Is it the fact that the work is going overseas, and therefore jobs in Australia being lost, that is the problem, or the quality of the work.
What would people think if a competitive MRO in Australia started attracting overseas work. ( I believe that there could be a chance of this in Melbourne).
If we are just becoming perocial, anti global and frustrated, then i think the argument was lost almost a generation ago. It was just that Qantas, being a relic of a government owned airline that never made a profit, was one of the last bastions to fall.
There seems to be many opportunities in this current climate for people who can think outside the box. I believe that the scope of the argument about outsourcing is so huge, so much so that it is outside the scope of any individual industry to fight it, that any rear guard action by Qantas employees will be in vain.
My suggestion is to anticipate cost cutting and take control of the agenda. In my company there are often more appropriate ways to cut costs that will satisfy both the shareholder and employee, but sometimes management misses the point. Engage management and manipulate things in the direction you want.
By the way, i am not suggesting that this is a better world, just being realistic and trying to make things work better.