Passengers on two inbound Qantas flights to Sydney – QF144 from Auckland, and QF122 from Queenstown – are now able to access the Australia Digital Travel Declaration (ATD), following a successful trial period at Brisbane Airport.

The recruitment push comes as preparations ramp up for the basing of the advanced attack helicopters at RAAF Base Townsville later this year.

Speaking to media in Hobart, the minister said the government has been “working pretty closely” with administrator EY Australia, and remains ready to step in and potentially buy Rex to preserve its vital services if EY cannot make a commercial sale.

The Report of the Review of Australian Government Travel Policies, which was initiated after last year’s Aviation White Paper and completed in December, concluded that government travel bookings broadly matched those by the general public in terms of the split between airlines.