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

I refer to the Prime Minister's words last night, that 'sending Australian jobs overseas may be regrettable'. Can the Prime Minister honestly expect Australians to believe that the only way to save Australian jobs is to send them overseas?

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

To those who are frightened about what might happen, to those who are fearful of the future, to those who think that any change in the Qantas Sale Act is some kind of a disaster, I say: look at Virgin. Virgin is employing Australians. It is serving Australians. It is, in every meaningful respect, an Australian airline. Why does this Leader of the Opposition think that Virgin should be given a commercial, competitive advantage that is denied to Qantas?

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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

The member for Perth will desist.

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

Why does the Leader of the Opposition think that Virgin should get a better deal than Qantas? I think that both Australian airlines should get the same fair deal. The people who work for Virgin are Australians; they are employed in Australia. The aircraft that Virgin flies are based in Australia; they are serviced in Australia. And what is good for Virgin is good for Qantas. Let's have the same rules governing both airlines.