Anthony Albanese said he did not know his government had knocked back Qatar after telling parliament he had discussed the matter with Virgin before a decision.
Anthony Albanese said he did not know his government had knocked back an application from Qatar Airways for dozens of extra flights into Australia, after incorrectly telling parliament he had discussed the matter with the Gulf carrier’s Australian partner Virgin Australia before the decision.
The decision to reject Qatar’s application has left Labor split amid calls from regulators, tourism bodies and the Queensland and West Australian state governments to reconsider in a bid to increase competition andThe decision will also face parliamentary scrutiny after the Coalition successfully pushed to establish a Senate inquiry with the support of the crossbench, while the Greens backed Labor in voting no.
Only 15 per cent of Labor voters oppose or strongly oppose the application for additional flights. Among all voters, 56 per cent support extra services being granted, with 12 per cent opposed and 32 per cent unsure.
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