Luxury jets land $70k subsidy, ALP on attack

Labor has attacked the government’s aviation support package for providing more than $70,000 in subsidies for the use of luxury jets.

Clive Palmer in Brisbane with one his jets in 2014. Picture: Jonathon Searle

Labor has attacked the Morrison government’s aviation support package for providing more than $70,000 in subsidies for the use of luxury jets owned by Crown ­casino and Clive Palmer.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Catherine King used question time on Tuesday to ask whether the government’s $715m bailout package for the domestic airline industry was ­extended to the owners of luxury jets.

The package, announced in March, waived fees and levies at airports for domestic carriers.

Deputy Prime Minister ­Michael McCormack, who holds the transport portfolio defended the program as providing assistance on a “sector-wide basis”.

“What we have done is make sure that whether it is commercial, whether it is charter, we have ­ensured that planes were able to go to some ports which would otherwise, but for our sector-wide assistance, not have received aviation services at all,” Mr McCormack said.

“And for those 35 centres in regional Australia, it has meant the world of difference because it has meant that personal protection equipment, vital respiratory devices, face masks and, perhaps most importantly, frontline medical personnel could get to those places and to make sure that they did the vital job that they have done and we thank them.”

Anthony Albanese questioned why Mr McCormack agreed to spend “borrowed money on these luxury flights” that were utilised by Crown Resorts and Mr ­Palmer’s company, Mineralogy.

Crown has saved $30,579 ­because of the scheme, while Mineralogy has saved $40,377.

In a Coalition partyroom meeting on Tuesday, Scott Morrison flagged further support for the travel agent industry.

The Prime Minister said he was making “progress” on support measures for the sector in discussions with interest groups, in response to a question from Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman.

Liberal MPs in the room said they were under the impression there would be a new rescue ­package.

Also in the partyroom, Liberal National MP Terry Young raised concerns about the amount of money self-funded retirees were losing.