Well yeah, but this just goes to prove that high taxes are inflationary. Don't get me wrong- I like living in an egalitarian society with a robust safety net, but it is expensive.
If the Australian government had a brain they'd realise that exporting all of the highly paid PAYE jobs is idiocy and would have limited access by foreign carriers years ago. You cannot have a socialist society and cold economic rationalism in the same body of policy. Not for long, at any rate.
QF is complaining about the same thing that's vexing retailers, manufacturers and in fact everyone who employs an Australian to do a job that can be done by a foreigner. Extremely high housing costs, very high taxes, very high prices across the consumer spectrum all contribute to wages growth pressure.
But, its the market that we "serve", and since everyone is similarily economically pinched, often unduly price sensitive. This is why a constrained access to local markets policy worked so well for so many decades. Ask Canada why they limit the route approvals for Emirates...its all about local jobs and protectionism.
Last edited by Twin Beech; 21st Sep 2012 at 22:57.