Sorry Duff, but that is a perfect examppl of the problems between Australia and NZ.
We had an election back in 1996 and Paul Keating is no longer Prime Minister of Australia.
Australia now allows anyone - regardless of nationality - to own a domestic airline.
Your complaint is no longer valid, but it's a grudge you clearly still hold.
It's been suggested that the reason QF bailed previously is because the AirNZ board was unco-operative & felt QF to be unwelcome interlopers, rather than seize the opportunity to work together & make something bigger and better - a real regional power-house. When QF went for oneworld, it was the world's easiest bet that NZ would go to Star (simply because it was OPPOSITE to QF).
Well, if you want to play catch-upfor ever, and make transitory partnerships with people whose priorities WILL remain outside the region, then go for it. Those of us who see the bigger picture, however, would prefer to work together & maybe beat the outsiders at their own game.
You think SIA came to Auckland because they love Kiwis? Sorry, this may come as a shock, but maybe they saw it as a way to block Qantas (ie. an employer of New Zealanders) becoming the region's dominant player (and therefore maybe an even bigger employer of New Zealanders!!)