Senator SINODINOS (New South Wales—Assistant Treasurer) (14:16): I thank the honourable member for his question and indeed for the interest he shows in transport matters. Before I get to the question, can I also take the opportunity to mark the fact that today is International Women's Day. We had a function in that regard this morning, and I think it is appropriate that we do that. I congratulate both the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister for the speeches they made on that topic this morning. Senator Pratt: International Women's Day is on 8 March. Senator SINODINOS: Well, we commemorated it today. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Sinodinos, resume your seat. When there is silence on both sides, I will call the minister. Senator Sinodinos. Senator SINODINOS: On the question of Qantas, the Treasurer did lay down four criteria, but the first preference of Qantas had been to remove, as my colleagues have described it, the shackles of the Qantas Sale Act and give them a capacity to lower their cost of capital by being able to bring in more capital, including from overseas. It is passing strange that, when this government takes action to create a level playing field, all the opposition can argue about is whether four criteria were met, when, with respect to the overriding criterion, the Treasurer had made the point that there may be interim steps if it is not possible to remove those restrictions. But the cabinet made a decision that those restrictions should be removed. That is their first preference. If the other side of the house cooperates, that can happen, just as the other side of the house should cooperate in allowing this government to meet its election commitments around the carbon tax, the mining tax—and we go through the list.