Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler is the man who thinks that the Qantas Sale Act is about regional services, when they are not even mentioned in the act. When he was minister for transport, he said, 'The impact of the carbon tax will be little more than the cost of a cup of coffee.' Little more than the cost of a cup of coffee! Well, for Rex in the first half year the cost was $1.3 million! For Virgin it was $27 million in the first half year, and for Qantas it was $106 million in the year. I do not know when the shadow minister last bought a cup of coffee, but it was a very, very expensive cup of coffee! If it is so insignificant, why won't Labor join us in getting rid of the carbon tax? Get rid of the carbon tax!

The member for Gorton thinks that the government owns the airline. Five times he said on Sunday television that the government was the majority shareholder. Where was he when Paul Keating and Bob Hawke sold off every share in Qantas? The opposition is so out of touch, so lacking in understanding of the aviation sector. That is the only way they could be denying what the industry wants most. There is something they can do just as well as the government: that is, to vote against the carbon tax. Get rid of the carbon tax and that will be a major stride forward for the aviation industry and its profitability in Australia.

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