Hockey irresponsible on Qantas: Bowen TREASURER Joe Hockey acted irresponsibly by slating changes to foreign ownership restrictions in Qantas in a move that shifted the airline's share price, Labor counterpart Chris Bowen says. Mr Hockey has called for a national debate on whether to loosen the airline's foreign ownership rules after Qantas called for urgent changes to remain competitive. "What's not appropriate is for the treasurer to float big ideas ... which are market sensitive, which saw the Qantas share price move and it's quite irresponsible and frankly naive for him to do that," Mr Bowen told ABC Radio on Friday. Qantas shares surged over five per cent at one stage on Thursday before ending 3.6 per cent higher at $1.22 after news broke of Mr Hockey comments. Launching a discussion paper or white paper would have been the more responsible approach to the issue, Mr Bowen said. Current laws require there be a majority Australian shareholding in Qantas as part of a deal which gives the national carrier privileges including air space priority. Both the government and opposition have indicated a desire for Qantas to remain an Australian entity. Mr Bowen said Labor would continue to talk with the airline and consider any sensible proposal put forward by the government. "But we wouldn't give a blank cheque to any particular outcome," he said. Opposition transport spokesman Anthony Albanese said there were practical reasons for maintaining restrictions on Qantas's ownership. "We do need to have a national airline," he said. When Australians have been in trouble overseas, it's been Qantas that has been prepared to provide assistance to evacuate people from the Middle East or Thailand. If Australians want to retain a national carrier with ownership restrictions, "there is a price that needs to be paid," Mr Hockey said. But he refused to comment on "speculation" that taxpayer money would be used to prop up the airline. The government will not stall on reaching a ruling on foreign ownership, the treasurer said. I am not someone that is prepared to kick the can down the road on issues. If decisions need to be made, they will be made," he told reporters in Sydney.