The Australian Government’s Aviation White Paper will set the long-term policies to guide the next generation of growth and innovation in the aviation sector.  It will clearly articulate the Commonwealth Government’s policies on desired aviation outcomes in relation to safety, competitiveness, sustainability and efficiency to ensure the sector is appropriately positioned to deliver aviation services for the Australian .  public out to 2050.

The White Paper will examine issues across the aviation sector. This includes four specific areas identified by the Government when announcing the White Paper:

• how to maximise the aviation sector’s contribution to achieving net zero carbon emissions, including through sustainable aviation fuel and emerging technologies
• the economic reforms needed to improve productivity across the sector, including addressing skills shortages, competition between airports and airlines, and charting a course out of the pandemic
• how to support and regenerate Australia’s general aviation sector
• better mechanisms for consultation on and management of issues like aircraft noise, airport development planning and changing security requirements.

PURPOSE

The White Paper will explore the likely future trends in aviation over the period to 2050 and articulate long-term policy directions to set the scene for the next generation of growth and innovation in the aviation sector.

Through the White Paper, the Government will promote an efficient, safe, sustainable and competitive Australian aviation sector, that is critical to the economy and the standard of living of all Australians. The White Paper will consider future trends on the wide range of actors within the aviation sector, including airports and their local communities, government, ground staff, flight crews, freight users, domestic and international airlines through to the travelling public.

SCOPE & THEMES

The White Paper will examine the Government policy and economic reforms necessary to promote efficiency, safety, sustainability and competitiveness of the aviation sector out to 2050. Areas to be considered include:

• aviation’s role in economic development, trade and the visitor economy – general, domestic, regional and international aviation;
• how to maximise the aviation sector’s contribution to achieving net zero carbon emissions including through sustainable aviation fuel and emerging technologies;
• changing aviation technologies and ways to position our policies, regulations and systems to encourage uptake and manufacturing of new, more efficient, transport technologies;
• airport development planning processes and consultation mechanisms that consider the impact and changing nature of aircraft noise and related expectations on the role of noise sharing and noise mitigation;
• how to support and regenerate Australia’s general aviation sector;
• future industry workforce skills and training requirements;
• appropriate consumer protections and access to services;
• maintaining fit-for-purpose aviation safety, air navigation and aviation security systems and service delivery agencies;
• the role of airlines and airports in supporting regional economies; and
• other significant issues raised during the consultation process.

OUTCOME

The White Paper will clearly articulate the Commonwealth Government’s policies on desired aviation outcomes in relation to efficiency, safety, sustainability and competitiveness to ensure the sector is appropriately positioned to deliver aviation services for the Australian public and international visitors out to 2050.

The White Paper will not seek to replicate work underway through processes like the Employment White Paper, THRIVE 2030 strategy or Sustainable Aviation Fuel and the to be established Jet Zero-style Council. Instead the Paper will build and help cement priorities coming out of these processes into a long-term vision for Australian aviation.

OUTPUT

The White Paper will set overarching principles and directions for aviation over the short/medium/long term, including concrete actions over the next five years to help position the sector to achieve these directions.

TIME-FRAMES & DELIVERABLES

• Green Paper, released mid-2023 – outline key challenges and opportunities for the aviation sector to enable government, industry and community to give feedback on Green Paper proposals
• White Paper, released in first half of 2024 – authoritative, in-depth report, drawing on feedback from the Green Paper.

For more information, visit:

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper