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Labor proposes more flexibility in Qantas Sale Act

written by australianaviation.com.au | June 30, 2014

Labor has proposed relaxing the individual or foreign airline ownership limits in the Qantas Sale Act. (Rob Finlayson)
Labor has proposed relaxing the individual or foreign airline ownership limits in the Qantas Sale Act. (Rob Finlayson)

Labor transport spokesman Anthony Albanese has proposed an amendment to the Qantas Sale Act which would remove restrictions on individual entities owning more than 25 per cent and foreign-owned airlines owning more than 35 per cent of the airline.

Speaking in Canberra on June 29, Albanese said the move would give the airline more flexibility in its structure, but added Labor would not budge from the provision that guarantees the airline remain 51 per cent Australian-owned.

“You don’t protect the national carrier by abandoning it. And that’s what removing all foreign restrictions on Qantas would do,” he told media. “So it’s up to the government now.”

But a coalition spokesman told the Australian Financial Review that Labor’s shift added nothing new. “It’s the same talk we’ve heard for several months,” he said. “To date, the government is yet to see any formal amendments from Labor.”

A Qantas spokesman said the changes proposed by Albanese would be an improvement. “While removing all ownership restrictions that apply only to Qantas remains our preference for levelling the playing field, changing the 25 and 35 per cent limits would represent an improvement on the status quo.”

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Comments (2)

  • Rodney Marinkovic

    says:

    Very natural to seling 49 percent, but not more. Any airline (or any company,) with big investment of 49 percent from single investor, must be capable to flourishing in busyness. If is not, that company not deserve to operating. QANTAS have hard time, but removing big number aircrafts with 4 engines and excess of people witch working. That process is all redye under way. With change of regulation and business reset, QANTAS and Australians can in peace, waiting for great 16th of November 2020 year.
    Rodney Marinkovic, AME (ret.) Sydney /// Kraljevo-Serbia.

  • Ben

    says:

    The Air Navigation Act still requires an Australian international carrier be 51% Australian owned. Virgin Australia International has to abide by this. Unless they substantially restructure Qantas, Jetstar and Express Freighters to create international versions of each, keeping this in the legislation wouldn’t pose any additional limit.

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