Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Twenty-two years ago the Qantas Sale Act came into effect. In 1995, three years later, the first airline ticket was sold via the internet. In 1997-98 was the Asian financial crisis. In 1998 Qantas co-founded the Oneworld Alliance. In 1999 we saw the first web based passenger check in and online boarding passes. In the 2000s was the rise of Emirates. In 2001 was the September 11 terrorist attacks. The domestic competitor to Qantas, Ansett, collapsed two days after the terrorist attacks in New York. In 2003 was the establishment of Jetstar. In 2004 there was Jetstar Asia. In 2006 Qantas was subject to a failed bid from a consortium of Airline Partners Australia. In 2006 was avian flu. In 2007 was the impact of the high Australian dollar resulting in cheaper international airfares. In 2008-10 there was the recession, the GFC, which was blamed for all of our woes. In 2008 all the prices rise above $1.45.

My point is that 22 years ago was before the internet. That year, 1992, was not long after this building was opened. The whole point is that was this inquiry of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee was a circus. It was staged to provide a forum for the unions to have a crack at the individuals that run the Qantas company.

In 1992, under Labor, Mr Keating privatised Qantas. But back then he could not get the agreement of his keepers—those who are still trying to flex their muscles here in 2014 by sending the opposition in to try and represent the unionised interests. They have put this together. Qantas operates in an outdated environment.

Yesterday I heard, in chatter, that Virgin operates a service now double the size of Ansett for 30 per cent less operating costs than Ansett did in its final years. That is because has not been made moribund by union agreements. I have heard that the pilots' agreement with Qantas is 500 pages long and the agreement with Virgin is 50 pages. The Qantas agreement is not sustainable.

I am concerned about the 27,000 jobs that remain at Qantas. I am concerned about keeping those. The people on the other side of the chamber talk about the 5,000 jobs that have been lost. That is tragic. That is not what we want to see. But we do not want to see the demise of an airline because it cannot modernise. The government should not have any say in how that business runs itself. We made that decision in 1992 when we privatised Qantas. It is not our company. I urge all senators in this place to get behind this bill so that this company can flourish with out the impediment of politicians playing around with it for their own gain.