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The government’s unclear justification for its blocking of Qatar Airways’ request for extra flights into Australia prompted the Senate to launch its aviation inquiry so it can “get to the bottom” of the decision, shadow transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie has said.

McKenzie said the Albanese government had so far given nine reasons as to why it had rejected Qatar Airways’ request to land 28 additional flights each week in Australia, including human rights and environmental concerns and the national interest.

Senator Bridget McKenzie said Australian consumers wanted affordable airfares. Alex Ellinghausen

“They are refusing to put the documents into the Senate for us to understand their decision-making and that’s why we’ve had to stand the inquiry up to get to the bottom of the real reason,” she told ABC’s RN Breakfast.

She also said “some experts” had estimated the cost of the decision to the Australian economy was as high as $1 billion.

“Australians at the end of the day want an aviation industry where they can afford a ticket, where the planes take off and land on time and where your bags get to your destination at the same time you do,” she said.

“At the moment, they’re not both domestically and internationally.”