Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Treasurer confirmed on 13 February that Qantas had met each of the Treasurer's four preconditions for government involvement in individual enterprises. Prime Minister, if Qantas has met the Treasurer's test, why will the government not act?

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

We are more than happy, as the Treasurer has abundantly made clear, to take the shackles off Qantas. That is what we want to do. We want to get rid of the carbon tax, which is a $100 million-plus hit on Qantas jobs, and we do want to remove from Qantas the shackles placed upon it by the Qantas Sale Act. Again I say to Leader of the Opposition: if he is fair dinkum about wanting to help the workers at Qantas, if he is fair dinkum about wanting to do the right thing by Qantas—make Qantas more competitive and more efficient in these difficult days—he should work with the government to decouple the bills in the Senate so that this very day we can free all of the airlines of this country from the carbon tax. The only thing stopping that is the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The question referred specifically to the Treasurer's four preconditions, and the Prime Minister is going absolutely nowhere near it.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is addressing the issue that was raised in the question, but it would be good if he would address it specifically.

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

What members opposite essentially want the government to do is provide to one airline what we would not provide to all. What this government wants to do is ensure that all airlines are given the level playing field that they deserve. Unlike members opposite who believe in chequebook government and playing favourites amongst businesses, we do not. We want to give all airlines a fair go, and that includes Qantas.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Manager of Opposition Business, you have already had one point of order on relevance; you cannot have two.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You agreed with my ruling, Madam Speaker, and the Prime Minister defied it. If it assists the Prime Minister, I seek leave to table—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has concluded his answer. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just sought leave to table a document. Why can't I do that at the end of an answer?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can. Is leave given?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not given.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, you have not allowed me to say what the document is. I don't know if they can tell when I hold it up, but I think it is reasonable for me to explain what the document is.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the Leader of the House intend to give leave to this document—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Regardless of what it is?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

regardless of what it is?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House has said that, regardless of what it is, he is not giving leave. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is it now the case that, against all the traditions of this House, we are no longer allowed to say what the document is? Because that is an extraordinary ruling inconsistent with—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not a ruling.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

every single precedent set by people who have sat in that chair.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not a ruling. We will see what happens next time.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If there is no ruling, I seek leave to table the four principles that were laid down by the Treasurer.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave given?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it is not.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not given.

Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House of the importance of securing the future of the airline industry and, in particular, reforming the Qantas Sale Act based on evidence?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Forde for the question. He is known to all of us as 'Bert the Beattie Beater'! He does care about the aviation industry in Australia, which has grown in domestic passenger numbers since 2005 by 4.5 per cent per annum and in international passenger numbers since 2005 at an average of 5.1 per cent per annum. I am glad I was asked a question by someone in this House about all my words in relation to Qantas. It is no secret that Qantas has been having some challenges over the last few years. In fact, in his recent public statement, the chief executive of Qantas recognised that they have been speaking to governments about the challenges for two years.

I came across a letter of comfort from the member for Grayndler.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

There he is! This was a letter of comfort from the Australian taxpayers to Qantas to try and reassure the rating agencies that the government would stand behind Qantas. I bet that was not just something given out to every business in Australia. No, there must have been some reason why the member for Grayndler would write a letter like that, and I am sure he spoke to all of his colleagues. But, of course, all the problems of Qantas are a rude shock to Labor. They still think its in government ownership. The should call a shareholders meeting to address their problems!

But there is more because Labor just does not deal with the facts. Today, when I heard the member for Grayndler say, 'Part of the obligations in the Qantas Sale Act are for regional services and the regional network,' I rushed to my copy of the Qantas Sale Act and could not see anything there about it. There was nothing in the act about regional services. He was a transport minister for six years and never read the Qantas Sale Act.

But there is more. This guy over here, the member for McMahon, was the Treasurer and he went on the doors today and said, 'A debt guarantee—you don't need legislation for that.' But you do because you cannot appropriate money if you do not have legislation and you cannot give a guarantee that means anything if you do not have an appropriation. So you have a former Treasurer who does not understand the facts, a former transport minister who does not understand the facts and a frontbench that still thinks they own Qantas. The bottom line is that, as the chief executive of Virgin and the chief executive of Qantas said, the best thing you can do for the aviation industry is get rid of the carbon tax now.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. After the Treasurer confirmed that Qantas had met each of the government's four preconditions for a debt guarantee, the Qantas share price rose by around 10 per cent. What will the implications for the Qantas share price and its shareholders be if the government does nothing?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, clearly, that question is out of order. There is no possibility that the Prime Minister—

Opposition members: Why?

For three reasons: it is entirely hypothetical, it is not within the Prime Minister's responsibility and there is no possibility the Prime Minister could answer that question because no-one can determine which way the share market will move at any point in time.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will hear the Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been the case for many, many decades that ministers in this parliament will indicate what they think policy decisions will have on the markets and other indicators. To say that those questions have been out of order for generations would be a very odd ruling.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition might like to rephrase his question.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After the Treasurer confirmed that Qantas had met each of the government's four preconditions for a debt guarantee, the Qantas share price rose by around 10 per cent. What are you going to do to the share price now that you have lead Qantas up the garden path?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! With respect, I do not think that that rephrasing of the question helped very much. It still has the impediment in it that the Prime Minister has some power over that. However, if the Prime Minister chooses to answer the question he may do so.

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

I have two points in response to the Leader of the Opposition: first of all, he should stop verballing the Treasurer and, secondly, he should stop talking down Qantas. That is what he should do. He should stop talking down Qantas. If he is serious about helping Qantas today, this very day he should join with the government and lift the carbon tax from Qantas and all other airlines.