The Government needs some control over Qantas as it is the fourth arm of the military. When you need lots of troops taken to a trouble spot.
You bet it does, try enforcing national interest with a contract!
Of course the economic benefit of a Qantas controlled by Australians, results in around AUD$7 billion of direct and another AUD$4.5 billion indirect economic activity. Whilst the report by Deloittes, was commissioned by Qantas to serve some political interest in 2016 and thus open to critique as most inputs are interna(Qantas provided) lEven allowing for the input bias, if it is say $9 billion that is a substantial contribution to GDP.
As an aside I remain perplexed why foreign ownership of a now Quasi (pun intended) national carrier is even discussed when the landmass of Australia's size and the sheer distances across the continent lend itself directly to air travel.
Leigh Clifford is neither an airline man nor a patriot. Qantas cleverly ensured any mainstream media criticism of their actual performance was curtailed when 30 journalists went on the junket to Seattle. Newspaper performance being what it is, Qantas' advertising spend is important to survival.
But just to state the obvious it isn't the sale act Leigh.