Jake Nelson

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said that while the government cannot “wish away” the years spent in deadlocked negotiations over the station design, she is pleased that the airport has now relented.

The historic aircraft, built at Douglas’ Santa Monica plant in May 1935, will be restored and displayed at the museum at Shellharbour Airport in NSW, though is not expected to fly again at this stage.

The planemaker will pay a US$487.2 million fine, the maximum allowed, and pour at least $455 million over the next three years into compliance and safety programs. It will also be placed under a three-year probation to be supervised by an independent monitor to ensure compliance.

The deal will allow the joint delivery of the diploma of aircraft maintenance engineering (mechanical) by Aviation Australia, providing a pathway for local students in the region to attain the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 66 aircraft maintenance licence.

The airport, which had insisted an underground station was the best solution, has bowed to pressure after the federal government’s mediator, Neil Scales, sided with the state government.

The Airline Passenger Protections (Pay on Delay) Bill 2024 would, among its other provisions, introduce compensation for passengers hit with delays of longer than three hours, and require the transport minister to implement an airline code of conduct.