Following on from the Australian Government's recent announcement of a tailored COVID-19 economic stimulus package for Norfolk Island, I am pleased to share with you the projects which will be supported.

As the Assistant Minister said, we understand the significant impact the Coronavirus and associated restrictions has had on tourism and the local economies.

The Kingston Pier Channel Construction project is progressing well, with the completion of the final draft of the selected design Option 3a, ahead of upcoming consultations.

Ensuring local knowledge and expertise informs this important project, Option 3a was selected after extensive COVID-safe stakeholder and community engagement, both online and via teleconference, earlier in the year.

The coronavirus economic stimulus package announced by the Australian Government provides income support measures for individuals and financial support for businesses.

Depending on your circumstances, residents and businesses on Norfolk Island may be eligible for this additional support.

New traffic laws have been put in place to improve public health and safety on Norfolk Island roads. 

Ute tray riding will continue to be part of Norfolk Island's driving experience, however, there will be some changes to improve safety for tray occupants. 

The new laws take into account the community feedback provided on ute tray riding and other proposed changes to Norfolk Island's traffic laws through an extensive consultation process in 2019.

Following a delay due to Coronavirus, community consultations on the immediate to long-term shared vision for Norfolk Island will begin on Monday (8 June), with the release of an Island-wide survey.

The scope of the planned community consultation on the Norfolk Island 2030: Sustaining Our Future plan has expanded to include the Island's immediate to short-term goals in response to the broader economic impacts of COVID-19.

I am pleased to announce the Australian Government is supporting an additional flight between Norfolk Island and Brisbane, with the new schedule commencing 13 October.

Air New Zealand currently provides two passenger flights arriving on Norfolk Island each week, one from Sydney and one from Brisbane.

The additional flight from Brisbane, which will bring the schedule to three flights a week, will help meet increased passenger demand and reflects the importance of bringing travellers back to Norfolk Island.

The Australian Government has contracted Transam Argosy to provide ongoing maintenance and operation of Norfolk Island's Passenger Transfer Vessels (PTVs).

The contract was awarded to Transam Argosy following an open tender process. The contract will support future cruise ship visits, with a fee paid per scheduled visit to the operators.

Due to public safety risk, Emily Bay Bridge will be temporarily closed to all traffic for a short period commencing next week while critical safety works are undertaken to repair the bridge.

Cracks in the bridge structure were found during a routine inspection in late November. A subsequent engineering inspection and report has now confirmed there is a risk the convict stone arch beneath the bridge will collapse.

I encourage community members to contribute to the review of Norfolk Island's emergency management, with the commencement of the consultations to support the review.

This review is not in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a review of the broader emergency management arrangements. In December last year, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino announced funding for an independent review of the emergency management governance arrangements on Norfolk Island to ensure they best meet the needs of the local community.