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

It's been over four years since Qantas illegally sacked 1,700 ground handlers and over a year since the High Court decision, and Qantas has still not paid a cent in compensation. It's disgraceful that Qantas is too busy to reach a deal on compensation but has plenty of time to jack up the cost of the ticket change fees by 20 per cent, let alone the services they're not providing in regional Australia. The Transport Workers Union's High Court case was supported at every step by Labor.

Contrast that with Senator McKenzie and her Qantas-supporting mates in the Liberal and National parties, who to this very day refuse to support those workers, who gave Qantas a $2.5 billion no-strings-attached handout during the case and who earlier this year voted against closing the very loophole Qantas abused to do the outsourcing. In fact, here is what Senator McKenzie had to say about her voting with Qantas to keep that loophole open: 'When you look at those industrial relations measures that were brought in, the government got the advice about the negative impact.'

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stop protecting them. You love Alan Joyce.

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

'In a globally competitive environment such as Qantas operates in, they need to have increases in productivity alongside wage increases so that businesses can stay profitable.' There you have it in her own words. The Liberals and Nationals need to let Qantas continue ripping off thousands of hardworking Australians to keep their profit margin up. Qantas made a profit last year of $2.47 billion. Senator McKenzie should spend less time covering for Qantas and more time working with Labor to fix the mess she left us all.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The staff know, Sheldon, that you're all talk.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, I hope that wasn't a forerunner of question time. I don't want to see running commentary.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He was maligning me.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, you're not in a debate with me. I don't want running commentary when other people are on their feet. We'll move to question time.