Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to take note of the questions raised by the opposition. There is a great deal of interest in this. My colleague next to me said we have just received a lecture from the opposition about what has been discussed during Senate question time today. Not at any point was there a question raised about the cost of living. What was particularly galling was the question asked about the Qatar circus. I say 'circus' because of the way it has been handled with the so-called investigation—the 'circus'—taking place in today's question time, in yesterday's question time and recently in Senate committee hearings. It has been an absolute circus.

But before I get into the 'circus', let's talk about the track record of those opposite. There were 12 ACCC reports handed down under the previous government that found airlines were delivering declining service standards and higher prices. But did those opposite act? No, of course they didn't act. The big difference on this side is we have acted. We established an important inquiry into the green paper and the white paper. As everyone in the Senate would know, they were significant reports that looked at the implications, the consequences of what was happening in the aviation industry. Those opposite don't ask about that because the last time there was an inquiry into the aviation industry to deal with consumer rights, to deal with aviation efficiency, to drive better standards in aviation and to take opportunities that arise was in 2012. For 10 years, those opposite never carried out an inquiry into aviation regardless of having 12 ACCC inquiries saying it is a dud, it is not working and it needs to change.

On the good news front, just this afternoon Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines announced a number of flights to increase capacity to Adelaide—a very good outcome. Premier Malinauskas said, 'This means a lot more seats are travelling to and from our state to represent the fact that we've got all this extra activity, we're investing in major events.' He said, 'All this additional activity is providing South Australia jobs at a time when our economy is already running pretty hot.' Well, do you know what? The reality is that aviation is expanding in a number of areas. I haven't always been a great fan of Rex but I need to give Rex a bit of a leg-up too. They will start their inaugural Brisbane flights on 30 October.

On the point of the 'circus', I was actually at the Senate inquiry into the bilateral air service agreements. In that inquiry the government didn't get told who the witnesses were literally until they turned up because the chair of the committee, the person asking questions today and yesterday, wouldn't tell us, no matter how many times we requested it from the secretariat. The secretariat were acting appropriately; they were not doing anything improper. They were directed, as the chair confirmed, to not give us the information. That was the inquiry. They wanted a star chamber, a circus, where you never knew what act would come out next.