The prime minister must answer for a meeting with ex-Qantas boss Alan Joyce, the opposition leader says—even though the encounter has been public knowledge for months.
Following a 16-month-long freedom of information campaign, former senator Rex Patrick and the Australian Financial Review on Thursday showed Anthony Albanese met with then-Qantas chief Alan Joyce for half an hour at Parliament House on Nov. 23, 2022.
The redacted diary information obtained does not contain details about the meeting, but opposition leader Peter Dutton said it was “interesting” nonetheless.
“I don’t know whether he’s misled the Parliament or not,” Mr. Dutton told 2GB on Thursday.
“But I think there are some serious questions for the prime minister to answer here, because the decision has had a direct negative effect on the travelling public.”
However, the meeting taking place is not new information.
In a document tabled in September for a parliamentary inquiry into the cost of living, Qantas revealed Mr Joyce had met with the prime minister four times since October 2022: on November 23, 2022, and March 31, June 8 and August 9 of 2023.
He had also met with Transport Minister Catherine King on four occasions: November 23, 2022, and three more times the following year.
The meetings coincided with a period of government discussions with industry players about its proposed workplace reforms.
In July 2023, it was revealed Ms King had blocked a bid by Qantas competitor Qatar Airways to double its weekly flights into Australia.
A Senate committee heard the decision prevented lower airfares and greater competition in the aviation market, and the opposition lambasted Ms King for the secrecy around the move.
The minister cited factors ranging from protecting the national interest to punishing Qatar for invasive strip searches of Australian women in Doha in October 2020.
As the pressure began to mount, Mr. Albanese told parliamentary question time in September that he “received no lobbying from Qantas on this issue” and “did not speak to the former Qantas CEO before a decision was made.”
A government spokesperson re-iterated the latter statement on Thursday when contacted by AAP.
The Qatar Airways debacle, alongside other PR disasters at Qantas, led Mr. Joyce to bring forward his retirement by two months and served as a platform for Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie to launch an inquiry into air service agreements.
In December, the government updated its agreement to allow Turkish Airways to fly an additional 28 flights by 2025.
The new agreement eclipses Qatar Airways’ allowance of 28 flights to major airports and provides a significant alternative to the Gulf states, and Singapore for air travel between Australia and Europe.
