REX AIRLINES Trading Halt
Joined: May 2016
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,537
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From: Sunshine Coast
PAG reportedly leading the charge to "overthrow" LKH and then declaring Voluntary Administration before LKH replied back with a "leadership spill" may be PAG's way of saying "pack it up", we're not funding this basketcase anymore.
JS turning on his 'one time bestie' LKH was probably the last straw for the boardroom infighting.
JS turning on his 'one time bestie' LKH was probably the last straw for the boardroom infighting.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 245
Likes: 60
From: illabo
Nice to see caring comments on here for the staff. Oh, except SHVC who wants to see the clown show wrapped up because it's just full of dinosaurs and cadets. Lucky dinosaurs and cadets don't have families to feed and bills to pay.
My sincere apologies to SHVC. He/she was not the owner of my quoted comments. It was autopilot11 who is the pig that said be gone with Rex and who cares, they are all just dinosaurs and cadets. Good onya autopilot hope you're dancing ow that 650 or so jobs are gone.
My sincere apologies to SHVC. He/she was not the owner of my quoted comments. It was autopilot11 who is the pig that said be gone with Rex and who cares, they are all just dinosaurs and cadets. Good onya autopilot hope you're dancing ow that 650 or so jobs are gone.
Last edited by rodney rude; 31st July 2024 at 04:38.
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 198
Likes: 206
From: Mosman
Another example of MBA and finance bros destroying a great company for personal gain. Alan Joyce almost succeeded with QANTAS.
The greed and mismanagement is outrageous.
Exactly why pilots should now demand a fair deal for themselves.
Best of luck to all crew involved, it would be an awful time. Hopefully something better comes from the ashes or you find somewhere better.
The greed and mismanagement is outrageous.
Exactly why pilots should now demand a fair deal for themselves.
Best of luck to all crew involved, it would be an awful time. Hopefully something better comes from the ashes or you find somewhere better.
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,628
Likes: 1,183
From: Aus
Prior to Project Mother at the start of COVID, Rex signed an MOU with ATR for replacement of the Saab fleet on a 2:1 basis. The MOU also included a sim centre in Sydney with ATR sourcing buyers for the Saabs they were taking from Rex. Needless to say Rex walked away from the MOU once the 73 was tabled and left ATR hanging. I suspect ATR will not welcome them back with open arms considering the order book is full for some time and most second life machines are spoken for.
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 209
Likes: 24
From: Qld
JS and LKH may be in trouble and may potentially face bans from managing companies in Australia if it were to be found that REX was trading while insolvent.
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 183
Likes: 82
From: Anvya
JS knows government will step in to save regional routes , parachutes intact , losses socialised . Smiles all around , lives uninterrupted . I’m happy for regional communities and Rex staff if they keep their jobs . Just love to see these executives a little stressed and have to deal with the consequences of their actions . Not just walk away to the next gig .
Maybe just grumpy from crap nights sleep ?
Maybe just grumpy from crap nights sleep ?
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 615
Likes: 182
From: Melbourne
JS knows government will step in to save regional routes , parachutes intact , losses socialised . Smiles all around , lives uninterrupted . I’m happy for regional communities and Rex staff if they keep their jobs . Just love to see these executives a little stressed and have to deal with the consequences of their actions . Not just walk away to the next gig .
Maybe just grumpy from crap nights sleep ?
Maybe just grumpy from crap nights sleep ?
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 1,370
Likes: 282
From: Moved beyond
Ernst & Young's announcement regarding the Rex administration included an offer by Virgin to honour Rex tickets free of charge, provided impacted customers contacted the airline by 14 August. Qantas was late to the party, but has now one-upped Virgin by offering to honour Rex tickets until 31 August.
QANTAS GROUP STATEMENT ON REX
Qantas' remorse over the demise of Rex's 737 operation is touching...
QANTAS GROUP STATEMENT ON REX
Qantas' remorse over the demise of Rex's 737 operation is touching...
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 569
Likes: 383
From: Australia
It’s quite frustrating to read that, again, another case of airline management down under who burn the house to the ground and wait until only smouldering pieces remain before calling in help, front line workers and families now suffer the consequences.
It didn’t need to be like this, I think this 737 operation could have worked, could have been done differently, but it’s been done the Rex way. It’s clear PAG are not offering further funding.
Rex needs to go back to being Rex. The issue is, the old Rex is also wounded with a depleted Saab fleet. Disposing of the Jets and going back to ‘what once was’, isn’t that easy either.
It didn’t need to be like this, I think this 737 operation could have worked, could have been done differently, but it’s been done the Rex way. It’s clear PAG are not offering further funding.
Rex needs to go back to being Rex. The issue is, the old Rex is also wounded with a depleted Saab fleet. Disposing of the Jets and going back to ‘what once was’, isn’t that easy either.
If the Govt. at the time had any scruples it would have demanded the money back as having been requested on false pretences.
There'll now be a chorus of Qantas and Virgin hating media, saying that they, especially Qantas, stop entrants from coming into the market. Bull****. That's just a smoke screen for horrendously bad management. They had a reasonable operation, they had factored in the gradual replacement of the SAABs over a period of years and then they decided to do this ridiculous capital city operation in an arena they'd never operated in before, lacked expertise (and at least some of those I heard were poached from elsewhere were hardly the best of the best) and for what? What did they hope to achieve?
Having done so, it obviously was not providing the returns they expected (or over-estimated) so what did they do? Reduce flights? Slow the expansion? Nope. They went full speed ahead eventually adding PER to the route network and they also bought another operator that specialised in FIFO.
This is either phenomenal incompetence or delusions of grandeur. It would appear to not be wisely investing shareholders' funds at the very least.
As for the criticisms of Qantas from the TWU, how surprising (not). Rex actually undercut Qantas and started a fare war between Qantas, Virgin and themselves. Qantas responded by operating on some of Rex's routes. That's competition.
If you run a fancy bread shop and also sell milk and the local milk bar decides to start selling fancy bread too, you're going to do something like start undercutting what you sell milk for to hit them back.
Media and also the TWU seem to think that Qantas and Virgin should just sit around and do nothing if a new entrant comes into the market. QF and VA have shareholders too.
One day the penny will drop that we are a nation that occupies a continent about the same size as the contiguous United States but with less than a 10th of the population. To succeed you either need scale like QF and VA or you need a niche. How many times does this have to happen before we realise the country cannot support more than two large airlines and a few smaller ones in niches. Break up the bigger airlines and the new smaller units will likely fail due to lack of scale OR they'll consolidate, exactly like what has happened in the USA since 1978. It's now about the same as it was in 1978, just some of the names have changed.
Canada - similar in scale and size to Australia with a slightly larger population and what do they have? Basically two major carriers.
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 112
From: BBN
So no I don’t want it wrapped up, most of Australia need Rex and their services.
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 569
Likes: 383
From: Australia
Not good for anyone if they go under.
REX CALLS IN TURNAROUND SPECIALISTSStories abound of instability in the nation’s aviation sector. Budget airline Bonza fell into administration in April. The mooted listing of Virgin Australia keeps faltering, and now Qatar Airways wants to gobble up a strategically important part of it.
And what of Regional Express? Its executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai, was hot-swapped in June for deputy chair John Sharp, a former transport minister in the Howard government. Lim had served as executive chairman for 21 years, and aside from brief remarks issued by the company acknowledging his “extraordinary service”, no further reason was provided for this sudden and startling tweak to the board.
Seething, as you would expect, Lim went on to requisition a shareholders meeting to remove Sharp and three other directors from the board: Lee Thian Soo, Ronald Bartsch and Jim Davis. No reasons were provided for that development either.
This upheaval is taking place just as Rex finds itself in a spot of serious financial bother, so serious, it seems, that Margin Call hears that the airline has invited a turnaround team from Deloitte to rifle through its books and try to stop the proverbial plane from crashing into the mountain.
Leading that team are Sal Algeri and Richard Hughes, memorable for their role in the recovery of Virgin Australia after that airline slid into voluntary administration in 2020. Deloitte didn’t respond to questions about Rex and Rex itself declined to comment. “Given Rex is a public company, we do not respond to press or market *rumours or speculation,” a spokesman said.
Rex’s troubles are not necessarily with its regional routes, which are said to be profitable, but with its expansion into the prized city destinations of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, known in the industry as the Golden Triangle (a misnomer, by the way, the route connecting them forms no obvious triangle).
An expansion into those capital city markets began in 2020, its market share remains in the single digits, and the whole jolly has cost the business dearly. Deloitte’s partners are in a fever attempting a restructure solution as a rescue package. That too, we hear, is teetering towards failure.
Where to from here? Rex’s Golden Triangle dilemma could become intractable enough to push the airline into administration. Whether or not that occurs, the appearance of Deloitte’s clean-up team at least provides a plausible explanation for the airing of linen about to start in the boardroom.
After all, it was Sharp who said last year that profitability mattered more than market share, a remark made only after Rex posted a loss of $16.5m for the half to December 2022. Its latest results weren’t quite as fugly – a $3.2m loss for the half to December 2023
REX CALLS IN TURNAROUND SPECIALISTSStories abound of instability in the nation’s aviation sector. Budget airline Bonza fell into administration in April. The mooted listing of Virgin Australia keeps faltering, and now Qatar Airways wants to gobble up a strategically important part of it.
And what of Regional Express? Its executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai, was hot-swapped in June for deputy chair John Sharp, a former transport minister in the Howard government. Lim had served as executive chairman for 21 years, and aside from brief remarks issued by the company acknowledging his “extraordinary service”, no further reason was provided for this sudden and startling tweak to the board.
Seething, as you would expect, Lim went on to requisition a shareholders meeting to remove Sharp and three other directors from the board: Lee Thian Soo, Ronald Bartsch and Jim Davis. No reasons were provided for that development either.
This upheaval is taking place just as Rex finds itself in a spot of serious financial bother, so serious, it seems, that Margin Call hears that the airline has invited a turnaround team from Deloitte to rifle through its books and try to stop the proverbial plane from crashing into the mountain.
Leading that team are Sal Algeri and Richard Hughes, memorable for their role in the recovery of Virgin Australia after that airline slid into voluntary administration in 2020. Deloitte didn’t respond to questions about Rex and Rex itself declined to comment. “Given Rex is a public company, we do not respond to press or market *rumours or speculation,” a spokesman said.
Rex’s troubles are not necessarily with its regional routes, which are said to be profitable, but with its expansion into the prized city destinations of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, known in the industry as the Golden Triangle (a misnomer, by the way, the route connecting them forms no obvious triangle).
An expansion into those capital city markets began in 2020, its market share remains in the single digits, and the whole jolly has cost the business dearly. Deloitte’s partners are in a fever attempting a restructure solution as a rescue package. That too, we hear, is teetering towards failure.
Where to from here? Rex’s Golden Triangle dilemma could become intractable enough to push the airline into administration. Whether or not that occurs, the appearance of Deloitte’s clean-up team at least provides a plausible explanation for the airing of linen about to start in the boardroom.
After all, it was Sharp who said last year that profitability mattered more than market share, a remark made only after Rex posted a loss of $16.5m for the half to December 2022. Its latest results weren’t quite as fugly – a $3.2m loss for the half to December 2023
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 446
Likes: 78
From: australia
Maybe Qantas is feeling a lot of guilt and shame over all their "poaching and pillaging of pilots" and "uncompetitively moving in on regional routes".
Last edited by mikewil; 31st July 2024 at 01:32. Reason: Forgot to add 'pillaging' to the Rex cry
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 261
Likes: 83
From: Australia
Here is a concept (in simple context). All the respective regional councils form a cooperative enterprise regional airline/s.To secure services to regional centres. To secure employment for local aircrew & support services. Attract other parts of the airline operation to regional Australia. The structure would take some effort to establish however, with today's technology ongoing management should be wholly feasible and no more costly when you consider revenue streams and current subsidy arrangements . PM, PM me for an elaboration to the concept. You're welcome!
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 569
Likes: 383
From: Australia
The rest is glitz, puff and piffle. Every commercial news bulletin (and to an extent the ABC as well) follow the same formula; one story about a politician 'slamming' another (their favourite word is 'slam'), a lost dog story, a crying family, an over-exaggerated story about crime and some nonsense fluff that is not news to round it out.
If you don't believe me, I cite Seven's recent boning (to coin a phrase) of newsreaders and their replacement on the major bulletin with a bloody astrologer - FFS; what's next, ditching the health news segment and replacing it with a message from the Tooth Fairy?
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 115
Likes: 14
From: Home
I've been somewhat critical of Rex and some of its subsidiaries in my posts, and I'm not going to beat around the bush regarding some animosity towards the people that run these companies. I had some truly foul interactions with many of them.
That aside, my heart really goes out to all of the crew and other affected staff. I spent some time over east last year and all the crew I met were really great people. Here's hoping they all get snapped up by other airlines very soon.
It was a charter to cover RPT ops rather than a wet lease, as the aircraft still operated its standard FIFO flights in addition to the 3x ADL services per week. But yes, this service has ceased as has the BNE-CNS Q400 service.
That aside, my heart really goes out to all of the crew and other affected staff. I spent some time over east last year and all the crew I met were really great people. Here's hoping they all get snapped up by other airlines very soon.
It was a charter to cover RPT ops rather than a wet lease, as the aircraft still operated its standard FIFO flights in addition to the 3x ADL services per week. But yes, this service has ceased as has the BNE-CNS Q400 service.
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 880
Likes: 225
From: Australia
...Virgin to honour Rex tickets free of charge... by 14 August. Qantas was late to the party, but has now one-upped Virgin by offering to honour Rex tickets until 31 August.
QANTAS GROUP STATEMENT ON REX
Qantas' remorse over the demise of Rex's 737 operation is touching...
QANTAS GROUP STATEMENT ON REX
Qantas' remorse over the demise of Rex's 737 operation is touching...
Having never studied business, I don't know the difference between what would be considered "competitive" and "anti-competitive" activities. They seem like the same thing to me, particularly when it comes to airlines.
Joined: May 2016
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 695
From: Sunshine Coast
Significant job loses, apparently well beyond just the B737 operations, being touted in this piece in The Australian (behind a paywall).
Rex cancels jet services, over 600 job losses as unions call for federal fundingRobyn Ironside
Rex workers have now been briefed by administrators on 610 job losses across the Rex Airlines (RAL) and Regional Express Holdings (REX) businesses, the Transport Workers Union says, pushing again for the government to step in with an equity deal.
The RAL business, which services 737 flights in capital cities, will cease to operate, with 360 jobs to be made redundant. The voluntary administration process for Rex, which operates regional routes, will continue, though 250 job losses have also been indicated.
A consultation process on job losses has commenced but will conclude on Wednesday, at which point the total job losses will be confirmed, the TWU said.
The TWU earlier on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to look into an equity stake in Rex to maximise remaining jobs, protect worker entitlements and ensure a seat at the table to protect regional Australia.
The failure of Rex just three months after budget carrier Bonza collapsed, has triggered a wave of reaction and calls for change in Australia’s aviation industry.
Ernst & Young (EY) was appointed voluntary administrators to Rex on Tuesday night, prompting the immediate suspension of the airline’s jet operations between major cities.
Regional services flown by Saab 340s will continue for now, and Virgin Australia offered to rebook Rex customers affected by the suspension of 737-operated f lights free of charge.
Samuel Freeman, Justin Walsh and Adam Nikitins of EY will handle the administration which came just three months after Bonza’s failure.
Airports, unions and travel industry leaders expressed their disappointment in the news about Rex, as Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka described it as a “difficult moment” for aviation and a reminder of the challenges they faced.
“The team at Virgin Australia is thinking about everyone at Rex today, an airline with a proud and important role in Australian aviation, particularly for regional Australia,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
Qantas also weighed in, offering to reaccommodate Rex customers on corresponding Qantas or Jetstar services without cost where seats were available.
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said they were pleased regional operations were continuing, but it was clear some things needed to change in the Australian aviation market for competition to thrive.
“Recent history suggests the barriers are too high,” said Mr Charlton. ”We have a rare opportunity to get this right with the proposed slot reforms at Sydney Airport and through the imminent aviation white paper, and we remain ready to work with the government on implementing both.”
A Melbourne Airport spokesman said they were deeply disappointed by the suspension of Rex jet services, and stood ready to assist passengers.
“Melbourne Airport was proudly home to Rex’s largest 737 jet base and our thoughts are with the staff affected by this announcement,” he said. “The team at Melbourne Airport will continue to work hard to facilitate new entrants to the Australian market because of the benefits they bring to consumers.”
The Transport Workers Union called on the federal government to look at an equity stake in Rex, to protect as many jobs as possible and entitlements for those facing redundancy.
Rex employed 2000 people across its operations but it was unclear how many would be affected by the suspension of Boeing 737 flights. Australian Travel Industry Association chief executive Dean Long said Rex had been a lifeline for much of regional and rural Australia and its entry into administration was a significant blow.
“We remain hopeful that Rex is able to navigate this challenging period and emerge to trade again,” Mr Long said.
Editor of Executive Traveller David Flynn said the end of Rex’s 737 ambitions following Bonza’s collapse would be widely seen as proof Australia really could not sustain more than three airlines.
“Rex expected Qantas to be its major competitor, but the Flying Kangaroo widely kept its distance and handed the fight to Jetstar and Virgin Australia,” said Mr Flynn.
“Rex added a welcome dash of competition on the key intercity routes, but its midmarket position was undercut in price by Jetstar, while Virgin Australia tended to match Rex lead-in pricing but offered a superior proposition in frequency, lounges, frequent flyer perks and overall value.”
Although the halt in jet operations would cause significant disruption to travellers, the continuation of regional services would come as a relief to those townships where Rex provided the only commercial flights.
Local Government New South Wales president Darriea Turley said one of the key determinants of populations remaining in regional and rural areas was access to reliable and regular connections to metropolitan areas.
“Losing regular passenger transport services would also have a devastating impact on rural and regional economies,” said Cr Turley.
“The first priority is maintaining services, competition is not the key issue at this stage, although it remains an underlying problem.
“LGNSW would urge the Australian Government to continue to work with airlines to sustain services on routes that are otherwise not economically viable.”
The Australian Services Union also emphasised the importance of regional services as a major driver of quality local jobs.
“This is obviously a worrying time for hundreds of workers and the ASU will be advocating for their interests and ensuring their voices are heard during this critical time,” said ASU assistant national secretary Emeline Gaske.
“It’s particularly concerning that Rex has been placed into administration so closely after the collapse of Bonza – another airline that provided services to regional locations.”
EY emphasised that the Pel-Air air ambulance services operated by Rex, and the Australian airline pilot academy remained outside of administration and were under the control of their respective directors.
Virgin Australia urged Rex customers with travel in the next 48 hours to contact their call centre on 13 67 89.
“Our team is now moving quickly to support Rex’s customers and people,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
“Customers will need to contact Virgin Australia before August 14, 2024 to take up this offer.”
Rex workers have now been briefed by administrators on 610 job losses across the Rex Airlines (RAL) and Regional Express Holdings (REX) businesses, the Transport Workers Union says, pushing again for the government to step in with an equity deal.
The RAL business, which services 737 flights in capital cities, will cease to operate, with 360 jobs to be made redundant. The voluntary administration process for Rex, which operates regional routes, will continue, though 250 job losses have also been indicated.
A consultation process on job losses has commenced but will conclude on Wednesday, at which point the total job losses will be confirmed, the TWU said.
The TWU earlier on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to look into an equity stake in Rex to maximise remaining jobs, protect worker entitlements and ensure a seat at the table to protect regional Australia.
The failure of Rex just three months after budget carrier Bonza collapsed, has triggered a wave of reaction and calls for change in Australia’s aviation industry.
Ernst & Young (EY) was appointed voluntary administrators to Rex on Tuesday night, prompting the immediate suspension of the airline’s jet operations between major cities.
Regional services flown by Saab 340s will continue for now, and Virgin Australia offered to rebook Rex customers affected by the suspension of 737-operated f lights free of charge.
Samuel Freeman, Justin Walsh and Adam Nikitins of EY will handle the administration which came just three months after Bonza’s failure.
Airports, unions and travel industry leaders expressed their disappointment in the news about Rex, as Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka described it as a “difficult moment” for aviation and a reminder of the challenges they faced.
“The team at Virgin Australia is thinking about everyone at Rex today, an airline with a proud and important role in Australian aviation, particularly for regional Australia,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
Qantas also weighed in, offering to reaccommodate Rex customers on corresponding Qantas or Jetstar services without cost where seats were available.
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said they were pleased regional operations were continuing, but it was clear some things needed to change in the Australian aviation market for competition to thrive.
“Recent history suggests the barriers are too high,” said Mr Charlton. ”We have a rare opportunity to get this right with the proposed slot reforms at Sydney Airport and through the imminent aviation white paper, and we remain ready to work with the government on implementing both.”
A Melbourne Airport spokesman said they were deeply disappointed by the suspension of Rex jet services, and stood ready to assist passengers.
“Melbourne Airport was proudly home to Rex’s largest 737 jet base and our thoughts are with the staff affected by this announcement,” he said. “The team at Melbourne Airport will continue to work hard to facilitate new entrants to the Australian market because of the benefits they bring to consumers.”
The Transport Workers Union called on the federal government to look at an equity stake in Rex, to protect as many jobs as possible and entitlements for those facing redundancy.
Rex employed 2000 people across its operations but it was unclear how many would be affected by the suspension of Boeing 737 flights. Australian Travel Industry Association chief executive Dean Long said Rex had been a lifeline for much of regional and rural Australia and its entry into administration was a significant blow.
“We remain hopeful that Rex is able to navigate this challenging period and emerge to trade again,” Mr Long said.
Editor of Executive Traveller David Flynn said the end of Rex’s 737 ambitions following Bonza’s collapse would be widely seen as proof Australia really could not sustain more than three airlines.
“Rex expected Qantas to be its major competitor, but the Flying Kangaroo widely kept its distance and handed the fight to Jetstar and Virgin Australia,” said Mr Flynn.
“Rex added a welcome dash of competition on the key intercity routes, but its midmarket position was undercut in price by Jetstar, while Virgin Australia tended to match Rex lead-in pricing but offered a superior proposition in frequency, lounges, frequent flyer perks and overall value.”
Although the halt in jet operations would cause significant disruption to travellers, the continuation of regional services would come as a relief to those townships where Rex provided the only commercial flights.
Local Government New South Wales president Darriea Turley said one of the key determinants of populations remaining in regional and rural areas was access to reliable and regular connections to metropolitan areas.
“Losing regular passenger transport services would also have a devastating impact on rural and regional economies,” said Cr Turley.
“The first priority is maintaining services, competition is not the key issue at this stage, although it remains an underlying problem.
“LGNSW would urge the Australian Government to continue to work with airlines to sustain services on routes that are otherwise not economically viable.”
The Australian Services Union also emphasised the importance of regional services as a major driver of quality local jobs.
“This is obviously a worrying time for hundreds of workers and the ASU will be advocating for their interests and ensuring their voices are heard during this critical time,” said ASU assistant national secretary Emeline Gaske.
“It’s particularly concerning that Rex has been placed into administration so closely after the collapse of Bonza – another airline that provided services to regional locations.”
EY emphasised that the Pel-Air air ambulance services operated by Rex, and the Australian airline pilot academy remained outside of administration and were under the control of their respective directors.
Virgin Australia urged Rex customers with travel in the next 48 hours to contact their call centre on 13 67 89.
“Our team is now moving quickly to support Rex’s customers and people,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
“Customers will need to contact Virgin Australia before August 14, 2024 to take up this offer.”
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 183
Likes: 82
From: Anvya
If tax payer money going in to save regional services then go back to the Max’s ( Kendal & Hazelton ) philosophy and really support regional centres . Base aircraft , crews , engineers and admin staff in the regional areas where competitive pay scales give a good quality of life and if you need an early departure out of capital cities just overnight crews . Support local talent so they happy to live in the country . Get rid of expensive city boardrooms and suit wearing board members .