Qantas moons the Senate

 

Qantas moons the Senate.

On Friday, October 8, 2023, Qantas, the Australian flag carrier, provided answers to questions on notice asked by the Senate committee investigating the Qatar air rights affair. The airline's responses were widely criticized as being evasive and incomplete.

The committee is investigating Qantas' decision to cede a number of valuable air rights to Qatar Airways in 2017. The deal has been controversial, with some arguing that it has damaged Australia's aviation interests.

Qantas has been accused of trying to stonewall the committee's inquiry. The airline has refused to provide key documents and has refused to answer some questions.

Qantas' latest responses to questions on notice have only added to the frustration of the committee. The airline's answers are often vague and non-specific. In some cases, Qantas has simply refused to answer questions at all.

The committee chair, Senator Deborah O'Neill, has accused Qantas of "mooning the Senate." She said that the airline's responses were "insulting" and "dismissive."

"Qantas is a national icon," O'Neill said. "But it is also a company that is accountable to the Australian people. Qantas has a responsibility to answer our questions honestly and completely."

Qantas has defended its responses to the committee's inquiry. The airline said that it is providing all of the information that it can and that it is cooperating fully with the investigation.

"We take the committee's inquiry very seriously," Qantas said in a statement. "We are providing all of the information that we can in a timely and accurate manner."

However, the committee is not satisfied with Qantas' responses. The committee is considering taking further action to force the airline to cooperate with the inquiry.

The significance of Qantas' responses.

Qantas' responses to the Senate committee's inquiry are significant for a number of reasons.

First, they raise questions about the airline's transparency and accountability. Qantas is a publicly listed company, but it is also a national icon. The airline has a responsibility to be transparent and accountable to the Australian people.

Second, Qantas' responses raise questions about the airline's corporate culture. The airline's evasiveness and lack of cooperation with the committee suggest that Qantas may have something to hide.

Third, Qantas' responses could have implications for the Qatar air rights affair. The committee's investigation is ongoing, but Qantas' responses could lead to the airline being found guilty of wrongdoing.

Conclusion

Qantas' responses to the Senate committee's inquiry have been widely criticized. The airline's evasiveness and lack of cooperation suggest that Qantas may have something to hide. The committee is considering taking further action to force the airline to cooperate with the inquiry.

The outcome of the committee's inquiry could have significant implications for Qantas and for the Australian aviation industry.