I have been away for a while and somehow lost the plot re: Sunfish and Scumfish. Who is who? One of them sounds like being abusive under Woomera's recent edicts.
That aside, this was a monumental piece of flawed public policy. Let's ban US movies and of course CNN. And the BBC. And Macdonalds. And Ferraris. And Evian water. Fact is that most countries have some natural advantage or another, whether it be their own tax system, oil, a large domestic economy give economies of scale, weather or some such. Wine acreage here and training at publicly funded universities have given us a wonderful competitive wine export business. Imagine if that were stopped as being unfair?
On what possible grounds do we selectively deny Australian consumers access to a product simply because it comes at a lower price? As I understand the theory and prcatice of international trade, that's the whole point. I live and work overseas and would be really annoyed if the locals said I should leave here simply because I got trained in Australia years ago when it was easier and cheaper and therefore I am an unfair competitor.
Qantas ruthlessly outsource everything they can and I understand that. But you can't buy on a world market yet operate in a protected market. That way is hypocrisy, unvarnished. And the public suffer. And, tho economics be the dismal science, it is true that more competition in the end means more jobs for Australia as a whole.
When will we learn? If we're really concerned to protect Qantas (why on earth/) why not suggest to SIA that, as with Defence contracts, we require say a 40% offset in local investment or employment if we give you access.