Mr Bennett was scheduled to meet with Mr Albanese’s chief of staff, Michael Shoueifate, at 11am Tuesday.

“The only way rural Australia is going to retain public transportation is with State and Federal Government assistance,” Mr Bennett said before leaving.

Council is after the Federal Government to retain an enroute rebate. It is due to end in 2012 and REX/Air Link is blaming that decision, in part, for canceling the Mudgee-Sydney route, effective December 20.

However, council is keen to lobby both levels of government for assistance.

Meanwhile, Mr Bennett was hopeful of meeting with Aeropelican this week as well, in hopes of stitching up a deal with the Newcastle-based carrier to provide Mudgee to Sydney air service.

Aeropelican acting general manager, Andrew Burkett has told the Mudgee Guardian that the airline would be interested in taking over the Mudgee service should it be invited to lodge an expression of interest with the NSW Transport Ministry.

“We would want to make sure we provide an acceptable service and one which would be viable in the long term.

“Our application would be considered by the minister and by Mid-Western Regional Council .

“We are aware that the service is due to cease on December 20 and therefore would need to move quickly to provide a seamless service for the area.

“If granted the service would remain essentially the same.

“We operate three, 19-seater aircraft and one, 15-seater,” he said.

In a report to tonight’s council meeting, Mr Bennett also urged councillors to proceed with plans in the 2008/09 budget to spend $1 million to seal the runway.

“Unless otherwise directed, we will be continuing with that project because I believe it is vital that we maintain this asset at a high standard, and giving up on commercial flights to Mudgee and thus not sealing the runway at such an early stage would not in the best interest of our community,” Mr Bennett said.

The topic is up for discussion at tonight’s (Wednesday’s) council meeting.