Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

These costs are real—$106 million in the case of Qantas and a $47 million hit in the case of Virgin airlines, which they themselves said in their own annual report they were unable to recover. Those opposite can sit there in denial, but the costs are real. It goes on: Air Ambulance Victoria was hit with a $205,000 carbon tax cost. The costs are real. This is not surprising, because from the other side we get statements such as this from the member for Port Adelaide:

… Labor supports terminating the carbon tax.

We have the member for Wakefield saying:

I think we should abstain in the Senate, allow the Abbott government to implement its policies …

Senator Mark Bishop said:

The strong public position of the ALP prior to the election and in the election was completely rebuffed by the electorate.

What did the chairperson of Rex Aviation said when Rex had to face this? He said:

However, there is little we can do when the Federal Government—

he was talking about the ALP—

appears to be hell-bent on destroying regional aviation and along with it, pretty much the rest of the economy.

We can fix aviation, but get out of the way.

See this speech in context