Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

we, the then opposition, the coalition, should have supported a proposal to remove the 25 per cent and 35 per cent restrictions in 2009. That I think is the position of the Labor Party that we should have supported in 2009. Well, let me put this to members opposite: if we were wrong then, they are wrong now. That is the absolute logic of their position. If members opposite believe that the 25 per cent and 35 per cent rules should go, well, support the government. Let us get rid of the Qantas Sale Act because the 25 per cent and 35 per cent rules are the very heart of the Qantas Sale Act that we want to repeal.

I am all in favour of Qantas surviving and flourishing. I just want it to operate under the same rules that Virgin does. I beg of members opposite, who I think are genuinely concerned for jobs: do not discriminate against Qantas by continuing to subject Qantas to the rules that Virgin does not have to run under. If it is right for Virgin, it is right for Qantas. That is what this government wants the parliament to support.

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