No spirit of Australia in Qantas closures, report finds
Stephanie Gardiner |
A decision to close three regional Qantas bases has devastated workers and their families, showing nothing’s changed since the airline was fined a record $90 million for illegally sacking staff, an inquiry has found.
QantasLink, the airline’s regional arm, has announced its bases in Canberra, Hobart and Mildura will shut from April, with 71 flight and cabin crew affected.
The company said the closures would improve reliability by making more staff available at major ports to respond to flight disruptions.
But an ongoing Senate inquiry examining the aviation sector has found the closures were poorly managed, devastating staff and creating uncertainty in regional communities.
The closures had to be viewed in the context of the airline’s history, including a record $90 million Federal Court fine for illegally outsourcing ground staff during COVID-19, the committee’s report said.
“The process undertaken by Qantas leading up to its announcement … suggests it has not learned the right lesson from this experience,” said the report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
QantasLink announced a review of base operations on September 10, 2025, before the shutdowns were confirmed on October 1.
The inquiry found the airline had likely been considering the closures as early as May, with widespread suspicion among staff that a decision had already been made at the time of the review.
The airline’s Spirit of Australia motto would be better borne out by strengthening and diversifying its national network, the committee said.
The report also revealed evidence from affected pilots given during closed hearings.
One pilot described how he moved to one of the regional bases under a 2024 Qantas staff re-location program designed to boost morale.
The pilot bought and renovated a house after being guaranteed there was no intention to shut the bases, only to be told of the closures in 2025.
The decision by Qantas to centralise its operations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane “undermines the strength of regional aviation” and reduces opportunities in affected cities, the committee said.
“The committee acknowledges the devastating impact of this decision on affected individuals and their families,” the report said.
“The decision also impacts the communities of Canberra, Hobart and Mildura, permanently removing highly skilled aviation jobs and, over time, is likely to mean these workers and their families leave the area forever.”
Qantas said all staff at the bases had been offered roles in other locations, “which most have taken up”.
“We put in place a comprehensive support package for impacted team members because we know the decision to close the crew bases has been difficult for our people,” a spokesperson said.
“This support package is well beyond any requirements as part of their agreement and enables them to commute for work, like many other team members already do.”
Qantas continued to invest in regional operations and would work with the committee, the spokesperson said.
The inquiry will continue looking at the broader sector in the wake of Rex falling into voluntary administration and budget airline Bonza collapsing.
AAP