RichardMEL
Feb 14, 02, 7:44 pm
Deal on Sydney airport lease
AAP and SIMON JOHANSON
Friday 15 February 2002
Prospective Ansett owner Tesna Holdings has reached an agreement in principle to take over the lease on the airline's Sydney domestic terminal.
Agreement in principle was also reached regarding a security bond to be paid by Tesna and third party access to the terminal.
The transfer of the Sydney lease is vital to the agreement of sale Tesna signed with Ansett administrators last November.
Today's announcement clears the way for a Tesna/Ansett sale transaction to go before the Federal Court next Tuesday.
Sydney Airports Corporation Limited (SACL) CEO, Tony Stuart, said SACL and Tesna had found common ground and had reached agreement in principle in key areas - including a commitment that Tesna operates as a domestic airline.
The parties will now move to detailed documentation covering the assignment of the lease.
Earlier, the Victorian government flatly denied reports it offered the Tesna consortium $90 million to buy Ansett and keep the airline flying.
Speaking on ABC radio this morning, Mr Bracks said an article in The Australian newspaper, claiming the government had offered the cash incentive, was wrong.
"The article is wrong. We are not offering $90 million," Mr Bracks said.
Asked if the government was offering any money at all, Mr Bracks said: "No. I've said consistently, and this is true, that what we will offer is the equivalent of state taxes, payroll taxes forgone for several years."
"It's nothing, nothing at all like $90 million. That is incorrect," he said.
Mr Bracks said while the author of the report, Mark Westfield, was a "credible journalist," the article was "erroneous" and The Australian newspaper had not contacted the government to get its side of the story.
"But in this case he (Mr Westfield) erred. He did not corroborate his story."
AAP and SIMON JOHANSON
Friday 15 February 2002
Prospective Ansett owner Tesna Holdings has reached an agreement in principle to take over the lease on the airline's Sydney domestic terminal.
Agreement in principle was also reached regarding a security bond to be paid by Tesna and third party access to the terminal.
The transfer of the Sydney lease is vital to the agreement of sale Tesna signed with Ansett administrators last November.
Today's announcement clears the way for a Tesna/Ansett sale transaction to go before the Federal Court next Tuesday.
Sydney Airports Corporation Limited (SACL) CEO, Tony Stuart, said SACL and Tesna had found common ground and had reached agreement in principle in key areas - including a commitment that Tesna operates as a domestic airline.
The parties will now move to detailed documentation covering the assignment of the lease.
Earlier, the Victorian government flatly denied reports it offered the Tesna consortium $90 million to buy Ansett and keep the airline flying.
Speaking on ABC radio this morning, Mr Bracks said an article in The Australian newspaper, claiming the government had offered the cash incentive, was wrong.
"The article is wrong. We are not offering $90 million," Mr Bracks said.
Asked if the government was offering any money at all, Mr Bracks said: "No. I've said consistently, and this is true, that what we will offer is the equivalent of state taxes, payroll taxes forgone for several years."
"It's nothing, nothing at all like $90 million. That is incorrect," he said.
Mr Bracks said while the author of the report, Mark Westfield, was a "credible journalist," the article was "erroneous" and The Australian newspaper had not contacted the government to get its side of the story.
"But in this case he (Mr Westfield) erred. He did not corroborate his story."