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It is hard if you cannot admit you are wrong and you are incompetent.
I have run some complex small businesses. I used to think these management guys knew way more than me, but they don't. My business management skills came from the school of hard knocks. I am here to tell anyone (including them) they are simply way out of their depth.
When I buy companies I look for the guy who has lost weight, running around like a headless chook, blaming staff, the ATO etc etc. If the place is close to succeeding and can deal with a leader like that then I'm away and am pretty sure I can make the place work. I then make an offer and usually you can see the stress leave them as you finish the sentence.
That guy is AJ and the board.
I would happily buy an airline from them. They show ALL the hallmarks of being out of their depth. The symptoms are the same, be it cafe's, hairdressers or even a childs paper run.
I would never buy an airline from Borghetti. He reeks confidence and 'can-do' attitude. He is relaxed, in charge and has a plan. Additionally, he is a competitor I would be deeply nervous of.
Like a feral farm cat backed against a wall, AJ is panicky, he is unpredictable and therefore dangerous. As he sees it he is fighting the entire company, the board (at least anxious he has to perform to their expectations) the government and probably drinking too much and arguing about who leaves the top of the toothpaste off with his boyfriend.
The Senate would have rattled him. A lot. he breezed through stage one by focussing on minutiae on subjects he was comfortable with. There are numerous sleepers in there lying dormant that he will be nervous as hell about. I am utterly convinced the 'delightful' Ms Wirth has come up with a number of Qf's recent
PR 'wins'. If you understand the subject, they are like the ALP running a federal govt on their ability to get a headline the next day, like batts, school halls, solar etc etc. If you don't, he came out a champion.
No one knows what FWA will come up with. It may be toothless, pander to the vote getter of fixing F/A's schedules and leave it at that, but it may not.
The chess board is out, there are a few more moves on it, but win lose or draw I congratulate ALL the unions involved.
I spent an entire day reading through the Senate hearing. It is in the hands of the government (desperate to be seen to have a win at something) what they do with the information in there. There are some absolute clangers in there that even a money no object legal team would find daunting.
The opposition is rattled, they are not strong in their game. To anyone with an understanding of business they are on shaky ground and desperate for wins.
I do have hope that Qantas may yet survive.