THE shadow treasurer, Joe Hockey, has suggested a Coalition government would consider lifting foreign-investment and business restrictions placed on Qantas to enable it to compete with its rivals on a more level playing field.
After the Herald revealed yesterday that Qantas had warned its profitable domestic business will be imperilled should the state-owned foreign carrier Etihad secure enough of a slice of Virgin Australia, Mr Hockey said it was time to look at the arrangements governing Qantas.
''We have to make a decision about whether Qantas does become a major international airline with a majority ownership overseas, or whether we want to retain it and pay a price for retaining it as an Australian icon,'' he said.
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Wirth has worked in a number of communications roles before joining the Flying Kangaroo. Early jobs included the Australian Tourism Commission, which she parlayed into a role as a media adviser to Joe Hockey, then Minister for Small Business and Tourism. Wirth had a stint as executive of lobby group Transport and Tourism Forum before joining Qantas in 2009.
Wirth flies with the punches