Senate push to question former Qantas boss Alan Joyce fails

Labor and Greens senators have stymied a push to ensure former Qantas boss Alan Joyce appeared before a parliamentary probe.

Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce won’t be summoned to give evidence before a parliamentary inquiry.

A Senate motion to force his appearance was stymied by Labor and Greens senators, alongside ACT independent David Pocock.

The motion, moved by Victorian Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, proposed to re-establish a Senate probe examining the government’s controversial decision to block Qatar Airways' request for 28 additional flight to Australia’s east coast airports.

A re-established committee would then have had the opportunity to question Joyce who has evaded parliamentary scrutiny thus far.

On Wednesday morning it was revealed that the former Qantas chief remains in Dublin, where he has been for more than six weeks, after announcing his early retirement as chief executive.

Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce will not front a parliamentary committee investigating bilateral air services agreements. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

As chief executive, Joyce strongly supported the government’s decision to block Qatar’s bid on the basis it “would cause distortion” in the aviation market.

Senator McKenzie warned in September that if Joyce failed to comply, he would face “a whole raft of processes”, including the possibility of jail time.

Speaking on ABC News, Senator McKenzie accused the motion’s opponents of protecting the former Qantas boss.

“On the floor of the Senate today, the Labor Party, the Greens and David Pocock decided to continue the protection racket of Alan Joyce,” she said.

Alongside its role in lobbying the government to deny Qatar’s application, Joyce oversaw a number of controversies in his final months in the top job.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie accused Labor, the Greens and David Pocock of running a “protection racket” for Alan Joyce. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

A class-action lawsuit over pandemic-era refunds, an ACCC investigation over selling cancelled fares, the refusal to pay $2.5bn in government subsidies, and a failed High Court decision which found the airline illegally sacked 1700 ground staff during the pandemic ultimately saw Joyce quit two months earlier than he had initially intended.

A separate motion moved by Senator McKenzie, which also failed, requested that the House of Representatives require the Transport Minister Catherine King to attend the committee to provide evidence after previously refusing to do so.

Prior to the inquiry’s establishment, Minister King had previously given several reasons for blocking Qatar’s request for additional capacity, including that it wanted to protect jobs at Qantas, support Qantas’ profitability, allow Qantas to purchase new planes, enable the aviation sector to decarbonise and because it was in the ‘national interest’.

A push to ensure Transport Minister Catherine King also failed to pass the Senate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

During the inquiry, McKenzie alongside other Coalition parliamentarians accused the government of agreement to “sweetheart deal” with Qantas to protect the airline from competition from rival Qatar in return for support for the now-failed Voice referendum.

Qantas shares have tanked in recent months, falling from a peak of $6.69 in July to be trading at $4.85 on Wednesday – a more than 25 per cent fall.