Anthony Albanese says his sole conversation about a Qatar Airways proposal was not with Qantas and denies blocking it to protect the Australian airline.
The Labor government rejected a proposal by Qatar Airways to add an extra 21 Australian routes - a bid that might have reduced airfares and boosted the tourism industry by $788 million.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions he played a key role in protecting Qantas from extra competition.
The move came under scrutiny after it was revealed Qantas lobbied the government to do so before posting a record $2.5 billion profit over the 2022/23 financial year.Under questioning about whether he met with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Albanese told parliament he had one "extensive conversation" about the Qatar Airways deal, but it was not with any representative from Qantas.
He said global aviation was not a free-for-all, giving the example of Australian carriers being limited in their access to European markets.Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie is pushing for an inquiry into the decision. "The Australian public deserves to know why you made , that it wasn't just a cosy, special relationship, that it wasn't just a dirty deal."Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said there was a "murkiness" around the government's rejection of Qatar Airways, describing it as a "sweetheart deal" with Qantas.
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