Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Did the minister receive advice from her department recommending that she approve additional routes applied for by Qatar Airways?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Page will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Page then left the chamber.

I can't be clearer: before I call a minister is not the time to do it. Is everyone clear on that? Good.

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

I thank the former minister for infrastructure for the question. He would know well that these are bilateral agreements that are made between governments. As with all bilateral agreements that are made between governments, they are international agreements, and we only sign up to agreements that benefit our national interest, in all of its broad complexity. That includes ensuring that we have an aviation sector through the recovery that employs Australian workers.

In determining what our national interest is, we have to consider a broad range of factors, and it was not just one factor that led to this particular decision. The government has determined that agreeing to the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority's request for additional services is not in our national interest, and we will always consider the need to ensure that there are long-term well-paid secure jobs for Australians in the aviation sector when we are making this decision. And I am pretty sure that the minister, when he was in that position, had exactly the same view when faced with the same question.