From the Canberra Liberals’ website yesterday:

Shadow Treasurer, Mr Richard Mulcahy MLA, today highlighted the contribution of Qantas as a major employer in the ACT and praised the continuing presence of the organisation in the Canberra region.

“There has been a lot of publicity recently about the impending acquisition of Qantas by Airline Partners Australia (APA). Given this, I think that it is worth noting that APA has said that they intend to uphold Qantas’s reputation as a responsible employer with a track record of growth and career opportunities.

“They have also said that the airline’s regional network is a key asset. This is a strong reassurance to Qantas employees, and the Canberra region as a whole…”

… “Qantas is a major employer in Canberra. It is an Australian icon and provides a vital service and contribution to the economy of the ACT. Qantas deserves praise for its continued presence in the ACT and for the quality service that it provides,” Mr Mulcahy said.

From Richard Mulcahy MLA’s annual return statement for 2004/2005:

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ACT Shadow Treasurer Richard Mulcahy writes: Your item about my welcoming plans to preserve employment following the QANTAS takeover implies something sinister in my support for that position. You might care to also note that I have made encouraging comments about Virgin Blue – and no, they don’t donate to my campaigns. Neither in fact does QANTAS. I simply made a declaration assigning a value to a flight upgrade and used retail values lest it might be suggested that I overlooked a benefit. Numerous politicians declare flight upgrades – I took the step of attaching a value. I have never received any financial support from QANTAS.