Australian news and politics live: Industry leaders call on Albanese to stand firm on Trump tariff talks
Qantas has issued a new statement after a major cyber attack compromised the personal data of up to six million customers.
The breach, discovered on June 30, involved a cybercriminal targeting a third-party platform used by a Qantas contact centre, exposing names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers.
Group CEO Vanessa Hudson acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, saying, 'We know that data breaches can feel deeply personal and understand the genuine concern this creates for our customers. Right now we're focused on providing the answers and transparency they deserve.'
She added, 'Our investigation is progressing well with our cybersecurity teams working alongside leading external specialists to determine what information has been accessed.'
Qantas has apologised to customers, is contacting those affected directly, and has set up a dedicated support line for identity protection advice and updates as the investigation continues.
Industry leaders are calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to hold firm in trade negotiations with the US as Donald Trump's 90-day tariff freeze nears its end.
With the US recently striking a tariff deal with Vietnam, Australian exporters remain concerned about ongoing uncertainty and the risk of increased costs.
Despite the Albanese government proposing $50 million in support for affected sectors, business groups are eager to see strong leadership and clear allocation of funds.
Economists warn that even if more deals are reached, 'exporters and importers are likely to continue facing high uncertainty for months and quarters to come.'
'Fundamentally, Australia has nothing to apologise for here,' said Andrew McKellar, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
'Honestly, I don't think there's anything more that could have been done by the Australian government, here or through our mission in Washington.'
National Farmers' Federation president David Jochinke added, 'We've stood staunchly behind the federal government's principles-based approach when negotiating trade and tariffs and encourage them to continue this method.'
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