Bundaberg Regional Council, Media Release, 16 February 2026
Bundaberg Regional Council and Bundaberg Tourism are advocating for fairer regional airfares, with the community invited to add their input to the joint submission.
The Australian Government Productivity Commission is conducting an inquiry into how regional airfares are determined and aims to consider how to support a better passenger flight network outside of Australia’s major cities.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Helen Blackburn said improving transport connections to the region was a high priority for Council as part of its broader Bundaberg Region Economic Development Strategy.
“The impacts of airfare pricing, frequency and service reliability are felt across multiple aspects of the region’s community and economy,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“It affects our capacity to attract skilled workers, investment and industry to our region.
“It also places restrictions on our residents and the established businesses already here.
“In addition to providing a submission to the inquiry, Council will continue to advocate directly for increased routes to and from the region, more carriers and competitive fares for our community and visitors.”
Mayor Blackburn said the combined submission with Bundaberg Tourism would provide the inquiry with firsthand experiences specific to the broader Bundaberg and North Burnett regions.
“The submission will provide the inquiry with real world examples that represent the interests of our region,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“We want to emphasise the importance of an improved regional flight network and help shape any recommendations to come out of the inquiry in a way that will benefit everyone.”
Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid said access to affordable and reliable air services is a foundational issue for the region’s visitor economy and broader productivity.
“Air connectivity underpins tourism growth, workforce mobility and business confidence,” Katherine said.
“When flights are expensive, infrequent or unreliable, the impacts are felt well beyond tourism – affecting our ability to attract skilled workers, host business events and support regional investment.
“This joint submission is a strong example of Council, industry and community working together to provide real-world, evidence-based insights.
“We encourage businesses and residents across the Bundaberg Region to take a few minutes to share their experience through the survey and help shape practical outcomes from this national inquiry.”
Community survey
Community members can contribute their feedback to the joint regional submission by completing Bundaberg Tourism’s survey here.
The survey is open to individuals and businesses.
The survey will be open until 27 February.
Submissions can also be made directly to the inquiry on the Productivity Commission website, with responses due by Sunday 15 March 2026.
