Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

That was an embarrassing performance from the junior minister in a government that has shown contempt for Qantas as a company, contempt for Qantas's workers and contempt for Qantas's shareholders and walked away from the national interest. They have shown yet again today that they had a plan to get into government but not a plan to govern. So relentlessly negative were they in opposition that they did not think through any of the proper policy principles that they would be called upon when able to make decisions, and it is nowhere more evident than with regard to Qantas.

It is 88 days since the downgrade of Qantas. During 80-plus of those 88 days, those opposite—from the Treasurer to the transport minister to all those responsible—held out the offer of a debt guarantee. They did it in private; they did it in public. They said what the conditions were. And now, at the last minute—after Qantas factored that into the decisions that they made last Thursday and after shareholders factored it in and saw an increase in the share price of some 10 per cent—they pulled the rug out and walked away. Today we know that they even did due diligence. They used taxpayers' funds to get PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the big four companies, to do due diligence on the proposal that they said on the record they were supporting. Let us have a look at what it was. Qantas were not asking for a handout but for a debt guarantee. The government teased Qantas, they teased the markets and then they walked away from it.

They speak about the level playing field. Well, let us be very clear—Virgin got a capital injection in November from three government-backed airlines: Singapore; Etihad, backed by the government of the UAE; and also Air New Zealand, backed by the government of New Zealand. They got government support not just from Australia but from the governments of Singapore, UAE and New Zealand. That is fine. But, under those circumstances, the Australian government should have provided that support. We know that that is the case. The Prime Minister presents himself as some sort of new broom, a type of ideological terminator, one who will force every company to stand on their own. All he is doing is terminating Australian jobs right across the economy.

In 2009 I produced an aviation white paper—that is what good governments do; detailed policy development over two years of consultation with the sector—and it recommended changes to the 35-25 rules. The government was asked about this:

Mr Hockey the Aviation White Paper, Anthony Albanese flagged a relaxing of our foreign ownership in Qantas and allowing maybe up to 49% to be foreign-owned…

This is what he said:

Well this is something I have previously been on the record about. Very concerned about any dilution of Australian control of Qantas. Qantas has, over the years, tried to increase foreign investment in the airline. We have been very concerned for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Qantas is an Australian icon and Qantas undertakes significant tasks in the national interest …

That is what Joe Hockey had to say very clearly.

And it was not just him. Warren Truss, who was then the shadow transport minister had this to say on the day:

The Government’s decision to allow a single foreign investor to own 49 percent of Qantas would deliver effective control to a foreign investor, including possibly a competitor airline. Loss of effective Australian control could leave Australia without an airline primarily committed to our interests.

That is what he had to say at that time. So do not come here and talk to us about reform! You rejected reform in 2009. Now you are rejecting what Qantas has requested and what you said you would deliver. Had you not gone out there and created that impression in the market, you might have a semblance of credibility. But you have none, because you have refused to stand up for Australian jobs.

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