1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Unfortunately, it is looking as though the Jabaru Airport well, 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: it's been operating since well for an awful long period 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: of time, and we will contact it over the Christmas 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: break by the crew at Kakadou Air to tell us 5 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: about how they've been fighting really to keep the airport 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: open since back in twenty nineteen. Now we know that 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: Kakadu Air has been operating since nineteen eighty two, not 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: only doing those scenic flights, but they've also got twelve 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: pilots that are based in Jaboru flying essential services throughout 10 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,279 Speaker 1: Kakadoo and Arnham Land. But their livelihood and also you know, 11 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: the livability I think for people in the area is 12 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: under thresh with the main airport facing demolition under federal 13 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: regulation due to the closure of Ranger uranium mine. Now 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: joining me on the line to talk more about this 15 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: is Rick Jones, the CEO of Kakadu Air. 16 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: Get a Rick, Jay Katie, how are you? Yeah? 17 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: Really good, great to have you on the show now, Rick, 18 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: this is really concerning to hear. 19 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: You've been this one for a long time, haven't you. 20 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. We first sort of we've first started to speak 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: to the traditional owners and government people and RA before COVID, 22 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: so twenty nineteen and obviously then we had COVID, so 23 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 2: everything sort of stopped and we've been going again, probably 24 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 2: for the last three or four years, hoping that I've 25 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 2: been told all along that the powers to be the 26 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: Norn Territory government, federal government, RA, traditional owners, et cetera, 27 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 2: are having meetings and they're discussing the future of Debriul Airport. Unfortunately, 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: at the end of last year I was told by 29 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: the my RA rep that the meetings had the meetings 30 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 2: had finished, they'd walked away. So yeah, so we're stuck 31 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: in this situation at the moment where ERA have a 32 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 2: have a plan in place since nineteen seventy six or something, 33 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: and they don't want to they can't deviate from the 34 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: plan apparently under the ball. I'm not a lawyer, Katy, 35 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 2: so I don't quite understand how that works either. 36 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: But so what does it mean for you? 37 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: Like for us, you know, in layman's terms, it means 38 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: that the airport's going to close and there's nothing we 39 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: can do about it. 40 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: Well, we've actually we've also excuse me, as I was 41 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: talking to you, there's an article in the paper on 42 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: the weekend and ABC's run a story on it now 43 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: as well. And we spoke to the Member of our few, 44 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: Emmanuel Brown, and he's all over it now. We spoke 45 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: to Tourism Minister, she's all over it. So we're hoping 46 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: that it's all seems to be getting a big push 47 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: right now, hopefully now with your with your help as well, 48 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: we can get some people back at the table and 49 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 2: they can all a stake I hate using this word, 50 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: the stakeholder word, that all the stakeholders in agrans, but 51 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 2: nobody wants the thing to close. It's just we've just 52 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: got to get someone to say we don't have to 53 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 2: close it. I believe that that that's a lawyer thing. 54 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: So they have to change the plan was that era 55 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: have and the ones that happens. Then whoever wants to 56 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: run the airport can say we'll run the airport. But 57 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 2: I believe they'll always be just managing the airport on 58 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: behalf of the traditional owners. Think. I believe that's how 59 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: it will work. 60 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, And so I mean, Rick, is there a push 61 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: from anybody to be able to actually take on that management. 62 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: Well, we've actually we've given the government and a few 63 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: other people that business plan that chose how we believe 64 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: it can be done. At the moment, Katie, the airport's 65 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: being run. Every airport has different levels, so the Jabaru 66 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: Airport's actually being run at a very similar level to Darwin, 67 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: which we don't need as the main operator out of Jaboru, 68 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: and to do what we do out of Jaboru Airport, 69 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: we don't need it to be that high. We just 70 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: need a runway and somewhere to park airplanes so that 71 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: the requirements that ARA are satisfying at the moment. With 72 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 2: Cansler and a whole bunch of other people really sickly don't, 73 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 2: we don't need them, So the management cost liability for 74 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: the airport becomes very little, yeah, nowhere near what it 75 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 2: is now. I think ARA have about six people managing 76 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: the airport at the moment. We think we need one 77 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: person for sort of two or three hours a day. 78 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: Well and presumably as well, you know, the whole operation 79 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: I would imagine out at the airport as the mining 80 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: you know, as mining has has you know, ceased and 81 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: those operations aren't going to be happening. I would imagine 82 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: that the volume of flights has changed as well. 83 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 3: But the need for on airport. 84 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: Is absolutely there, you know, not only for the tourism 85 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: sector but also for locals and essential services. 86 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 2: Yes, definitely, realistically hasn't used the airport for the best 87 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: part of five years and they've done the right thing 88 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: and still managed to run the airport for everybody else. 89 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: But they're they're requirements. The airport has not been there. 90 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 2: The airport allows operators like ourselves, like Kaki Air and 91 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: Gunba on your Air and a few others to supply 92 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 2: the communities of West Arnham with food. It's that simple 93 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: that we're the only way food gets out there. So 94 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 2: you know, it's not like we're talking about video games 95 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 2: and commuters here with pretty important stuff. Yeah, yeah, we 96 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: would have done. We're doing probably on average around five 97 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: ton a week and that's right. We're also not talking 98 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 2: about a shopping bags for you five. 99 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 1: Times a week of food that's going out to those 100 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: communities that that's not going to be able to happen 101 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: if the airport's not operating. 102 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 2: That would have to come from Darwen. 103 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 3: Wow. 104 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: And you can the cost, but we believe the cost 105 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: will go from between five and ten times costs. 106 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: Now, Rick, what a local saying to you and you 107 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: know what's like, what's industry saying everybody must be pretty 108 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: bloody worried. 109 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 2: Yes, but there's a couple of people who represent the 110 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: communities out there have said to us that they believe 111 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 2: the communities would not be viable. They can't afford they 112 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 2: reckon their freight bill would go up almost half a 113 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: million dollars a year and they can't afford that. That's 114 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 2: just their freight build. Yeah, so it is a huge effect. 115 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 2: If the communities have got to close and people have 116 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 2: got to move, then yeah, that's not what we're about. 117 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 2: I didn't think we've got better than that. 118 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 3: Rick, Have you had much like, have you had much feedback? Now? 119 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: I know you mentioned that. You know that obviously, Manuel 120 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: Brown also the tourism minister. You know, they've all sort 121 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: of come to the table now and everybody's trying to 122 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: come to a solution. Do you think that one's going 123 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: to be reached? You know, sooner rather than later. 124 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 2: We hope it's okay, Yes it does, and we can't 125 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: we can't wait until October. You know that we need 126 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: to realistically need to know in the next few months. 127 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: We're talking about people's lives and businesses here. My concern 128 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 2: is if we let it wait till August, then August 129 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 2: we won't be doing the freight. You'll be able to 130 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 2: drive out to the communities and everybody. It'll be it'll 131 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: be off the boil, for one of the better ways 132 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 2: of describing it. Yep. And yeah, and then it don't 133 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: be a care anymore. No, it can't be push now. 134 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, well it cannot be left like that. 135 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: I agree with you. I think you know you're front 136 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: footing it. You're trying to get it sorted now and 137 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: and you know, trying to make sure that there's a 138 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: solution sooner rather than later. What is like, what is 139 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: your message for you know, the Northern Territory government, also 140 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: for the federal government today, you know, to anybody that 141 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: might be listening thinking, oh, come on, you know it's 142 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: not a big deal. 143 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: Well it is a big deal. It's a huge deal 144 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: for the people who live in West Arlanmland to start with, 145 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 2: people like the township of alm Pelli is apparently now 146 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: is up to fourteen hundred people. You can't get there. 147 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 2: The only way you can get there is with an aeroplane. Yep. 148 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: And where we are about a fifteen minute flight. So 149 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 2: that's those all those people done. Yeah, there's no other 150 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 2: way they've got it. So then they've got to be 151 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 2: fed from Darwin, which is yeah, it's just ridiculous. 152 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, that connectivity. And then so you know. 153 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 2: That's they've got to go to the dock. They've got 154 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: to got to go and see their mother, they've got 155 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 2: to go and see children. That this is part of life. 156 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 2: It's you know, if you said to somebody who lived 157 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 2: in perhaps but you know that's it. You can't come 158 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 2: out of perhap now for six months, there'd probably be 159 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 2: a little bit peeved about that. I would have mentioned. 160 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: Exactly, Well, mate, if you told us we could never 161 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: leave the Northern Territory either, you know we'll be thinking, God, 162 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: I might want to go on holiday or I might 163 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 1: want to go and you know, be able to get 164 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: somewhere occasionally. It's a huge like it does sound like 165 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: it's going to be a huge deal from a tourism perspective. 166 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: How important is it as well? Do you think to 167 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: try and get this sorted? I mean like it's a 168 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: gateway to Kaka do, isn't it. 169 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, we've well I know what we do tourism wise, 170 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: we've got customers our back Spirit and a few others 171 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 2: aat Kings that bring bus loads of people to us 172 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: to fly around over Kakadu National Park so they get 173 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 2: to see it. And the only way you can see 174 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 2: it unless you've got a month is to fly over it. 175 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 2: Those people are already asking us, they're already giving us 176 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 2: bookings for twenty seven. Yeah. So trying to work out 177 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 2: whether the industry, the industry needs to be a year ahead. Yeah, yeah, 178 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 2: so we need some certainty. 179 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: Rick, Someone's just messaged in and I don't know whether 180 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: this is correct or not, but they or they called 181 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: in and said, the defense of got an airstrip right 182 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: next to Kakadu. Is that an option or has that 183 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: been considered? This person's asking. I don't even know if 184 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: that's right. 185 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 2: No, there's no defense one that I think there might 186 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 2: be something that. No, I can't even think there's a 187 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 2: range out there. But the range is miles away, yeah, 188 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 2: close to Cawinda. So and Cawinda has been We did 189 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: a government survey over the Christmas period into government put 190 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: out a survey to all the stakeholders in Jabu Airport 191 00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 2: and a bit late but anyway, they did they are 192 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: putting up Cowinda as a as an option. Cowinda has 193 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: no electricity, no fuel, it's a dirt strip. We couldn't 194 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,839 Speaker 2: land in Colinda last week because the strip's mud under order. 195 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 3: That doesn't sound like an option. 196 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 2: It's not really good. 197 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 3: No, Rick, mate, Please keep us up to date. 198 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: Let us know, you know, whether you sort of hear 199 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: from the government or whether there is any update. We'd 200 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: be really keen to keep our listeners up to date 201 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: as well, and let us know if there's anything else 202 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: we can do, you know, to help you sort of 203 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: keep things bubbling along so that you can come to 204 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: a solution. 205 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 2: Excellent. 206 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: No, I appreciate your time this morning, Rick Jones, thank 207 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: you so much for having a chat with us. 208 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 3: We'll talk to you again soon.