IT WAS almost the perfect past month for Member for Barker Tony Pasin and, in some ways, for the city of Mount Gambier.
Firstly, Mr Pasin secured funding for the Mount Gambier Airport upgrade, which virtually assures the airport’s ability to accommodate the larger aircraft that are now being built.
It probably was one of the great coups because, while state government and local government had committed funding for lengthening and improving the runway and other facilities, federal funding was the key and early indications suggested it was not going to be easy.
With this accomplished, Mr Pasin turned his sights to the meeting he had arranged with Regional Express Airlines (Rex).
He had sought a round-table discussion with the airline directors to resolve the impasse that had arisen between Rex and Grant District Council, which ultimately led to Rex dropping several flights in and out of Mount Gambier.
Leading up to the late July meeting Mr Pasin had no idea how it was going to pan out.
He did his homework and again lobbied hard with the airline to look seriously at its one-way fares.
The case he put to the airline was simple enough.
Under a community fare scheme, if they were prepared to drop air fare prices he would lobby Grant council to reduce the passenger tax which had been a major stumbling block between the two warring parties.
When Mr Pasin walked into the room he still had no idea what to expect but had hoped for the best and planned for the worst.
He need not have worried because Rex got on the front foot, took the heat out of the debate and immediately announced it was prepared to reduce its one-way fare on 25pc of its tickets from $177 to $129.
Mr Pasin had put the case to the airline that if this happened it would increase passenger numbers, thereby giving Grant room to move to reduce passenger tax.
The outcome was hailed as a huge success by civic and business leaders who attended the meeting.
The airline fare offer was dependent on Grant accepting a reduced passenger tax from $9.50 by $2 under a new partnership arrangement.
Last week, Grant decided to defer the offer until further discussion took place but earlier this week councillors decided to approve the move.
While the intimate details of the behind-closed-doors meeting are yet to be released, it is a courageous decision.
Grant councillors needed to weigh up many options but one that sat firmly at the front of the queue was just how much they wanted to develop airline traffic versus taking a punt on the financial damage dropping passenger tax might do.
The other dilemma was because the airport services the region, councillors could not be insular in their thinking.
They had to weigh up the benefits for the region against the cost that comes with this for council.
In other words, Grant councillors looked at both the big picture as well as what that might do to their bottom line but sometimes that is what comes with being an airport owner.
Mr Pasin went out on a limb for Grant and the city of Mount Gambier, and now Grant has shown what it stands for and should be congratulated.
The downside to Mr Pasin’s month was the vicious reaction from council over his decision in late July after announcing he would only lobby for the $20m federal funding for the $40m indoors sports centre if there was a poll.
He was convinced once financials were finalised and released, a poll for those enrolled to vote in council elections was the only way to clear the air and find a majority voice so everyone could move on.
He reiterated if a poll was held, he would vote for the project.
Without a poll, he will not lobby for the $20m funding.
The project will be dead.
It is madness that councillors have criticised the man who can deliver $20m of the $40m funding.
Yes, it was almost a perfect month for Mr Pasin.
