الرئيسية
Qantas chief Alan Joyce
on Monday warned the airline would be forced to slash services and
expressed "grave fears" for its future if proposed laws strengthening
its ties to Australia went ahead.
Joyce said a bill, which would force Qantas to keep its headquarters and the majority of maintenance, flight operations and training in Australia, posed a "major threat" to the airline's business and to jobs.
"If Australians want a truly competitive national carrier, this parliament cannot tie up Qantas in this way," Joyce told a Senate hearing into the proposal.
"You would be responsible for making Qantas less competitive just when we most need the freedom to compete."
Put forward by independent Senator Nick Xenophon,
the so-called "Still Call Australia Home" bill aims to tighten
conditions set down when the formerly state-owned airline was sold off
in 1992.
Xenophon has also proposed amending aircraft crew laws to
force all Australian airlines and their subsidiaries to offer
overseas-based flight and cabin crew on its services the same wages and
conditions as local staff.
Joyce said foreign crew were only used on a limited number of Qantas flights in Australia
but they were paid "domicile country" rates -- a standard international
practice that was vital to keeping those services viable.
on Monday warned the airline would be forced to slash services and
expressed "grave fears" for its future if proposed laws strengthening
its ties to Australia went ahead.
Joyce said a bill, which would force Qantas to keep its headquarters and the majority of maintenance, flight operations and training in Australia, posed a "major threat" to the airline's business and to jobs.
"If Australians want a truly competitive national carrier, this parliament cannot tie up Qantas in this way," Joyce told a Senate hearing into the proposal.
"You would be responsible for making Qantas less competitive just when we most need the freedom to compete."
Put forward by independent Senator Nick Xenophon,
the so-called "Still Call Australia Home" bill aims to tighten
conditions set down when the formerly state-owned airline was sold off
in 1992.
Xenophon has also proposed amending aircraft crew laws to
force all Australian airlines and their subsidiaries to offer
overseas-based flight and cabin crew on its services the same wages and
conditions as local staff.
Joyce said foreign crew were only used on a limited number of Qantas flights in Australia
but they were paid "domicile country" rates -- a standard international
practice that was vital to keeping those services viable.