Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Can the minister confirm the date the Prime Minister or his office was informed of her decision on the application for additional Qatar Airways flights to and from Australia?

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

The member for Barker will leave under 94(a).

The member for Barker then left the chamber.

Anyone else who wants to interject before a minister even speaks can leave now.

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've repeatedly said, these are routine decisions of government. There's nothing remarkable about transport ministers making decisions on international air service agreements to reflect our national interest. I've done it, we did it when we were last in office and former ministers opposite did exactly the same. I acknowledge that the member for Riverina is noting that.

On 10 July, I took the decision not to agree to Qatar Civil Aviation Authority's request to double, by 28 services a week, the number of flights from Australia's four major airports—four times any request that has ever been granted before. I informed the Prime Minister—

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

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

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

I informed the Prime Minister prior to my decision being made public, and normally these decisions are not made public. And, for context, my office had received multiple media requests about the women who were escorted off a Qatar Airways flight in Doha and subject to invasive searches and their views on the air services agreement request from Qatar.

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

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has asked her question.

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

Can I just say, the deputy leader—this is constant. I'm just about to get to that, if you'd just—

I am just about to get to that.

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

The Leader of the Opposition can just listen to the minister. I want to hear what she has to say in response to the deputy leader's question just as much as anyone.

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

Again, I said, for context, my office had received multiple media requests about the women who were escorted off the Qatar Airways flight in Doha and subject to invasive searches and their views on the air services agreement requests from Qatar. We responded to the media requests on 18 July, by which point the Prime Minister was aware of the decision that I had made.