It's amazing and quite sad to read of the gloating in some circles about the impending demise of Qantas. I can't and don't understand the irrational debate about market forces and economic rationalist theory attached to the premise that Qantas if it can't compete then it should go bust. Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the World with a standard of living the envy of most, with an enviable health care system and social security system yet we can't afford our own airline. As the only island continent in the World separated by vast distances from ourselves and everyone else we need to have a national airline for our own security. It's unbelievably stupid to rely on another country's goodwill in times of conflict and or regional tensions. No one at Qantas expects some sort of wind back to a government run airline but debate about the support given to other sovereign airlines flying in and out of Australia is needed. Aussie dollars effectively transported overseas are lost and for what. Economic rationalism in theory is all well and good but it doesn't apply across the airline industry any where. Totally flawed logic. Australia needs to keep Qantas Australian owned otherwise its yet another victim of a lost cultural identity. Much like Holden now looking down the barrel of no longer manufacturing in Australia we may lose Qantas as well. During times of war the car industries were called upon to build aircraft, tanks, weapons and anything else you care to mention. Talk about being exposed. Like walking around in a grass skirt with no undies on, just dumb. Imagine flying home the Olympic team on Air Bangladesh Airlines cause it was the cheapest. How pathetic.