Hamish Griffin has been one of the main campaigners for fairer fares in the North West and he has not taken the latest delays lying down.
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Earlier this year Mr Griffin put a submission to the air inquiry where he said the group acting on behalf of the airlines “A4ANZ” was a cartel and he also blasted the airlines in his evidence in the Cloncurry hearing.
Frustrated by the delays in finalising the inquiry he contacted co-chair Senator Barry O’Sullivan’s office who told him the airlines had been given a “please explain” and they were looking at November dates to hold the hearing.
Mr Griffin said the Senator’s office told him the State Government were uncooperative and Premier Palaszczuk “refused” to release review reports carried out at State level into subsidised routes in Queensland particularly operated by Qantas – however neither the Senator nor the state government will confirm this to the North West Star.
However instead of scheduling a hearing, the inquiry decided in early November to delay it a fourth time to June 27, 2019 – likely after the next election.
Like many others, Mr Griffin was understandably furious.
“Is this is as a result of the major airlines, intentionally road blocking by hiding behind their dynamic pricing in a hope the instability in the federal government will lead to an election, therefore rendering the current inquiry null and void, or is there something more sinister at play?” Mr Griffin said.
And when he asked Senator Glen Searle – Labor co-chair of the inquiry this very question, the inquiry got very defensive.
In fact Mr Griffin asked three questions, were the airlines responsible for the delay, was the election a factor in the delay and was their any conflict of interest due to the MPs’ lucartive air travel arrangements.
Rather than answer the questions, the inquiry demanded Mr Griffin provide evidence for his assertions.
In return Mr Griffin said he was merely asking questions put to him by community members.
In response, the committee said they would take his letters as correspondence but not publish them.
An unimpressed Mr Griffin said, “they could play for the All Blacks with a side step like that!”
Senator Searle is yet to return calls to the North West Star and we have also asked federal candidates to commit to supporting the inquiry to conclusion post-election.
READ ALSO: Airlines pass the buck in their submission
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