Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's aviation sector has one big bully, in the shape of a flying kangaroo. Qantas recently announced its decision to reduce its 27 weekly flights out of Devonport by seven. Time and time again Qantas plays a game of survival of the fittest, but it's strategy has always been to weaken the competition so that Skippy doesn't fall from the sky. As we saw following the Rex and Bonza collapses, airfares on major city routes went up 12 per cent. It feels like we've been here before. Qantas pushed out Rex from flying into Burnie just over a decade ago, and on cue the price of airfares went up. Now we have an issue with flights being cut again on the north-west coast.

Qantas says the use of bigger planes will mean more seats will be available, but what it really means is fewer options for north-west coasters wanting to fly out of Devonport and Burnie. With these changes, some people travelling for work will need to travel the day before, as same-day travel will no longer be possible. This cuts off businesses on the north-west coast from the national economy and health professionals on the mainland. The Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that this decision will hurt tourism and increase costs for local businesses, and it will. Prices will most likely go up, and Qantas will flex its muscle to ensure they stay up.

More than 20 regional airlines have collapsed in Australia since the 1990s, yet the Aviation white paper doesn't say much about supporting regional communities to get affordable and reliable access to airlines. A senior constituent wrote to me explaining that travelling out of Devonport to get to Sydney costs almost $1,000 more than flying out of Launceston, which is one hour up the road. He asked how this is justifiable. Well, I don't know why he's asking me, because Qantas needs to come to the table and start telling us why this is going on. You say you've got more seats, but it costs us more. How is this working?

I'll tell you what I'd like to do. I'd love to refer Qantas to the ACCC. But, let's be real, they are about as much use as a wet paper bag.