Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The government was in receipt of advice from my department about both section 424 and section 431 and the other sections of the Fair Work Act as to the options open to the government in terms of intervening in the Qantas dispute with the three unions. We acted on the advice provided to us following the decision by Qantas on Saturday to lock out their employees and shut down the airline. That advice recommended action under section 424 to seek Fair Work Australia's intervention and to seek orders from them to terminate the industrial action. That advice was followed and it was successful. It worked; the advice we followed worked. It ended the dispute. It terminated the industrial action and has allowed passengers to again fly with Qantas.