Another day, another of the Federal Coalition’s Carbon Price claims exposed as fraudulent, with the latest reality check coming from our nation’s major domestic airlines: Qantas and Virgin.
Despite predictions from Tony Abbott and his sidekick Warren Truss that Federal Labor’s decision to put a price on carbon pollution would cause “dramatic price hikes” and drive the “final nail in the coffin” of regional aviation,
The Australian today reports (pg. 7) that:
“Australians can continue to expect discount fares as airlines add more seats and frequencies to the market.”The article then goes on to quote Qantas CEO Alan Joyce:
“We have rejigged the schedule from July and we are adding over 10 per cent capacity growth...”This announcement follows Virgin’s decision in May to add more seats to its domestic network, including on its regional routes. All up, the airline has in recent weeks increased its capacity by more than 15 per cent and ordered 23 new fuel efficient aircraft from Boeing.
This obvious confidence in the future of the domestic aviation industry is also shared by one of Australia’s biggest regional airlines, Regional Express (Rex).
Last August – long after we had announced that a price on carbon would be introduced on 1 July this year – Rex Chairman Lim Jim Hai told the Australian Stock Exchange:
“I am actually more optimistic and confident of the outlook and potential of the Rex Group than I have ever been for the past nine years.”In anyone’s language, that’s a very positive take on the future and yet further confirmation of what Federal Labor has been saying all along: under the Carbon Price the domestic aviation industry will continue to go from strength to strength.
But here’s the bottom line: I am proud to be part of a government that’s been prepared to do what’s right and not simply take the easy option of kicking the threat posed by carbon pollution down the road for our children and grandchildren to clean up.
TONY ABBOTT’S CARBON MYTHS: AVIATIONTONY ABBOTT“...one of the big impacts ... will be the impact that it has on the price of regional air tickets...”
DOORSTOP (ADELAIDE) – 28 AUGUST 2011
WARREN TRUSSThe Carbon Price would cause “dramatic price hikes”.
MEDIA STATEMENT – 3 FEBRUARY 2012
The Carbon Price “...will be the final nail in the coffin for regional services. ... This will have far-reaching consequences for local people and local businesses – especially tourism operators.
After 1 July 2012 “...it will cost more and be harder to get convenient flights...”
MEDIA STATEMENT – 12 JULY 2011
JOE HOCKEY“Qantas and Virgin Blue would suffer significant negative impacts under...” a Carbon Price.
ADDRESS TO TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM (OUTLOOK 2011) – 3 MAY 2011
REALITY CHECK
Alan Joyce, QANTAS CEO: “We can understand the logic on the carbon tax and ... we’re convinced that all organisations should do whatever they can to reduce emissions.
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW – 15 MARCH 2011
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