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

As I have said repeatedly, my department undertook consultations with the relevant aviation stakeholders, and I was well aware of different stakeholders' views when I took the decision. I do routinely meet with the CEOs of all airlines, airports and peak bodies, and, as I said, from my recollection, the main people lobbying my office and me about Qatar were from Virgin and a third party who contacted my office on behalf of Qatar. Again, from my recollection, the discussions I have had with Qantas recently have in the main been about their concerns about our 'closing the labour loophole' legislation. The fact is that I and my office have received more lobbying on behalf of Qatar Airways than we did on behalf of Qantas. It might not suit the narrative of those opposite, but that is what happened.

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