**Check against delivery**

Good morning, it is a pleasure to join you today for this year’s Australian Aviation Summit.

Thank you to Momentum Media and Australian Aviation for hosting this event and to everyone here today.

I’ll begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land we are meeting on today, the Gadigal people, and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.

Australia is defined by its connections.

As a continent – where people, businesses and goods can be separated by sea, desert and distance – aviation is one of our most important connectors.

Air travel connects family and friends; it links regional centres to major hubs – and for many communities, it is a lifeline.

It opens international markets, supports tourism and trade, and touches every part of the Australian economy.

Our bilateral air service arrangements form part of our country’s capacity to pursue our national interest across a range of policy areas, and our airlines form a strong part of our national identity.

In economic terms alone, the sector directly contributes about 1 per cent to our gross national product – around $18.5 billion in 2023 – and it directly employs more than 50,000 people.

But its real value is much broader than that. Australia’s aviation sector enables tourism, trade, manufacturing, health care and education.

We know that as connectivity increases so too does productivity, competition and employment outcomes.

This is a vital service that improves lives, and which Australians rely on.

And yet, we also know the sector is facing real challenges.

Global volatility, geopolitical tension, and supply chain disruption are changing the operating environment.

And as we look over the horizon to the next ten or 20 years, we know more changes are coming.

The transition towards net zero gives us the opportunity to build a more resilient and secure fuel supply.

And technologies like AI and drones will continue to roll out and reshape the sector.

From assisting with monitoring the spread of bushfires, to helping surf live saving organisations identify sharks along our beaches and performing powerline inspections, high risk work currently undertaken by helicopters.

How we meet these challenges will define the future state of Australia’s aviation sector.

My focus is on ensuring Australia continues to have an aviation sector that is safe, competitive, resilient and capable of supporting future growth.

Let me start with where we are.

Three years ago, aviation was still working its way back. Passengers were frustrated, reliability was under pressure, and trust across the system had taken a hit.

That’s why the Aviation White Paper matters.

It was the most significant reset of aviation policy in more than a decade. It sets out the Government’s long-term plan for a safe, competitive, sustainable, productive and efficient aviation sector through to 2050.

Since its release, we have been getting on with delivering it.

And I’m pleased to say the implementation of its 56 initiatives is already well underway.

Today I look forward to stepping you through some of those.

But first, I know one of the most pressing issues for the sector right now is ensuring there is fuel in tanks and planes in the air.

Global fuel instability has reinforced how linked we are, when international supply chains are disrupted.

For aviation, fuel supply goes directly to service reliability.

That is why the Government acted quickly to alleviate the pressures caused by the Middle East conflict.

We worked directly with international fuel suppliers to keep fuel flowing by underwriting additional cargoes – including more than 150 million litres of additional jet fuel.

And looking forward, the Government’s $10 billion Australian Fuel Security and Resilience package will establish a permanent Government-owned Australian Fuel Security Reserve of around one billion litres of jet fuel and diesel.

It will also lift the industry Minimum Stockholding Obligation by around ten days for every fuel type, including jet fuel. I know a number of airports have expressed an interest in the program already.

These measures are about keeping fuel flowing now, but they also recognise the larger strategic task before us.

And while we have fared better than many had predicted - we are closely monitoring conditions and standing by to respond with further action if required.

This crisis has brought into sharp focus the underlying vulnerabilities of our sovereign aviation sector.

We cannot change our reliance on imported fuel, but these past few months have reinforced why we need to keep building long-term resilience, here at home.

We have all the ingredients to build a strong and competitive Australian low carbon liquid fuels industry.

These Australian grown projects will help increase the stability and security of our jet fuel market over time.

We are also working with industry on a market measure to drive demand and reduce our reliance on imported fuels. This will be released for consultation with the sector in the coming weeks.

Our aim is not simply to import a lower-emissions future from somewhere else, but to build more of that capability here at home — using Australian feedstocks, skills and know-how.

That same idea of resilience applies to infrastructure.

If Australia’s aviation sector is to meet future growth and demand, then we need the airports, and the supporting infrastructure that enables growth to happen safely and efficiently.

Western Sydney International Airport is the clearest example of this long-term investment – delivered on time and on Budget.

Two weeks ago, I was pleased to open the airport for freight, with passenger services to commence on the 25th of October.

That’s a massive achievement — the result of a transformational infrastructure project from the Australian Government, 15 years of planning and seven years of construction.

Western Sydney International Airport offers a brand-new full-service airport, operating curfew-free to deliver international and domestic passenger and freight services.

Across our major airports there is currently $20 billion in major infrastructure projects proposed over the next decade, from new runways to new terminals and everything in between.

But aviation infrastructure is not only about major gateways, it’s also about the regional and remote airports that connect communities to family and friends, and to the services they rely on. The Government will continue to support infrastructure builds at our regional and remote airports.

Through programs that support practical safety and accessibility upgrades, including through our Regional Airports and Remote Airstrip Upgrade programs.

As announced in the Aviation White Paper, both programs have also been expanded.

The Regional Airports Program now includes works to support the transition to net zero aviation technology, and the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program now supports improved access to air services for people with a disability.

All of these infrastructure investments are important as they increase capacity and efficiency, but they also come at a cost.

Internationally, the Government continues to expand tourism and trade opportunities, ensuring Australian travellers and businesses have access to more destinations, greater choice and increased air freight capacity.

International scheduled passenger traffic reached more than 3.6 million passengers in March 2026 — the highest ever recorded for March.

Over the year to March 2026, passenger traffic reached 45.77 million passengers, an increase of more than eight per cent on 2025.

Australia now has more than 110 bilateral air services arrangements in place, and we have successfully negotiated new and updated air services arrangements with four countries already this year.

Our arrangements with Malaysia and Canada were expanded to allow unrestricted capacity for international passenger services.

And we have updated air services arrangements with other countries, giving international airlines access to additional capacity, including Western Sydney as an international arrival and departure destination.

We are committed to a competitive and transparent sector – and public trust and stronger consumer rights is central to this.

That is why the Government has introduced legislation to deliver stronger aviation consumer protections, including a new Aviation Consumer Protections Charter and an independent Aviation Consumer Ombuds scheme.

The objective is simple: passengers should get what they paid for, receive support during disruptions, and have clear avenues for complaints.

Clear consumer rights build passenger trust — and passenger trust supports demand, growth and confidence across the sector.

We have extended the ACCC monitoring of domestic airline competition, giving passengers and businesses clearer information about airfares, capacity, competition and performance.

This gives passengers and businesses confidence that the system is operating with clear information, clear expectations and clear rules.

That same principle sits behind our aviation consumer protection reforms.

Baking in clear consumer rights helps to build passenger trust.

And passenger trust supports demand, growth and confidence across the sector.

A fair aviation sector also means one that works for passengers with disability.

For too many Australians, air travel can still be harder than it should be. That might mean uncertainty at booking, inconsistent support at the airport, or difficulty travelling with mobility aids and other essential equipment.

That is why the Government is working to improve accessibility across aviation — because every passenger should be able to travel with dignity, confidence and clear information.

Today we are opening consultation on draft disability standards for the aviation industry.

The consultation paper, which we are releasing today, has been shaped through a number of co-design workshops held last year with people with disability and consultation with the aviation industry.

Drawing on solutions developed by people with disability, the Australian Government has developed a set of draft options for standards to improve accessibility and your experience travelling with disability – from booking a flight, to navigating the terminal, to the journey itself.

We are grateful for the time taken to share stories and help to shape solutions to directly address the barriers experienced during airport and airline travel.

This is not work government can do alone. It requires airlines, airports, regulators, workers and disability advocates to keep working together on practical improvements that make a real difference for passengers.

Already, airports and airlines are stepping up. Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Adelaide Airport’s new sensory room that is available for passengers flying domestically and internationally, and their support dog Elmo who does valuable work calming nervous fliers.

There are examples of co-designed accessibility innovations like this popping up across the country, and we can’t wait to continue working with industry and advocates to improve the experience of passengers.

And of course, if demand grows, the workforce must grow with it.

We expect Australia’s aviation sector to expand significantly in the future, and a skilled and responsive aviation workforce is a critical enabler of that growth.

A diverse and skilled aviation workforce supported by clear training pathways, fair working conditions and secure jobs is critical to a thriving aviation sector.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) refreshed its General Aviation Workplan in 2025, which included progress on modular licensing for licensed aircraft maintenance engineers.

We are making it easier for engineers to build on their qualifications and competencies relevant to their careers.

CASA is also working with the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance to better align their licensing with VET qualifications.

This will help provide a more direct pathway into maintenance licensing.

Through the new Gender Equity Charter for Australian Aviation, the Government is taking practical action with industry and unions to improve gender equity across the aviation workforce.

And we have also committed to establishing a new Aviation Industry Coordination Council to constructively address issues within the aviation sector by bringing together representatives from airlines, airports, the workforce, regulators and government.

The Council will advise government on matters including skills and training, safety, productivity and resilience. The Government will consult broadly in establishing the Council and we will have more to say on this soon.

I know this is a room that does not need convincing about the importance of aviation to this country. You live it every day.

We want a sector that is safe and secure, a sector that is competitive and a sector that is productive.

And above all, we want a sector that is fair — with clear consumer rights, reliable access to air services, and benefits shared across the nation.

That is the future we are working towards — and one we can only build in partnership with the people and businesses who keep Australia flying.