Download Fragment

Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Page: 9823

Senator JOYCE (Queensland—Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) (13:17): On consideration of Senator Xenophon's amendment, we acknowledge the issues pertaining to the indexation and how Senator Xenophon is desirous of liabilities that he spelt out, such as the issue of, I think, Captain de Crespigny—

Senator Xenophon: Crespigny, yes.

Senator JOYCE: and the trauma that certain people on a plane may have had by reason of being involved with that event. However, we do not wish to expand the liability for the airlines. The bill as the government has proposed already spells out an expansion of a carrier's liability—from $500,000 to $725,000. We think that the issues pertaining to any liability matters are already carried in that. A future increment or a review of an increment in an airline industry which we can already see is under pressure—we have seen it with Qantas, we have seen it with other domestic airlines—will just exacerbate the issue. We will be supporting the bill but not supporting the amendment.