Victorian airports look set to be squeezed for funding after the Labor government confirmed it will not continue with the Regional Aviation Fund (RAF).
The previous Coalition government provided funding for upgrades to Victorian regional airports averaging $5 million annually.
A spokesperson for the Minister for Regional Development, Jaala Pulford, told Australian Flying that the RAF was now closed, but that regional airports still had options to apply for grants.
"The Regional Aviation Fund is a lapsed program of the previous Coalition Government," the spokesperson said. "Applicants that had previously sought funding under the Regional Aviation Fund (RAF) have been notified of the closure of that Fund and Regional Development Victoria (RDV) is now working closely with these airports.
"The Andrews Labor Government has established the $500 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF), including a $250 million Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) and a $200 million Regional Jobs Fund (RJF), and airport projects will be now be considered under these new programs."
The Labor government's response has not impressed former Minister for Aviation Gordon Rich-Phillips, who championed the cause of aviation under previous government.
“Labor has disbanded the Coalition Government’s aviation unit and cut more than $25 million in aviation programs including the Regional Aviation Fund," he said. "No airport upgrades have been funded for over nine months.
"Labor must guarantee an allocation of RIF money for airport upgrades, and quickly provide clear guidelines for those airport operators seeking assistance.”
Victorian airports missed out on the first round of funding from the Federal Government's Regional Aviation Access Program announced in January 2014. It is believed that no Victorian airports applied, most likely because of the state government program in place at the time.
Airports classified as Remote or Very Remote can apply for funding in Round 3 of the RAAP program. Most of Victoria's western districts and eastern high plains and East Gippsland fall within those definitions, but not Melbourne of the centre of the state.
Round 3 funding applications close on 31 August. More information is on the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development website.