Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on how the government's proposal to repeal part 3 of the Qantas Sale Act will allow Qantas to stay competitive while still preserving the heritage of this Australian airline?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mallee for the question. We have heard a lot in the last 12 hours or so from the Leader of the Opposition about the threats to Australian jobs once part 3 of the Qantas Sale Act has been repealed. If you believe the Leader of the Opposition, there would be thousands of jobs lost overseas. He refers to the board and the chairman, the cabin crew and the flight attendants, and even the head office being moved overseas. It just shows how little the Labor Party understands about aviation policy.

The reality is that the Air Navigation Act ensures that Australian international airlines have to be majority Australian owned. Our air services agreements require that the boards of international airlines have to be majority Australian—two-thirds have to be Australians. The chairman has to be an Australian, the head office has to be in Australia, the operational base must be in Australia and of course they must be majority owned in this country.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because we are Australian. We believe in it.

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

The member for Moreton is warned.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So the doomsday scenario that the opposition suggests is simply not going to happen. Even if Qantas were to be like Virgin and separate its domestic arm from its international operations, the Air Navigation Act, the Foreign Investment Review Board, the Corporations Act, the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, the Fair Work Act and immigration regulations would all continue to apply.

Honourable members may remember that Virgin, Rex and Skywest were all at some stage 100 per cent foreign owned, but I did not notice any foreign crew on board; I did not notice that they were importing food or in fact using foreign ground crew. The reality is that Virgin's head office is in Brisbane, their ground crews are in Australia, 75 per cent of their maintenance is done in Australia, their catering is done in Australia and their flight crews are Australian. Virgin employs about 9,500 people in its operations, and 9,000 of them are Australians.

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

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

The member for Lingiari will curb his language.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Qantas is this proud Australian icon. They are not going to move their head office to any other part of the world, no matter who owns them. Their proudest boast is that they are Australian. And we want to make sure that they remain a strong airline, that they can be free from the restrictions that they have at the present time and that there can be a level playing field for Qantas, our airline. The opposition can give them a chance to save Australian jobs and to build a strong airline by supporting the repeal of part 3.

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

My question is also to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. I refer to the minister's December comment about amending the Qantas Sale Act where he said, 'It would simply be a waste of time and political energy'. He went on to say that this course of action was not favoured by 'the majority of the Australian people'. I ask the Deputy Prime Minister: why is this now the government's sole initiative to assist Qantas?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At that time, I was very pessimistic that the opposition would have sufficient vision and foresight and sufficient faith in Qantas to allow appropriate changes to the Qantas Sale Act. I had little hope that the opposition would put sufficient faith in the national interest to want to make Qantas succeed. Since that time Qantas's position has become even more—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler has asked his question. There will be silence on my left so we can hear the answer.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, since that time, Qantas's position has become markedly worse. Its credit rating has been downgraded twice. Its losses continue to mount, and it is obvious that there needs to be reform to give Qantas the chance to be competitive in the future.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield is warned.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is why the government is putting forward this initiative now—to help create a level playing field for Qantas. I hope that the opposition will, over this time, become sufficiently aware of the deteriorating situation of Qantas to actually—

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am trying to assist the minister here. Perhaps I could table the transcript. I seek leave to table the transcript.

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

There is no point of order.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

That is not a point of order, and you know it.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not need it to be tabled; I have my own copy. The reality is that over the time Qantas's position has gone from bad to worse, but, wow, the opposition's position has gone from bad to worse as well. Yesterday we said there was one thing that the Labor Party could do to help Qantas be profitable in the future, and that was to get rid of the carbon tax. Now there are two things that they can do: they can get rid of the carbon tax and they can support the repeal of part 3 of the Qantas Sale Act. That will make a difference and it is time that the opposition got on board and helped give Qantas a chance for the future.

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

Madam Speaker, perhaps now it would be appropriate, in accordance with your guidance before—

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

If you are seeking to table a document, say so.

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

I am trying to do it politely, Madam Speaker—to seek leave to table the document—

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

That is a very good try.

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

I do try, Madam Speaker.

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

And sometimes you are a bit trying. Leader of the House, is leave given?

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

The answer is no.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Before I call the member for Wannon: people who are sitting in this chamber are entitled to hear an answer when it is sought. There has been a wall of noise coming from my left, and it will stop or we will have a few people leave. I call the honourable member for Denison prior to calling the member for Wannon.