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. Can the minister inform the House which of her cabinet colleagues she consulted with prior to making her decision on the application for additional Qatar Airways flights to and from Australia on 10 July?

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

As I said yesterday, as you'd expect, my department undertook consultations with all the relevant aviation stakeholders, and I was well aware of different stakeholder views when I took this decision. As you would know, as a former minister for infrastructure in the transport portfolio, as other transport ministers would know, you would regularly consult with ministerial colleagues, but this is a pretty routine decision that ministers make. In particular, it's a routine decision that ministers for transport take. I certainly consulted with ministerial colleagues, but the decision was mine.

Unlike those opposite, we do have a government of ministerial responsibility. We do have a government that runs by ministerial responsibility—unlike those opposite, who had a Prime Minister who signed himself into all of your ministries because he didn't trust you.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. After years of inaction, how is the Albanese Labor government delivering a more competitive aviation sector while at the same time securing Australian jobs and strengthening consumer rights?

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

Order! The minister will pause. The member for Deakin will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Deakin then left the chamber.

I'm going to ask the member to restate the question. And if anyone interjects in this question, they will join the member for Deakin. The member for Adelaide has the call.

Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. After years of inaction, how is the Albanese Labor government delivering a more competitive aviation sector while at the same time securing Australian jobs and strengthening consumer rights?

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 member from Adelaide very sincerely for that question. I know that he knows just how important aviation is to his city and the huge potential Adelaide has as a growing international travel destination.

Today I am very proud that the government released the aviation green paper. This is an important step in undertaking consultative and genuine reform of the aviation sector because this government does understand the importance of Australia's aviation sector to the economic prosperity of our nation and to the lives of all Australians who rely on this critical service.

But as we know, the previous government left the aviation policy space in absolute tatters. They gave billions of taxpayer dollars to Qantas with no strings attached. They stood by, frankly, as Virgin collapsed into administration, only for it to be snatched up by a foreign private equity. They saw the mass outsourcing of jobs and a labour hire mess that drove down wages across this sector.

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

The minister will pause. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

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

On relevance, the minister was asked about what she's doing to deliver a more competitive aviation sector—

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

Resume your seat. The question included 'years of inaction'. She is entitled to compare and contrast as a result of that part of the statement. I give her the call.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As you stated, I was asked about the years of inaction, and, of course, we saw the previous government give billions of dollars of taxpayer moneys to Qantas with no strings attached. They stood by as Virgin collapsed into administration, only for it to be snatched up by foreign private equity. They saw the mass outsourcing of jobs and a labour hire mess that drove down wages and conditions across the sector. They commissioned the Harris review into the Sydney Airport, only to spend almost two years sitting on it, leaving it for us to sort out. They cut JobKeeper to Dnata workers and left those families in the lurch.

Today marks a turning point. The aviation green paper is an important step in developing our sector out to 2050. We want an aviation sector that maintains Australia's world-leading safety and security standards. We want an aviation sector with stronger consumer protections that provides secure jobs now and into the future.

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

Order! The minister will pause. The member for Herbert has been continually interjecting during this answer and every other answer since I've issued the warning. He will leave the chamber under 94(a). This minister will be heard in silence.

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

We want an aviation sector that is reliable, competitive and affordable, and that is what Australians expect and deserve from our aviation industry. That's why we've released the aviation green paper today, to gather the views of the aviation sector, people who rely on it and people who are employed in it. The aviation green paper highlights, in particular, the critical role that aviation plays in our regions who rely on aviation services to access everything from education to health care. The green paper considers how we will transition our aviation industry to net zero, another space those opposite vacated when they were in government. We know the green paper wants to look at stronger consumer protections, improvements to complaint-handling processes and improved accessibility for people with disabilities. I encourage everyone to engage with that process. We need an aviation sector that is strong in this country. (Time expired)