The Australian parliament has voted down a motion to resume Senate select committee hearings concerning a decision not to allow Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) additional capacity into Sydney Kingsford Smith, Melbourne Tullamarine, Brisbane International, and Perth International airports.
On February 26, Australia's Senate voted against resuming Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Services Agreements hearings. The committee made headlines in Australia in late September when its members questioned senior Qantas Group executives, including newly installed CEO Vanessa Hudson, about the airline's alleged lobbying efforts to deny their Oneworld partner further access to Australia's biggest airports. The hearings followed a never adequately explained decision by Transport Minister Catherine King in July 2023 to deny Qatar's formal application for additional flying rights.
Qatar Airways had applied to double its flying rights into the four airports, currently capped at a combined total of 28 roundtrips per week.
Former Qantas chief Alan Joyce did not appear before the September hearings in Canberra as he had stepped down from the role and temporarily left the country. Several committee members, primarily a collection of parliamentary B and C listers with a propensity towards grandstanding, were keen to question him.
Last week, Senator Bridget McKenzie, who was the committee's chair as well as shadow transport spokeswoman, moved to resume hearings to examine absent witnesses and "government affairs representatives from Qantas, noting that Qantas' answers to questions on notice from senators were unsatisfactory." However, the motion was defeated by 30 votes to 28. The parliament's official website now notes that the committee has completed its inquiry.
Qatar Airways is believed to be preparing a fresh application for additional flying rights into Australia.
