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

There are a couple of aspects to that. Most certainly if you ask me whether technically I was aware that an employer had the power to lock out its employees, yes. That is part of the act. Did I think there was any chance of Qantas moving to do that on the Saturday? No, I did not. I spoke to Mr Joyce when he rang to advise me that he was placing a courtesy call to me and Minister Albanese to advise us that they had taken the decision to lock out their employees, that they had taken the decision to cease their operations at 5 pm and that if information relating to those matters leaked they might have to close the airline earlier. So, clearly, they were set upon that course. When I asked Mr Joyce to explain the reasons for his decision, he stuck to the general lines that he has been providing to the media. There was no trigger that I could understand— (Time expired)