Of the FAC's 23 airports only seven made a profit last year, these being Without exception, all primary airline-oriented jetports. GA airports will probably a/1, Vays run at a loss due to their low fiscal productivity and relatively high running costs. Bankstown (pictured) and its ilk however are being assisted somewhat by the establishment of rent-paying non-aviation activities that would have been undreamt of a decade ago. (Jim Thom)

How the FAC Plays Monopoly

The Fac: How It Is Playing Monopoly With the Aviation Industry

Over the previous two hundred years, Australia’s governments built up our transport and trade infrastructure – roads, railways, ports and airports, because they were important to our national development. All ofthem operated at a loss, but they contributed to the profits earned from our quarrying and farming activities.

Until January 1 1988, the Federal Government ran and financed most of Australia’s major airports. Money came from the budget to pay their operating costs, and money was collected which went back into consolidated revenue. The fact that costs didn’t equal revenue, or that in fact no-one really knew what the true costs were, was not considered important.

Of course, over the last hundred years or so there have been a few changes. Australia is no longer the wealthy country it used to be. The country has a growing foreign debt, the Federal Government is trying to control the size of its deficit, and it no longer has large amounts of cash to spend on the provision of infrastructure. Neither do State or local governments, and all are trying to reduce their expenses any way they can.

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