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The Future of Regional Airports in Australia (Abstract and Citation only)
Thesis

The Future of Regional Airports in Australia (Abstract and Citation only)

Linda Wasiela
Southern Cross University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.578

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Abstract

Regional airports Regional airport governance Local government ownership New Public Governance Stakeholder analysis Scenario planning Mixed methods research
This thesis examines governance arrangements for local-government-owned regional airports in Australia, with New Public Governance (NPG) providing the broader conceptual framework. Regional airports face interconnected challenges arising from governance complexities and broader environmental factors, many of which are outside local government’s control. These airports differ from their metropolitan counterparts in revenue-raising capacity, passenger demand patterns, and governance arrangements. Limited revenue streams and high infrastructure and maintenance costs have reportedly resulted in local governments cross-funding these facilities. However, the literature revealed four critical gaps: (i) the absence of quantitative evidence confirming financial sustainability challenges; (ii) the conflation of regional airports with remote airports despite their different characteristics; (iii) limited comprehensive evaluation of governance outcomes at regional airports, particularly from stakeholder perspectives; and (iv) the lack of future-oriented governance frameworks. Addressing these gaps, the central concern of this thesis is to assess the degree to which current local government ownership and operation models are fit for purpose and examine the extent to which alternative governance arrangements might better balance financial viability with the public interest obligations that regional airports are expected to fulfil. The research employed a sequential-mixed-methods design across three phases. Phase 1 provided quantitative evidence of financial performance through an analysis of five New South Wales (NSW) regional airports, evaluating claims in the literature that regional airports in Australia, and their local government owners, face challenges in the financial upkeep of these assets. Phase 2 employed a qualitative approach, exploring the perspectives of 29 stakeholders through semi-structured interviews across six stakeholder groups. The final Phase 3 developed a set of four scenario-based futures using the Intuitive Logics approach and validated the underlying assumptions for scenario development and the scenario narratives, through interviews with five Australian aviation experts. The research demonstrates that no single governance arrangement fits all regional airports as contextual factors influence stakeholder perspectives and governance expectations. Critically, the findings reveal limited or absent strategic visions for long-term airport development at the local government level, attributed to insufficient expertise, political interests, and planning approaches constrained by electoral cycles. These conditions create environments where collaborative approaches become essential. NPG emerges as a suitable broader framework for guiding alternative governance options as the complex, interdependent nature of regional airport operations requires collaboration across multiple stakeholder groups to achieve outcomes that serve the public interest, even though political factors have the potential to limit the adoption of collaborative approaches in practice.

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