Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to highlight the importance of Qantas, not only as Australia's long-serving national carrier but as a major tourist icon in my electorate of Maranoa. Qantas is an iconic brand and a major promoter of Australian food and wine. In fact, it is the third-largest buyer of Australian wine in Australia, behind the retailers Woolworths and Coles. Its 30,000 new uniforms contain Australian wool, so Qantas is very proud and provides quite a significant stimulus to the rural economy as well. In my electorate alone, the Qantas Founders Museum, which was established in 2002, injects approximately $9 million of economic activity each year. It also attract some 35,000 domestic and international visitors and shares Qantas's proud and illustrious history with the world.

In 1998, 'We still call Australia home' was a phrase made famous by Qantas. Qantas calls Australia home; the Qantas Founders Museum calls Longreach in my electorate home; and the people of this great nation are proud to call Qantas our national carrier. Qantas is an important part of our national history and one which this government intends to see go from strength to strength. I call on the Labor Party to support the bill that has passed the lower house to make sure Qantas does go from strength to strength and to get out of the way for the benefit of this wonderful national carrier, which provides so much stimulus to rural economies and promotes Australia wherever it flies around the world. I am proud to be the representative of Qantas and the Qantas Founders Museum in this parliament.