Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How does the government's decision in relation to the application by Qatar Airways compare to the approach of previous governments on similar aviation policy decisions?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to actually answer a question on aviation policy, because this is what the previous government was trying to stop me saying before. We support sustainable aviation growth. Our aviation green paper, which is out shortly, will go to issues of competition and international aviation agreements, issues around disability standards at our airports and issues around consumer rights, something those opposite failed to protect.

It might be useful to remind the House that requests for additional capacity are made routinely to governments around the world, including Australia. These requests are not always granted, including by those opposite. In fact, when the very same question was put in front of the member for Riverina, he made a decision to 'put on hold an application by Qatar Airways'. That 'putting on hold' was for four years. That's not putting it on hold; that's actually not making a decision for four years—effectively, a nonapproval. By the time a decision was actually taken, nearly half the coalition's time in office had elapsed, and at the end of that four-year hold Qatar Airways were granted only an additional seven flights per week. So worried were the previous government about this airline that, for the first time, they added an antidumping clause to the international air services agreement. Those new flights only started early last year, in 2022. That's when that new capacity, asked for in 2018, was actually given to Qatar Airways.

In the case of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority's request, I determined that it was not in Australia's national interest to grant their request for an additional 28 flights per week. I know that there are some businesses and airlines that would've liked me to make a different decision. I have not based that decision on any one company's commercial interests but on the national interests. Again, as the member for Riverina has said, he introduced that safeguard article because 'you can't have an airline coming in from overseas and just undercutting to the point where Australian jobs are at risk and Australian airlines are placed at a disadvantage'.

He said:

We can't have an airline with very deep pockets undercut, undercut, undercut and … people go to them as opposed to an airline that may be majority Australian-owned and unable to compete with this unfair undercutting of prices.

There you go. No wonder they didn't want me to answer the question about Qatar Airways. The previous government has not got a leg to stand on with the way in which it gave $2 billion of JobKeeper to Qantas without any strings attached, and saw hundreds of jobs outsourced without any possibility of saving them. Thy name is hypocrite. (Time expired)

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the . Did the minister discuss Qatar's application with Alan Joyce prior to her decision on Qatar?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said in answering the previous question, to the best of my recollection, the Qatar decision was a discussion I had with Virgin. A third party approached my office on behalf of Qatar. And the previous discussions I have had with Qantas were focused—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can remember all that, but you can't—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting! The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I just said, to the best—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why not answer honestly?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You should withdraw that.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause and resume her seat for a moment. The Leader of the House on a point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On two points: (1) on your previous rulings; and (2) the angry, furious interjections from the Leader of the Opposition are out of control, and in the latest one it was a direct reflection on the minister and should be withdrawn.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was too much noise for me to hear what the leader said, but, to assist the House, I'm going to get him to withdraw it so we can keep going with question time.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give the call to the minister, who will be heard in silence for the remainder of her answer.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying: to the best of my recollection, the meetings I had with Qantas were, in fact, about the same job, same pay legislation, because they have concerns about that.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition!

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand by it. This is a decision I have made in the national interest. It is a decision that, in fact, when you reflect on what your government did when in government, is very consistent with the way in which this airline has been dealt with by previous governments over the history of this bilateral international air services agreement.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Newcastle will cease interjecting.