Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. I refer to the Deputy Prime Minister's 2009 demand that any changes to Qantas's foreign ownership rules be accompanied by safeguards for the flying public and 'particularly those in regional areas'. What safeguards are in place under the government's proposed scrapping of the protections in the Qantas Sale Act?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Air Navigation Act is the answer to the senator's question. I love these quotes, Mr President. I want to take the senator, for his benefit, to a quote from Mr Anthony Albanese, the former Labor minister for transport, who said in 2008:

The new Rudd Labor government will drive an active strategy to further liberalise the aviation sector, seeking cooperation with like-minded partners.

He continued:

In a system of unbalanced economic advantage, we must take a pragmatic approach to our liberalisation strategy, acting in the overall national interest.

Let me say that again, Mr President:

… acting in the overall national interest. We will aim to reduce restrictions which limit growth while ensuring that the Australian industry can compete with international operators—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order, on relevance. The question that has been asked—and I am sure that the National Party are keen to hear the answer—is: what safeguards are in place under the government's proposed scrapping of the protections in the Qantas Sale Act?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There is no point of order at this stage. The minister still has 59 seconds remaining.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To go on with what Mr Albanese was saying which, strangely enough, is something now that the Labor Party in this place wants to turn their backs on:

We will aim to reduce restrictions which limit growth while ensuring that the Australian industry can compete with international operators on a balanced playing field.

Now, what is going to retain those very important jobs, career prospects and business generally under the umbrella of Qantas's airline operations is a level playing field. If you look—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I want to persist with relevance because the minister is answering anything but the question that has been put, and the question is: what safeguards are in place under the government's proposed scrapping of the protections in the Qantas Sale Act? He has not gone near that.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! With 20 seconds remaining I do draw the minister's attention to the question.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said at the very beginning, the Air Navigation Act 1920 is a piece of legislation which I am sure the senator has not even heard of, because he does not bother to take the time to understand the industry upon which he seeks to ask a question. (Time expired)

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the Deputy Prime Minister's comments on the Qantas Sale Act changes yesterday, when he said:

I don't believe it will make any difference to the number of Australians employed by this company.

As the government is repealing the part of the act which ensures that catering, head office and, critically, maintenance jobs are located in Australia, how will the government safeguard Australian jobs?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It might be convenient for this senator to run a scare campaign, but if he takes the time to look at Virgin, which conducts 70 per cent of all of its operations in Australia, with Australians—notwithstanding being virtually totally foreign owned—the answer to his questions and his concerns are met by the facts of what is actually happening in the industry.

Now, I know that the senator is not really interested in the facts of what is happening in the industry, because he comes into this place—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. This is another pathetic performance from Senator Johnston—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! No, this is not a debate!

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have simply asked about issues such as maintenance jobs, and he has not gone near that. So he should bring himself to the question and tell the Australian public what is going to happen to Australian maintenance jobs.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There is no point of order at this stage. The minister has 19 seconds remaining.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is absolutely no reason, given the facts of the way the industry runs today, to believe that there will be any problem with Australian jobs were the sale act to be amended in line with the government's legislation.

Virgin directly employs 9,000 Australians. (Time expired)

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that Virgin's Australian maintenance is done overseas, why is the Australian government trading away safeguards and support for Australian jobs? Can the minister explain how exporting jobs will save jobs?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The good senator just does not get it, but he does not want to get it. Virgin directly employs 9,000 Australians, not to mention those indirectly employed adjacent to their industry. Around 75 per cent of its maintenance is completed in Australia. Its head office is here and its CEO is here. It is based here, injecting billions of dollars into the Australian economy. If that example is not enough for the senator, he simply refuses to look at the facts and understand the nature of this industry.

Given what we inherited in terms of our fiscal position, it is pretty obvious that he does not have the capacity to understand this industry. He should get off the hose and allow Qantas to compete on a level playing field.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It wasn't enough for Joe Hockey. It wasn't enough of the Nationals, they got done over again!

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And, of course, he yabbers away over there and he hasn't got a case. He just yabbers away over there. (Time expired)