'Similarities between Merauke and latest flight cuts'

Sunday, 11 October 2009 15:03

By MARK BOUSEN

Concerned community member and Merauke 5 survivor Karen Burke says there are incontrovertible similarities between her nine-month detention in West Papua and the situation forced upon Torres Strait residents by QantasLink and the Queensland Government.

Merauke survivor Karen Burke with her petition about the latest round of QantasLink cuts.

“We were held in Merauke by the Authorities and unable to leave. Now, I’m back I may as well be a prisoner here as well, because financial reasons prevent me going anywhere, from visiting family etc.

“The circumstances are very different but the effect is exactly the same. We are stuck! Friends of mine have renamed beautiful Thursday Island to ALCATRAZ  in their frustration of the situation.

“This new nickname is because of QantasLink’s actions and Queensland Transport’s almost blind-adherence to the latest round of cut backs.”

Ms Burke last week launched a petition seeking both both QantasLink and Queensland Transport adhere to the terms of the original contract awarded on April 1, 2008.

“The response already has been overwhelming.

“People are being restricted by the lack of available seats and, from October 19, when the flights are cut again and, given that the fares went up from September 21, it can only get worse for both Torres Strait and Cape York residents.

“We have heard of the difficulties that the Horn Island Airport runway upgrade is presenting in terms of the type of aircraft that can land here.

“However, I say that, as a taxpayer, it is the responsibility of the Council, the State or the Federal Government to resolve the problem.

“ I do not know who is responsible and will not attempt to suggest how best to resolve the problem.  It is not my business; it is the business of the Council, the State and/or the Federal Government to resolve, but please don’t make us pay for the problem.

“We pay our taxes/rates to make sure that the necessary infrastructure is in place.  It should not be that we, as residents, are expected to pay higher flight prices because the infrastructure is not right. We were promised affordable and available flights.  This is all we ask.”

Karen believes all residents in the Torres Strait have been betrayed by QantasLink and State Transport Minister Rachael Nolan over the recently announced service cuts and fare increases.

“This is an outrage.”

She says has a debt to the people of the Torres Strait and beyond for their support during the three-day week end in Merauke that turned into a nine-month stay.

“Also the amazing warmth of the welcome since we’ve been back has surprised and touched us all. Thanks.”

To this end Karen is circulating the petition to the State Government and Ms Nolan seeking QantasLink adhere to the conditions of the contract under which they were awarded a further five years as the sole provider on the Horn Island-Cairns route and the Weipa-Cairns route.

“This should be done without delay to provide affordable travel to the people of the Torres Strait and Weipa.”

“We ask all Government Departments to introduce a policy so that wherever possible Government workers avoid flying at the beginning and end of the working week.

“Using mid-week flights instead wherever possible and freeing up seats at weekends would help ease the problem and cost nothing.”

Ms Burke raises the questions:

What was the original contact that won the tender for QantasLink?

Are the terms of the contact in the public domain? Can we see them?

Our understanding from what we were told was that it included the promise of available and affordable air travel for the local population to and from Cairns.

Why has the Minister twice now signed off on changes to that original-contract ever worsening the shocking service we have? How can it be justified that from October 19, weekly flights from Horn Island to Cairns will be further reduced from 16 to 13 flights per week at the same time that fares will increase again.

The people of Weipa will get similar treatment.  Why should we residents, especially those from the Outer Islands, have to put up with this and pay such a huge price for the right to travel when we were promised otherwise? Why are those from the Outer Islands noticing that connecting flights are timed very badly which often means extra accommodation costs while waiting for connections.

Why has the promise that was made to us been broken?

Copies of the petition for signature are available at several outlets throughout the Torres Strait including the Outer Islands.

Karen asks that everyone signs their name.