From AAP

07feb02

THE federal government should intervene to solve leasing problems between Sydney Airport and Ansett which were keeping the airline grounded, Opposition leader Simon Crean said.

Mr Crean said the government had a responsibility to ensure that leasing issues between would-be Ansett owners, Tesna, and Sydney Airport Corporations Limited were solved.

"If its role in terms of Sydney airport is holding up the agreement that the administrators need then the government should seek to get itself involved to ensure the necessary agreement is reached," Mr Crean said in Sydney today.

"The sticking point seems to be the arrangements at Sydney Airport, the Commonwealth Government still has a responsibility in that regard and it should be looking into seeing if it can free up that circumstance," he said.

Earlier today Treasurer Peter Costello told ABC Radio the government had done all it could to keep Ansett flying and would not interfere any further.

He said he hoped Tesna would settle leasing issues with Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd (SACL) but the government could not force an agreement.

SACL, the publicly owned body which runs Sydney's domestic airport, wanted more information about Ansett's leasing arrangements and details.

Tesna is run by Melbourne businessmen Solomon Lew and Lindsay Fox.

Mr Costello earlier said the government also could not order Tesna to maintain the 4000 jobs it had offered when the sale was announced last year.

Administrators had told the Federal Court earlier this week it was likely only 3000 Ansett workers would be offered jobs with the new airline.