Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

You may laugh, and this may be really funny for you, but it's not really funny for the 8,600 workers who are relying on this package, who are relying on this support, who are relying on this investment to ensure that they stay connected with Virgin Australia and with Qantas. That is why we are providing this package. We are ensuring that the international fleet of aircraft are ready and safe to fly. We are ensuring that our airlines retain those 8,600—that's how many there are in the international workforce, the international air crew. They are important.

The assistance that we've provided has been sector-wide of course. Just with the aviation support that we've provided as far as the tourism package is concerned, flight searches on Virgin Australia's website increased almost 80 per cent, bookings increased almost 40 per cent and about 400 crew have been brought back from the end of March. And it is anticipated that more than 1,000 workers—

Opposition members interjecting—

You once supported the workers, but you don't, obviously, anymore, but we do. They will be stood up or given more hours as demand returns. For Qantas, its website searches spiked 73 per cent. So they're good results. We're getting planes back in the air, we're keeping workers with their skills and we're getting on with the job. (Time expired)

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