More stone-walling by the Oz goverment/Minister for Qantas/unioins scared of competition? Rings familiar tones to the mid-night fax sent by then-Minister for Qantas to the NZ Minister of Transport who cancalled the negotiated open-skies agreement 15-odd years ago, lest Air NZ might operate in Oz at lower costs. Ansett NZ (a wholely-owned subsidery of Ansett Oz) was already up and running by then, as the NZ government had kept it's end of the bargin. QF-Oz subsequently operated QF-Oz aircraft and crews in NZ on the 'recognition' rules NZ had already adopted when QF-NZ collapsed a few years back, with barely a political murmur in NZ and, no doubt, total ignorance in Oz. Now QF-Oz uses Jet Connect to operate to Oz with - ironically - predominantly ocker crew. Who is screwing who?
I am always surprised by the ignorance many people in the west island have regarding the initial Minister for Qantas backdown all those years ago. Most ockers I have come across have no knowledge of that little ozzie gem.
As made sence 15 years ago, an open skies policy incorporating joint recognition of each others standards (between countries which realistically have very similar cultures towards safety/CRM etc) would make sense and remove red tape. 80% of Tran-Tasman traffic is already either ZK or VH registered/crewed/maintained so what does it matter if the flight arrives into MEL from CHC or SYD?
I would imagine this all comes back to union power, control and fear. I remember having an Air NZ airports manager travelling to Oz in the cockpit (when they could!) during the Ansett days to figure out why the cost to the group of turning around an Air NZ 737 was $150 in NZ (ground staff - loader/cleaners etc) and an Ansett 737 was $1400 in Oz. Which was why Air NZ used QF for turn-arounds as they 'only' charged $800. I guess full employment is a worthy aim, but take away the under-employed in Oz and what would the un-employment rate be then (when it is already 1% higher than NZ's)? I wouldn't want to be an airline worker for QF right now given the more efficient airlines from NZ and to the north that are eying up your patch (plus Australian/Jetstar from within), which is obviously were this story started. And this isn't an attack on the pay the workers get individually (I would have loved to be on AN/QF pay), but perhaps the unrealistic work practices the unions are trying to maintain and the tunnel vision and selective hearing some submitters to this forum have.