Catherine King has had a bad week. If you missed the travails of the transport minister, she’s faced sustained pressure about her decision to block an application from Qatar Airways to add more international flights at a time when fares are incredibly expensive and Qantas seems fully intent on driving Australians bonkers.
The Qatar saga has bumped along for weeks, but the return of parliament provided the soundstage for a baying opposition to heighten the controversy. King’s answers to the inquisition inside and outside the chamber didn’t help. They were hedged (“to the best of my recollection”) and, at times, confusing. It wasn’t clear whether or not a terrible incident in Doha when female passengers were strip-searched back in October 2020 was a factor in her decision, or context for the decision.
