Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce off the hook after Senate inquiry shut down

Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce will not have to front a Senate inquiry into the controversial Qatar Airways’ decision.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder and CEO of Qantas Vanessa Hudson and Qantas Group's General Counsel Andrew Finch appear before the Senate inquiry into Australia's bilateral air rights. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce will not have to front a Senate inquiry into bilateral air rights because the committee responsible has not been granted the necessary extension.

Labor Senators along with the Greens and independent David Pocock voted down a motion seeking to extend the inquiry in order to hear from Mr Joyce who remains overseas.

Committee chair Bridget McKenzie had planned to serve Mr Joyce with a summons on his return to Australia from Ireland, where he has been visiting his seriously ill mother.

Senator McKenzie said Mr Joyce was one of three people, along with the Prime Minister and Transport Minister, who could explain why the government blocked Qatar Airways’ application for another 28 flights a week into Australia.

An angry Senator McKenzie claimed Labor’s opposition to an inquiry extension smelt of a “Qantas cover up”.

She accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of acting to protect his friend Mr Joyce over “millions of Australians including loyal customers, staff and shareholders”.

“This shows the extent of the disrespect the Government has for the Australian travelling public,” said Senator McKenzie.

“This inquiry was first set up to find out the real reason why the Albanese Government has contributed to keeping the cost of airfares high by blocking Qatar Airways’ request for additional flights, and while the inquiry has made serious recommendations to make our aviation industry more competitive, this question still hasn’t been answered.”

Senator Bridget McKenzie chaired a Senate committee inquiry into bilateral air rights. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

The committee was able to claim one win with the Treasurer and Transport Minister reversing the decision on Australian ­Competition and Consumer Commission airline monitoring reports.

Introduced by the former government during the pandemic, the reports were designed to shine a light on the airline industry at a time when Bonza was entering service and Rex was expanding.

The Senate inquiry heard that all airlines but Qantas supported the continuation of the quarterly reports however the government refused to extend funding for the ACCC to continue the function.

In a joint statement, Jim Chalmers and Catherine King said the reports would help inform the aviation white paper currently under construction.

“We want a safe, sustainable and efficient aviation sector that provides a high standard of service, good prices and better consumer protections for Australians,” said Mr Chalmers and Ms King.

“A competitive airline industry helps to put downward pressure on prices and deliver more choice for Australians facing cost-of-living pressures.”

The Australian Airports Association which had lobbied for the reports to be reinstated, welcomed the decision.

“This is the right call to make,” said AAA chief executive James Goodwin.

“I am pleased the government has listened to stakeholders and reversed its decision and will start the monitoring again this year.”

He said the monitoring was an important avenue for collecting data on airfare trends and being able to identify any anti-competitive behaviour in the airline sector.

“This will be important for consumers who have been paying too much for their airline tickets and are being priced out of travel,” said Mr Goodwin.

Originally published as Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce off the hook after Senate inquiry shut down