How? Only 3 directors on the Board & no management input.
From casual observation Ansett International grew quite a bit since '96 and were actually going to take over LAX-SYD-LAX from Air NZ in the summer time-table until some [miserable] american pointed out that the service was a NZ right not an Oz one. At one stage they were also going to get our RR powered B747-400s, or rumour had it.
Without specific and credible proof I'm going to consider his comments as
"Well, he would say that, wouldn"t he?" material.