Teresa Green,
I have a particular friend high up in the military. Very high up in the military, and with an impeccable reputation. He has met with Cosgrove in relatively recent times and specifically spoke to me because something Cosgrove said just didn't sound right based on my friend's associations with a lot of Qantas insiders.
Cosgrove, in my opinion, is an idiot of sorts (perhaps that's a bit harsh....but anyway). Cosgrove honestly believes that there is no morale problem within Qantas among its employees, and believes that it is only a few vocal rebels causing trouble, and that everyone and everything else is just hunky-dory.
In short, the evidence I have from highly trustworthy sources suggests strongly that Cosgrove believes whatever the boss feeds him.
If you want some more anecdotes, I actually live with someone who knows a fair bit about him and the way he works, from personal experience, from the Timor days before he became the darling of the public, politicians, and media. Very very interesting! I guess what I'm saying is that the public persona doesn't necessarily tell you everything.