the project being stalled but the pragmatic staging of costs
"I understand the business case for the Busselton Airport better than most and have always supported the project, but it does not need a new passenger terminal unless it is offering passenger services so I support the Minister's decision to release the terminal fund once an airline is secured.
"The statements made by Mr Holt and Mr Catania are frankly ridiculous
"It seems to have been lost on the Nationals that I campaigned for the seat of Bunbury, not Vasse, and as such the key plank of my campaign was the Plan for Bunbury, a plan the McGowan Government is now delivering on.
"Any time Mr Holt or Mr Catania, or any member of the WA Nationals, would like to debate the distribution of Royalties for Regions funding under their government, and why the South-West was so severely disadvantaged, I am more than willing."
Vasse MLA Libby Mettam said for a Government that was supposedly committed to further growing WA's tourism experience it defied belief that regional aviation was not a priority.
"Regional aviation provides access to a worldwide transportation network and creates a global business reach. It generates economic growth, creates jobs, and facilitates international trade and tourism," she said.
"Here we have a regional aviation project supported by key stakeholders and industry, with an absence of support from Government when they should be doing everything to see this project succeed.
"The Government's last budget provided over $20 million for direct flights and aviation development.
"It is thoroughly disappointing that the government has turned its back on this project through the withdrawal of airline engagement, marketing and withholding funds for the final stage of this transformational project for the South-West."
