The proposal to let foreign airlines ply domestic routes in Australia has come under attack by Shadow federal transport minister Anthony Albanese.
Albanese called the idea ‘unilateral economic disarmament’ that would cost Australian jobs in the airline sector.
The government is considering allowing foreign carrier to operate routes in the north, including flights to and from Cairns, Townsville, Darwin, Broome and Port Hedland.
"The consequences of it haven’t been thought through at all by the government – this is ideology before commonsense. We would be the only country in the world to do it," Albanese said.
"At the moment it would be opening up the northern routes, but inevitably that would move to, ‘how about we fly from Darwin to Adelaide’? The idea that Qantas would be allowed to fly domestic routes in Europe or the US is just absurd."
The Transport Workers Union, which represents thousands of Australian ground staff at airports and both Qantas and Virgin Australia have lobbied against the proposal.
Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb said the matter was being carefully considered but no final decision has been made yet.
