Thursday, 2 April 2026

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (09:55): I rise today to mark an important milestone for Western Victoria with international flights returning to Avalon Airport. Last week I was pleased to have the member for Lara Ella George join me to celebrate Jetstar’s inaugural service from Avalon to Bali. Avalon Airport will operate five return services a week, carrying more than 120,000 passengers each year. This has been made possible through the support of the Allan Labor government. The service restores Avalon’s role as an international gateway, expands travel choices for Victorians and will bring more visitors to Geelong and our region, boosting tourism and local jobs. Jetstar has also resumed domestic routes to Adelaide – I think it is seven return services a week – and will increase services to Brisbane, bringing even more domestic visitors to our region. Avalon Airport has undergone major upgrades, expanding capacity, enhancing security and upgrading domestic and international terminals. Accessibility has also been improved, with 500 new car parks and a new route 18 bus service connecting the airport to Lara station seven days a week. As Victoria’s second curfew-free international airport, Avalon plays a vital role in our aviation network and local economy. These expanded passenger services follow the recent opening of the new freight processing facility in the Avalon precinct. With Labor’s $147 billion investment in regional Victoria, it is Labor that is backing jobs, growth and opportunity.