The Echidna: Albo's Qantas mate denies any favours

If there's one surefire way to sink your mood these days, it's checking airfares to Europe. But if that's not enough to bring your travel dreams back down to earth, the following might.

A couple of weeks ago, the federal government quietly rejected a request from Qatar Airways to increase by 21 its weekly flights into and out of Australia. If the airline had been granted the flights, there's every chance the cost of getting to Europe would have dropped. You know, competition and all that.

But our Transport Minister Catherine King said the move would have been against our national interest. Really? Extra capacity to enable one of the drivers of inflation to come down wouldn't be good for the nation? Of course it would.

Trouble is, it wouldn't be good for Qantas, which doesn't have the seats the travelling public so desperately wants and whose profits have been eye-watering ever the since pandemic restrictions were lifted. No surprise then that Qantas opposed the extra flights while the travel industry supported them.

Also, five women caught up in an ugly incident at Doha airport in 2020, when they were subjected to invasive searches by Qatari Federal Police after a newborn baby was abandoned in the airport, added their opposition to Qatar Airways' request. Catherine King won't say whether this is the national interest she's referring to but Flight Centre founder Graham Turner is quoted as saying if it is, it's completely illogical. "If the conduct of a country's police force is the reason they were rejected we wouldn't let half the world's carriers fly to Australia," he said.

Questions are now being asked about Alan Joyce's cosy relationship with Anthony Albanese, whose uni student son Nathan, reports the Australian Financial Review's attack dog Joe Aston, now enjoys entry to the ultra exclusive Chairman's Lounge.

Of course, Joyce says there's nothing to see here. Yes, he's good mates with Albo but the airline, he insists, gets no favours from the PM. As for Albo Junior's membership of the elite Chairman's Lounge, alongside the other captains of industry and senior pollies, the plucky Irishman won't confirm or deny it.

So over to Ms King. If the rejection is down to that ugly incident at the airport three years ago, she should be upfront about it. She should then explain why other airlines whose countries have equally poor if not worse human rights records are not subjected to the same restrictive policies.

And someone - anyone - should tell the Australian public why Qantas shouldn't start repaying the $2.35 billion pandemic bailout it received when its profit now already well exceeds that gift from the Australian taxpayer.

If it's not prepared to pay the money back, Qantas should at least not stand in the way of cheaper airfares for ordinary Australians itching to get off this big island of ours.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Qantas pay back the pandemic bailout now it's recording huge profits? Should Qatar be allowed the extra flights it's asked for? Have your travel plans been downgraded because of the high cost of airfares? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

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THEY SAID IT: "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." - Robert Louis Stevenson

YOU SAID IT: If the referendum succeeds it will likely be in spite of Anthony Albanese, not because of him.

Darryl writes: "As in any debate to gain support, you must at least sound like you believe what you are debating about. Unfortunately, too many times about many things Albo doesn't sound like he actually believes in what he says and it's often hard to stay attentive or even awake when he is speaking."

"I think you're completely right," writes Malcolm. "If the Voice gets up it will be despite the government support, not because of it. Both Linda Burney and Albanese are botching it. I've said for months that's they need to simplify the message. Unfortunately, the electorate has been conditioned to three-word slogans, 'Stop the boats', and the Voice is too nuanced for them to appreciate it. There's lots of good arguments floating around but they are 10-minute reads and only getting to the converted. Hopefully, the good side of Australia will come through like it did on the marriage equality vote. If they don't, it's another dark period for Australia with a win for Dutton. I enjoy the column."

Peter writes: "John's article crystallises the frustration that I and many other wavering Labor supporters have with Albanese's government, in that it ebbs and flows from hubris to indifference. What's sadly lacking is conviction, particularly on matters that impact on Labor's traditional base. Machine politics, poll-driven, with no heart and no guts. Keep up the good work, Echidna."

"Well said, The Echidna," writes John from Newcastle. "The observation that Peter Dutton gets air time on TV and Anthony Albanese often gets quoted shows that even media producers find Albo is a person who can't hold an audience. Despite being a good performer in Parliament, outside in the media spotlight he appears to be running scared of the Australian electorate."

Arthur writes: "The referendum asks two questions bundled into one. I have no problems voting for First Nations people being recognised in the constitution. Unless I am given a plausible explanation as to how the Voice will reduce the gap I intend to vote against it. Every other attempt like ATSIC to reduce the gap has been a miserable failure. Why have the two questions been bundled together? Why not just create the Voice now by an act of Parliament?"

"I'm voting 'yes'," writes Angela. "I welcomed the Uluru Statement from the Heart the moment I read it. Too poetic for many. Yes, Albo was too distracted on the world stage and what were the rest doing? It's not a political football. Is it too hard to organise a movement of the heart? I'm hoping there are enough quiet people who have understood our history and the present pressing need."

Jennifer writes: "Agree totally with John. Albanese's strength is his entire team, not his own voice and certainly not his voice alone. His presentation of the Voice appears pathetic and quite avoidant of the issues. If he'd come out strongly and clearly at the start, we wouldn't be where we are now. He cannot fix this alone. He needs to bring his team together and trust them to speak well on the issues, although I have concerns about the ability of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs to do so well. Labor is losing the political game, as well as support for the Voice. Thomas Mayo does a much better job, as does Kerry O'Brien. This needs to be a team effort, using all the best voices, the ones people listen to and believe. Credible, consistent voices are essential to influence people."