Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland)—Newcastle Airport was last night announced as Major Airport of the Year 2021 by Australia's peak airport body, the Australian Airports Association [AAA]. Major Airport of the Year is awarded annually to an airport with over 500,000 annual passengers which displays excellence across all aspects of airport operations and development. Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock and his team have endured very tough times during the COVID pandemic but have continued to strive to deliver exceptional customer service for our region. Prior to the pandemic, Newcastle Airport contributed more than $1.16 billion to the state's economy each year, including $300 million direct to the visitor economy which supported over 5,700 full-time employees across tourism and the Airport cluster. This award recognises the significant economic benefits and the thousands of jobs that Newcastle Airport provides for our economy. This is the third time that Newcastle Airport has gained this prestigious award previously winning it in 2011 and 2018. I congratulate Dr Cock and his team for their dedication and hard work in ensuring first class services and experiences are being delivered at our regional Newcastle Airport. It's a great achievement for the entire Hunter region.