Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Senator Carr. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce in his evidence to the Senate Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee on 4 November said that he had the delegated authority to unilaterally ground the entire Qantas fleet without first seeking board authorisation. Further, Mr Joyce told the committee that it was his decision, that he had 'complete operational discretion to ground the entire fleet'. Given the enormous disruption the grounding caused both here and overseas, does the government concede that the Qantas Sale Act needs to be amended to require that such a grounding, unless it is for genuine safety reasons, should require both board approval and reasonable prior notice to the government of the day?