Qatar denied extra capacity into Australia

[justinbrett]

There is now to be a senate inquiry into the decision. I don’t think this is going to go away in a hurry.

It only passed by one vote - both Labor & the Greens voted against it.

The Greens seem to be all over the place on this issue.

 

[Pushka]

It only passed by one vote - both Labor & the Greens voted against it.

The Greens seem to be all over the place on this issue.

So who other than coalition did? Otherwise it would have lost.

 

[jakeseven7]

It only passed by one vote - both Labor & the Greens voted against it.

The Greens seem to be all over the place on this issue.

They may be all over the place but there is no way they’d support Qatar / Qatar government / kingdom etc with the 2020 incident still not resolved. That’s just waiting in the wings to rear it’s head again.

 

[justinbrett]

Questions from today's Hansard:

Q: Did the Prime Minister have a conversation of any nature with Mr Alan Joyce prior to the government's decision concerning Qatar Airways?
PM: I can confirm that I've met Alan Joyce, which is basically what the question was. That was what the question was. It wasn't about anything at all. I can confirm that I've met Alan Joyce.

Q: Did the Prime Minister have any conversations with the CEO or any senior executive of Virgin Australia regarding the Qatar application before the decision was made?
PM: Yes

Q: Did the Prime Minister have any conversations with the outgoing Qantas CEO or any other senior executive of Qantas regarding the Qatar application before the decision was made? If so, on what date or dates?
PM: No

The real question is now - did he call JH or did she call him?

So who other than coalition did? Otherwise it would have lost.

Crossbench. Labor + Greens still don't have balance of power in the Senate.

 

[CaptJCool]

Questions from today's Hansard:

Q: Did the Prime Minister have a conversation of any nature with Mr Alan Joyce prior to the government's decision concerning Qatar Airways?
PM: I can confirm that I've met Alan Joyce, which is basically what the question was. That was what the question was. It wasn't about anything at all. I can confirm that I've met Alan Joyce.

Q: Did the Prime Minister have any conversations with the CEO or any senior executive of Virgin Australia regarding the Qatar application before the decision was made?
PM: Yes

Q: Did the Prime Minister have any conversations with the outgoing Qantas CEO or any other senior executive of Qantas regarding the Qatar application before the decision was made? If so, on what date or dates?
PM: No

The real question is now - did he call JH or did she call him?



Crossbench. Labor + Greens still don't have balance of power in the Senate.

Labor 26 (includes President)
Greens 11

Thorpe 1
Van 1 (ex Lib)
Lamborghini 2
Pocock 1
Ralph 1
Pauline 2
LNP 31

Senate composition

Senate composition

www.aph.gov.au

Ain’t Mathematics Great !!

 

[Pushka]

Crossbench. Labor + Greens still don't have balance of power in the Senate.

Doh. Senate enquiry.

 

[RooFlyer]

Q: Did the Prime Minister have any conversations with the CEO or any senior executive of Virgin Australia regarding the Qatar application before the decision was made?
PM: Yes

<snip>

The real question is now - did he call JH or did she call him?

That answer was later corrected by the PM according to the AFR.

 

[drron]

Amazingly all the cross bench senators voted with the Opposition.
But only after a last minute amendment.
"A last-minute amendment to McKenzie’s motion provided two extra committee spots, including the role of deputy chair, for independent senators."
The trough reigns supreme.

 

[cosi]

Extract from SMH

Labor Party president Wayne Swan has suggested the decision could be reviewed.

Labor state governments in Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia have sided with Qatar on the issue.

King hit back at critics of the decision, telling parliament she had made the ruling without any regard to any one company’s commercial interests, in a clear reference to Qantas.

She also claimed the previous government had placed restrictions on Qatar Airways in the past because it was concerned it would “dump” capacity on the Australian market.

“I’ve not based this decision on any one company or any one person’s commercial interest, but on the national interest,” King told parliament.

“This week alone, we are allowing almost 500 flights into Asia and into international hubs where travellers can access the rest of the world, including into Europe.

“I know that Australians are paying too much for their domestic tickets. More international flights from Qatar would not have helped that.”

I fail to see how the how the decision was best for "national interest" and the last sentence really is not applicable but it would have put bums on Virgin's domestic flights.

 

[justinbrett]

That answer was later corrected by the PM according to the AFR.

Kind of - he thought it was correct at the time - it's now in Hansard

PM: I rise to add to an answer I gave earlier today. I spoke to the Virgin CEO on 13 July 2023 by phone from Perth while in transit to Canberra from the NATO summit and bilateral visit to Germany, from 9 July to 13 July. In that call the CEO made representations relating to air services arrangements with Qatar. During that discussion I did not know that the transport minister had made a decision on 10 July 2023, a detail that was only advised to me after question time today. I once again confirm I did not speak to the former Qantas CEO before a decision was made.

So he received lobbying from VA, but seems he didn't pass that on (or else he would have known the decision was already made). Now this is open to interpretation and I guess we'll find out in the inquiry, but that reads to me he already knew which way this was going to go if he didn't pass it on - either that or JH is a lousy lobbyist.

 

[Gold Member]

This would be the worst this carrier has sunk.

Awww, at least give them a chance. I’m sure they can sink a lot lower.

 

[Daver6]

It only passed by one vote - both Labor & the Greens voted against it.

The Greens seem to be all over the place on this issue.

Greens were offered CL membership for themselves and their children to vote against this one

 

[justinbrett]

She also claimed the previous government had placed restrictions on Qatar Airways in the past because it was concerned it would “dump” capacity on the Australian market.

That was spoken about at relative length by the PM yesterday, I posted it upthread. He said the previous government had a concern about an "abuse of market power". There was a special "national interest safeguard" inserted into that agreement that has not been put into any other, including any agreement in the six years he was Transport Minister.

It will be interesting if this is addressed at the Inquiry, but I doubt it.

<redacted>

 

[PineappleSkip]

I know that Australians are paying too much for their domestic tickets

Doesn't know a lot about international tickets...

 

[Danger]

There is an excellent opportunity for Vanessa Hudson to get her first win on the board by issuing a statement saying Qantas supports Qatar's application for extra flights. That would completely back the government into a corner. Changing the decision and approving Qatar's application after Qantas publicly supported it would be seen entirely as Qantas driving the government, something it couldn't risk. In other words, a statement of support from Hudson would leave the government little choice but to dig its heels in - a win for Qantas.

 

[Cubiscus]

International prices are insane, and this is during a time Qantas is doing large share buy-backs after receiving substantial help during COVID.

This should hopefully be overturned.

 

[jase05]

International prices are insane, and this is during a time Qantas is doing large share buy-backs after receiving substantial help during COVID.

This should hopefully be overturned.

I’m all for the decision being overturned and welcome Qatar getting more slots but I think people are kidding themselves if they think a few extra flights per week into Australia on a airline that charges top dollar is going to significantly bring down prices.
Listening to some of the commentary through the media and you would swear that this decision will cut flight prices in half

 

[OATEK]

The Australian published the letter dated 10/7/23 sent by the Minister to the DOHA victims expressing her horror at their treatment and assuring them that QR would not be getting extra flights. Given that we now know that the PM was not involved in the decision taken on or before that date, it does seem that the treatment of those women before and after played a part in the decision.

 

[Lynda2475]

The Australian published the letter dated 10/7/23 sent by the Minister to the DOHA victims expressing her horror at their treatment and assuring them that QR would not be getting extra flights.

Which I fully support.

And agree that giving QR extra flights won't improve pricing given they are one of the most expensive airlines anyway.

 

[jakeseven7]

There are many more politicians I’m sure who will not support Qatar because of this incident, including my own local member and the member in my work places electorate who our Equality Network (EO) at work wrote to.