Karl grills Chalmers as Qatar accuses Albanese Government of “sweetheart deals”

Karl Stefanovic has unleashed on the Albanese Government and Qantas in a fiery interview with the Treasurer about the decision to deny Aussies cheaper flights.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic has accused the Albanese Government of doing “sweetheart deals” for Qantas in a fiery interview with Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Accusing the government of being “up to their eyeballs” in the decision to deny thousands of Australians cheaper flights, the Today show host pointed to remarks by new Qatar airlines.

Two of the country’s biggest airports – Melbourne Airport and Brisbane Airport – have called on the federal government to review its decision to knock back Qatar Airways’ bid to run more flights into Australia.

Qatar had wanted to run an extra 21 flights a week into Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Simon Harrison, chairman of the Australia Qatar Business Council, said he didn’t buy the evidence of new Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson after he claimed she and her colleagues at Qantas didn’t know about this decision with Qatar.

Karl Stefanovic accused the Albanese Government of doing "sweetheart deals" for Qantas.

“I don’t see how she couldn’t have known about the decision with Qatar. They’ve been in discussions with the government for quite some time,’’ Mr Harrison said.

Qantas boss Vanessa Hudson has received a baptism of fire after being accused of channelling her predecessor Alan Joyce to filibuster a senate inquiry.

Ms Hudson said it was her predecessor, Alan Joyce, who was in those discussions, which were not previously confirmed by the airline.

Melbourne and Brisbane airports call on government to review decision to deny Qatar Airways’ bid for more flights into Australia. Picture: James D. Morgan/Getty Images

“That’s the case. What concerns me about this is that Alan Joyce could have quite easily filed a statement setting out a lot of the issues at the very start of this inquiry,’’ Mr Harrison said.

“He didn’t need to physically attend. The importance of that is it would have helped those of us who did give evidence frame our answers efficiently and assisted the committee going forward.”

Today show host Sarah Abo then said, “Let’s call a spade a spade here. Is this a sweetheart deal between Qantas and the government, the Federal Government, in Australia?.”

Mr Harrison then concurred with the description in an interview on Channel Nine’s Today show.

Simon Harrison, chairman of the Australia Qatar Business Council, suspects a high probability of a sweetheart deal between Qantas and the government.

“I can only surmise, looking at the evidence that’s come forward, there is a high probability that is the case,’’ Mr Harrison replied.

“It is showing everything along those lines at the moment, yes.”

Abo said that was “pretty alarming.”

Mr Harrison said the real loser was Australian consumers and he accused the government of using a shocking incident in which Australian women were medically examined at Qatar airport as an excuse to block the flights.

“It is extremely annoying, frustrating. It is disappointing. I think what we have here is the minister had effectively conflated what were alleged criminal abuses by certain individuals to human rights for the nation of Qatar,’’ he said.

“She has boxed Australia into a corner here and set a precedent. For example, Qantas has a co-share agreement and had a co-share agreement for the past 18 years with China Eastern.

“If China Eastern are going to apply for additional routes, will human rights have to be taken into account?”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers denies any suggestion of sweetheart deals with Qantas and claims the decision was taken in the usual way

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie accused Qantas of being “arrogant.”

“What we saw from Qantas yesterday was an apology from the CEO but, again, a level of arrogance that our once-beloved national carrier shouldn’t be displaying,’’ she said.

“Particularly after their poor corporate behaviour with respect to their staff and their loyal customers more broadly.

“We know this decision has cost $3 billion over five years. It is not just travellers paying high prices, it is our exporters and others.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers rejected any suggestion of sweetheart deals with Qantas.

“Obviously, I don’t agree with those comments that you just played. That’s the first time I have heard them, but I don’t agree with them,’’ he told the Today show.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic then said “it looks to me like after seeing that interview this morning, you guys are saying, “Nothing to see here,” when, in fact, you guys are up to your eyeballs in this and don’t know how to get out.”

“That’s not right either, Karl. Governments of both political persuasions make decisions like this one from time to time,’’ the Treasurer replied.

“I obviously don’t agree with you that that’s what’s happened here. What’s happened here is a decision taken in the usual way. Our predecessors took a similar decision, we have taken a decision like this.”