Penny Wong’s mysterious chat with the PM of Qatar: How the Foreign Minister called the Arab nation’s PM – and you won’t believe what they didn’t discuss

Foreign Minister Penny Wong held talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister this week as Labor faced increased scrutiny over it’s decision to block additional flights into Australia from the nation’s carrier.

Qatar Airways made a bid to add an additional 21 flights into Australia – a move that could have reduced airfares by up to 40 per cent.

Labor rejected the proposal, and will now face an inquiry into the decision, helmed by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie. 

Senator Wong has been subjected to intense questioning this week about the government’s decision. Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell revealed she initiated a call to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani on Monday.

A statement released on Qatar’s Foreign Ministry website said the duo ‘discussed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries and regional and international developments’.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) held talks with Qatar ‘s Prime Minister this week as Labor came under increased scrutiny over it’s decision to block additional flights into Australia from the nation’s carrier

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Qantas Alan Joyce are pictured together

A spokesperson for Ms Wong said the Qatar Airways decision was not discussed during the conversation.

But Ms Wong did broach the 2020 Al Hamad airport incident, in which women on the ground at the airport in Doha, including 13 Australians, were invasively searched after a newborn baby was found abandoned in a plastic bag.

Some of the women were left traumatised and launched legal action. 

Ms Wong’s office said: ‘The Minister initiated the call to discuss a range of bilateral matters, including in relation to the Al Hamad airport incident, and multilateral issues ahead of the UN General Assembly later this month.

‘The Bilateral Air Services Agreement was not raised during the call.’

Ms McKenzie has been advocating for an official probe into the government’s decision this sitting week, and was supported 32-31 on Tuesday afternoon.

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Labor and the Greens voted against the motion, while the Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation and David Pocock and the Lambie Network voted in favour of it.

A statement released on Qatar’s Foreign Ministry website stated the duo ‘discussed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries and regional and international developments’

Qatar Airways made a bid to add an additional 21 flights into Australia – a move that could have reduced airfares by up to 40 per cent

The government has maintained there was nothing out of the ordinary in its decision to refuse Qatar’s request

Outgoing Qantas CEO Alan Joyce last week told a Senate committee hearing allowing Qatar flights would distort the market, and said he sent a letter to the government in October 2022 about Qatar’s proposal.

Ms McKenzie said of the decision: ‘The Senate has agreed to a short and sharp inquiry into Federal Labor’s decision to restrict flights into major capital cities.

‘Finally we can get to the bottom of why the Gov has restricted Australians from having a safe, reliable and competitive airline industry.’

The government has maintained there was nothing out of the ordinary in its decision to refuse Qatar’s request.

Several government ministers have noted Qatar can add additional flights into Canberra, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Avalon. 

The committee for the inquiry will be comprised of three Opposition members, two from government and two from either a minor party or Independent.

The deputy chair must be a senator from a minor party or an Independent.

It will examine all ‘federal government decisions relating to any proposals received in the past 12 months for additional services to Australia’s major airports’.

The senate vote comes on the same day embattled Mr Joyce stood down as CEO with a $24million golden handshake after 15 years at the helm. 

A spokesperson for Ms Wong said the Qatar Airways decision was not discussed during the conversation