Not over yet.
The floating of Qantas on to the public stock exchange achieved two things for the Labor govt at the time.
1 It raised plenty of money for the govt to service its debt(govt selling the family silver).
2 It was shouted from the rooftops by the govt that the sale would allow the public( your average aussie and mum and dad investor) to own a piece of an aussie icon.
It was always firmly held that there was nothing to fear as it was a publicly listed company it would be structured to ensure that no more than 49% could be foreig owned. The rest was to remain Australian.The inference by our leaders that it would always remain the case as it is essential to the national interest and transport strucure of Australia, nationally and internationally.
When it sinks in to Joe Public that their Qantas is not theirs anymore but now owned by a company that is answerable to no one Australian provides it breaks no laws then i think there will be a significant shift in public opinion.
At the moment joe public is concentrating on Christmas and the New year not someone buying an airline.
Once people start contacting politicians and voicing their concern that Qantas is to remain public NOT private property Costello and Howard may listen.They do have an election soon.
Rudd has highlighted the tremendous pressure 10 Billion debt creates for a business that is constantly fighting to remain competitive and profitable.
No Government wants to be known as the one who let Qantas _ Australias greatest icon next to the Harbour Bridge, Uluru and the Opera House, become foreign property. Worse if thorugh some world calamity that it is somehow lost altogether.
Dont be stupid some of you say to yourselves, well who thought when it was publicly floated that it would allow it to become owned by a private business entity. Who ever thought Ansett would collapse?
Time for all of us to stop typing on here for a while and contact all friends, associates and families and get them to call their local federal politician.
Lets get started and stop a privatisation occuring of what should remain the property of the ones whou have bought, paid for and supported it, the Australian public! It should never be allowed!
Time to show the spirit that has made this airline famous. Let us not sit back and watch its demise like happenned to Ansett.We can all do something about it.
Merry Christmas
