Sunfish, I'm aware of the lobbying by QANTAS management to ALL sides of parliament and it's no real secret they do so, and the link to the article you posted although interesting, but not at all surprising. The question was asked at last year's AGM by the ALAEA FedSec to Mr Joyce, whether the giving of ipads and expensive spirits and membership to QANTAS lounges amounted to bribery. AJ's response was that it wasn't bribery, and the giving of gifts is good for business, and that all businesses do it as it helps them retain or get new "clients" into the business.
By pulling the plug on QANTAS will fix nothing. It will leave a void that needs to be filled, and the next big airline in the queue will have to give the same type sweeteners to get what they want. As you stated earlier to "start with a clean slate", it won't take long before that slate is as filthy as this current one. Ministers have the hunger for being treated like royalty and couldn't go without their upgrades or being members of exclusive airline clubs and flying around the world in the name of "National Interest".
In a nutshell, the government and all its agencies are just as guilty as QANTAS management in what is being allowed to happen within the company, affecting not only the employees and their families, but also the general public.
The next time I hear someone say that QANTAS staff are the reason that QANTAS is in the mess it's in an that we're overpaid for what we do, should just take a look at the link posted by Sunfish.
We're not overpaid, it's just that others have settled for less and sold themselves out at a cheaper rate.