Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

The Qantas lockout, I should say; there has only been one lockout. What I would say is that, in relation to the aviation sector, the first point is this: Qantas and other airlines will not face any carbon price on their international operations. I would have thought Senator Birmingham would know that. They will face a carbon price on their domestic operations. I am advised this will have a very moderate impact on ticket prices. Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, who will charge taxpayers some $1,300 a year, which will be given to big polluters, we on this side will put forward tax cuts—tax cuts for Australians and increases to the pension, increases to the disability support pension. That is what we will do.

I would also add—and I will add to this in my next answer—that Qantas and the other airlines approached the government and asked if they could be covered by the carbon price mechanism for their domestic operations rather than manage their carbon liabilities through the fuel tax system. (Time expired)