Qantas comes under fire over new Yes Voice campaign amid backlash against corporations picking sides in referendum

Qantas’ new major campaign in support of the Voice to Parliament has come under fire from Australians hitting out at the airline for weighing into the debate.

The national carrier unveiled a new fleet of passenger planes carrying a Yes23 logo during an event in Sydney on Monday.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was flanked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite when the airline joined dozens of corporations lending their support to the proposal.

But the airline was promptly criticised on social media with users raising concern over its decision to enter the divisive debate.

Australian basketball legend Andrew Bogut heaped criticism on to Qantas and said it was no surprise “Another recipient of heavy Gov grants shockingly backs the Gov”.

“Would have never guessed,” Bogut said on Twitter.

“All this whilst you will be delayed and late to wherever you are going and have your luggage used as a piñata!”

Qantas’ new campaign comes as Australians turn their back on the proposal in droves and express their concern over Australia’s large companies and sporting codes declaring an official position.

Polling obtained by Sky News Australia found 44 per cent of voters disagreed with corporations campaigning for the Voice to Parliament with 29 per cent indicating support.

The survey, commissioned by firm Society Advisory, showed 26 per cent of respondents were unsure.

When it came whether they would shop differently based on a companies’ stance on the Voice, 12 per cent of people felt they were more likely to use those supporting proposal, with 28 per cent less likely to use them.

Following the national carrier’s announcement, one social media user wrote Qantas was the “airline for agendas” while another said: “If only you embraced customer service as enthusiastically as you embrace virtue signalling”.

“How about getting planes on time, baggage out quickly?” another added.

One Australian even vowed to boycott the airline over its political stance.

“I will NEVER fly this airline again. Never. Was a platinum frequent flyer once,” they wrote.

“Please just stick to sorting out the airline and stay out of politics,” another comment read.

Qantas has joined some of Australia’s largest and most influential corporations in campaigning for the Voice including Wesfarmers – which owns Bunnings, Target and Kmart – BHP, the Big Four banks and all major sporting codes.

The national carrier though has been marred by poor publicity since it received $2 billion from the Australian taxpayer as corporate welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite recording massive profits – including $2.4 billion before tax in 2022-23 – Qantas has refused to pay back any of the more than $855 million it received from JobKeeper in 2021 and 2022.

It has also faced backlash over illegally sacking 1700 ground crew workers in 2020 after they raised concerns over servicing planes from China without necessary protective equipment.

Qantas then outsourced the jobs before the Federal Court ruled the move was illegal and breached Fair Work protections.

The airline has launched a high court appeal plunging millions of dollars into overturning the decision against what was dubbed by Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine as the “largest case of illegal sackings in Australian history”.

Qantas is now under intense scrutiny over allegations of price gouging as the country endures a cost of living crisis.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found no evidence of Qantas price gouging but insisted it would monitor the situation to assess whether the airlines would continue to delay adding flights to manipulate higher airfares.

After the previous Coalition government mandated the ACCC to continuously monitor the aviation industry and report every three months, Labor has refused to extend the watching brief.

Qantas’ campaign launch on Monday featured the unveiling of three aircraft with a brand new Yes23 livery: a Qantas Boeing 737, a QantasLink Dash 8 Turboprop and a Jetstar Airbus A320.

Mr Joyce said the company’s support was dictated by its belief that “formal voice to government will help close the gap for First Nations people in important areas like health, education and employment”.