What we learned; Thursday 31 August
That’s where we’ll leave you this evening. Here’s what we learned today:
Anthony Albanese has ruled out legislating a voice to parliament if the referendum on 14 October fails to produce a yes vote.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen confirmed the total cost of the Snowy Hydro project has blown out to $12bn.
The NSW transport secretary, Josh Murray, has revealed he and his wife donated $1,450 to three separate Labor events and that none of these were disclosed during the recruitment process for the $588,000-a-year public service role.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said the watchdog received about 1,300 consumer complaints about Qantas cancellations in the past year, equating to 50% of complaints received by the ACCC.
The ACCC will also take Qantas to court alleging it was advertising and selling tickets for more than 8,000 flights that it had already cancelled in its system.
Qantas has caved to pressure and removed the looming expiry clause on its Covid-related flight credits.
Australia Post has announced it recorded a $200m pre-tax loss in 2022-23, its first loss since 2015 and just its second since it became a self-funded government business enterprise in 1989.
Four people have died after a car and a truck crashed in Victoria’s north-east.
Julia Gillard’s former partner Tim Mathieson’s sexual assault case has been adjourned until October.
A Victorian parliamentary inquiry has recommended a complete ban on recreational duck hunting, which would bring the state into line with all other mainland states.
And the son of two Victorians who died from suspected death cap mushroom poisoning has spoken at a public memorial in honour of his parents.
We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow to bring you all the day’s news. Thanks so much for your company.
Updated
Qantas reveals extra $200m in flight credits held
Qantas is still holding $570m in Covid-related flight credits – revealing an additional $200m it had not previously included in public figures before a wave of pressure on the travel credit program this week.
Qantas has provided the updated figure – which comprises $365m belonging to Qantas customers in Australia, $90m belonging to Jetstar customers in Australia and $115m belonging to overseas customers of both airlines – to the Senate committee on the cost of living. Of the credit, $180m is connected to travel agent bookings.
On Thursday, Qantas announced it was scrapping the looming 31 December expiry clause for all Covid-related flight credits. Qantas customers can now request their credits as refunds, while Jetstar customers can use their vouchers indefinitely.
The updated figure and backflip of policy follows days of intense criticism of Qantas’ credit policy, which included the CEO, Alan Joyce, being grilled by the Senate committee on Monday and Anthony Albanese calling for customers to be fairly compensated.
Qantas is separately facing a class-action lawsuit over its refund policy for flights cancelled due to the pandemic, with lawyers alleging the airline’s use of travel credits allowed them to treat their customers’ money as more than “$1bn in interest-free loans”.
Updated
