In the latest instalment of Paint by Numbers, Crikey’s new series about the big issues of the day told via the numbers, we break down the national carrier’s relationship with the public purse in recent years.
What Qantas received in JobKeeper support in 2020: $160.5 million
What Qantas received via the Australian Airline Financial Relief package in 2020: $102 million
What Qantas received via the Domestic Aviation Network Support program, the Regional Airline Network Support program and repatriation flights in 2020: $276 million
What Qantas received via the International Freight Assistance Mechanism in 2020: $110 million
What Qantas received in JobKeeper support in 2021: $695.5 million
Total government support received by Qantas during 2020-21: $2.7 billion
Total JobKeeper paid back by Australian ASX corporations: $267 million (5.73% of what they received)
Total government support paid back by Qantas: $0
Total JobKeeper that was paid to businesses that did not meet the 30% downturn criteria: $39.9 billion
Amount that ineligble companies were forced by the government to repay in “overpaid” JobKeeper: $0
Total that individual Centrelink recipients were forced by the government to repay in “overpaid” JobKeeper: $32 million
Total job cuts by Qantas during 2020 and 2021: 9,400
Number of those jobs Qantas was found to have illegally outsourced: 1,700
Fine over the standing down of a health and safety worker who directed others to stop cleaning and servicing planes over concerns about the spread of COVID-19: $250,000
Profits posted by Qantas in 2023: $2.47 billion
Alan Joyce’s remuneration from Qantas in 2023, his last full financial year as Qantas CEO: $21.4 million
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder’s pay raise in 2023 (a year when, by his own admission, Qantas suffered a “loss of trust … because our service has often fallen short of expectations”): 14%
The number of flights, according to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigation, Qantas continued to sell tickets for after they had been cancelled: 8,000+
Possible fine faced by Qantas owing to that ACCC investigation: $600 million
Amount docked from Joyce’s final pay owing to that ACCC investigation: $500,000
Value of the bonus “delayed” from Joyce’s final pay pending the ACCC investigation: $2.2 million
Joyce’s full remuneration over 15 years in charge of Qantas: $150 million
How do you feel about the amount of money that’s been spent on Qantas? Let us know by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
