The Grey River Argus SATURDAY, November 25, 1944. AUSTRALIA’S LEAD IN AIR POLICY.

Grey River Argus, 25 November 1944, Page 4

The Grey River Argus SATURDAY, November 25, 1944. AUSTRALIA’S LEAD IN AIR POLICY.

The future, of every country is greatly going to be influenced by aviation. It is destined to play especially a dominant part in the development, of the whole Australian continent. Other means of communication and transport there were heretofore restricted far too greatly to the eastern seaboard and adjacent territory. It is only because of the war and of public outlay that there is now a North - South trans - continental highway. The hinterland has lagged for over a century in settlement on account of its isolation. Posterity will reckon ir among the most notable achievements of the present Labour Government of the Commonwealth that- it has decided on making inter-State air transport a Government service. Aviation is peculiarly suitable for the country, with its great area and scattered settlements. After the war this form of transport will cnorr' ously extend and replace slow_>r inodes which, like the railwaysand motor vehicles, depend on t stricted routes and a large public outlay upon these. It doubtless is chiefly because private capitalists have foreseen Australia’s vast possibilities in air transport, and the consequent scope for extremely profitable services, that they greet the Government’s decision with an angry outcry, and mobilise itheir legal, political and journalistic protagonists in a campaign against the scheme. Tn every country where public enterprise in transport already is established, air transport is also going sooner or later to become public property. Therefore the sooner Australia makes it a State undertaking the better for the nation generally. For instance inadequate as they yet may be, it is a moral certainty that, if it had depended on private enterprise to provide iits railways, Australia would lack very many of the lines she now possesses. If critics of the new air policy complain that the railways are not adequate, they must admit the railways at leash are much bPttefl in their coverage than had private capitalists have left to select the routes In that case only the best-pay-ing ones would have been chosen. With aviation it would undoubtedly be the same. The big centres would have available all of the ’planes that would prove profitable, whilst outback, except for necessary stopping places, the isolation of the people would remain indefinitely. Private air lines would shy at developing new territory, gnd would confine themselves to developing profits. A very significant fact at the moment is thait. existing concerns have little or no reserve of aircraft, possessing only what ones' they arc using. The aerodromes, the navigational aids and the airfields’ equipment generally have been all provided by the State, and are the property of the public. The best machines in use, a dozen Douglas ’planes, are Government owned, being merely held oil lease. The Government is able to supply much better equipment, and is already arranging to i obtain in the United States thirty!

of tlie most modern transport ; planes. Passenger and mail traffic is what private lines prefer for the sake of pure profit, whereas the Government is certain to afford facilities for additional transport. The saving on the mails will help to finance no little of the service. Moreover, the Government later will be able to build up-to-date ’planes. As for staffing, it can obtain at least as good personnel as private capital. It will, in addition, be able to dovetail the policy in civil aviation with that of defensive aviation much more adequately, economically and efficu ( ently than if private companies had the monopoly of civil air transport. If the latter interests are ready to spend money lavishly upon litigation, it is because they calculate that prevention of public enterprise 'would mean fabulous wealth for comparatively a few corporations, through the exploitation of the incalculable possibilities of air transportation. It is being suggested that there are constitutional obstacles to a Government inter-State service ; that even from the recent referendum a bar might be inferred ; and that private services would be cheaper for travellers. Now these claims are most questionable, but there is one thing that is unquestionabe, namely, that the private concerns would not risk establishing services for localities where they did not foresee substantial profit. Hence the great majority of (towns would have to do without a service of their own. On the other hand, such places as did obtain a service would be required to contribute the area, and other requirements for airfields, for private air companies demand these things already. In time there would under private enterprise, be a combine, with that discrimination in favour of other vested’interests that combines involve. Some of the objectors have been supporters of the idea that international air services should be run by a joint international authority of a public character. Taking everything into account, the motive behind the opposition to this venture is not that of the public interest. Rather is it a wish to retain the opportunity for private capitalists to enrich themselves.