Qatar Airways inquiry: Anthony Albanese’s government loses key vote to investigate decision to block extra flights that would make airfares cheaper – as Labor is accused of running a ‘protection racket’ for Qantas

The government’s decision to block Qatar Airways’ request for an additional 21 flights into Australia will be the subject of an inquiry.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has been advocating for an official probe this sitting week, and was supported 32-31 on Tuesday afternoon.

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.

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.

Ms McKenzie also secured enough votes to demand the production of documents, giving the government until next week to table them or explain why they’re being withheld.

In Question Time, she accused the government of running a ‘protection racket’ for Qantas after the transport minister refused to elaborate on why her decision was made in the ‘national interest’.

‘Who is the government really protecting when it says this decision was in the national interest?’ she said on Tuesday.

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’.

Labor has been subjected to questions about Qantas’ lobbying on the Qatar request