New Qantas chief must pilot course to repair reputation

With the announcement of a new chief executive for Qantas in November (“New CEO gets ready for take-off as Joyce flies off into the sunset”, May 3), now would be the appropriate time for the board to consider appointing a former Qantas pilot to the board, such as Richard de Crespigny, if he were willing, to advise on the highest safety standards essential for a first class airline. Ann Grant, Randwick

Despite soothing noises from the new chief of Qantas that customers will be a priority, it is hard to imagine that the culture and primary focus on profit vigorously pursued by Alan Joyce will significantly change. As mentioned, Vanessa Hudson is a Qantas “lifer”, who has been a senior active participant in the policies and initiatives dictated by Joyce. Had the board wanted a new emphasis to be at the forefront they would surely have looked outside for new blood not tainted by the experience of Joyce’s reign. Passengers and the community at large hoping for a return to the days when Qantas represented the “Spirit of Australia” are most likely to be sorely disappointed. Ross Butler, Rodd Point

Joyce may have been respected by Qantas shareholders but was disliked by passengers. Financial gain is only one measure of a successful businessman. People skills and customer satisfaction are equally important. A businesswoman might be just what the doctor ordered to restore the peerless reputation Qantas once enjoyed. Let’s hope Hudson is a better all-rounder than Joyce and values people. Let’s also hope in his new role as head of the Sydney Theatre Company, Joyce has more respect for theatre audiences than he had for Qantas passengers. Graham Lum, North Rocks

Was Joyce worth $363m? No one I know flies Qantas. There is always a cheaper option and this disparity did not seem to worry Joyce, who put all his energies into fighting the unions and cutting the workforce. Safety and maintenance was outsourced to save the big bucks that now line his pockets and drip fed the shareholders. Brian Thornton, Stanmore

Interesting reading that shareholders loved Joyce – that would be the corporate shareholders, not the “mums and dads” who bought Qantas shares believing in supporting Australia’s flagship airline. As a Qantas shareholder, I can say there has been no dividend for us for some years and there is unlikely to be in the near future.
As Joyce goes off into the sunset with his golden handshake worth millions, plus bonuses, the ordinary shareholders say “good riddance” to someone who ruined the Qantas name with his outsourcing of workers, union battles and service. Eira Battaglia, Seaforth

Let’s hope the new female Qantas chief executive can mend the airline’s relationship with its customers. On a recent return from Adelaide to Sydney over lunchtime the snack offered was a packet of sweet “junk food” biscuits. On arrival in Sydney we waited almost an hour at the baggage carousel before finally retrieving our luggage. I suppose we should be grateful the bags arrived at all. Stephanie Edwards, Roseville

Fix tax loopholes and give overdue boost to JobSeeker

Ross Gittins (“Starving the jobless shames us all”, May 3) suggests perhaps we should be paying more tax to ensure everyone can survive. This is not an unreasonable suggestion, particularly as our tax to GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the OECD.
It has been estimated that for 2022, liquified natural gas companies had windfall gains of more than $26billion yet the forecast revenue from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax was less than $1billion. Fixing the loopholes in this tax is long overdue. Gittins is not the only one who has had a gutful and I hope this government will take heed. Peter Nash, Fairlight

Gittins points out that increasing unemployment benefits is affordable. He also says: “It may even cost a few votes.” That, too, is now affordable for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he enjoys the reality of an inert and inept opposition. If not now, then when? Mark Porter, New Lambton

The article by Gittins superbly captures the immorality and absurdity of the government’s position on JobSeeker. One caveat, however. He talks about the lot of people on JobSeeker who are private renters. Many cannot access the private rental sector and are forced to couch-surf with friends, return to a dysfunctional or even dangerous family situation, or worse. I’m in touch with a 65-year-old woman who, for the past two years, has been living in her SUV with her two dogs. Alan Morris, Eastlakes

The high level of poverty makes people sick. It costs in the health budget. It costs in kids learning. The level of relief is punitive, often of women and children. It is more shameful because the government is the ultimate parent of children. Meanwhile, price gouging that causes inflation goes unpunished. Anne Eagar, Epping

Oh no, the government says, we can’t afford to increase JobSeeker, while planning to chew up billions on high-tech military equipment against a perceived threat from China. Yes, it may be possible for China to strike two-thirds of Australia with missiles. On the other hand, it may also be possible for China to completely paralyse the country with a series of massive cyber strikes. No amount of expensive military hardware, far better spent elsewhere, would be effective against that. Joan Brown, Orange

Hear here, Ross Gittins! A Labor government putting submarines and a football stadium ahead of basic support for less fortunate Australians to eat and to live in a safe home is indeed shameful. Lyn Reitano, Sans Souci

Voice opposition rings hollow

One of the reasons given by the fearmongering opponents of the Voice is that it will give this group access to parliament to hear their views (“Parliament access a secret business”, May 3). This group will be transparently chosen and elected to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. How can it be suggested they are undeserving of representation, when there are more than 1791 unelected, unnamed individuals roaming unhindered in every corner of Parliament House right now? Who do these people represent? With no accountability or transparency, we can but guess at the vested interests who have access to our politicians. Shona Kirchen, Kiama

After all the hand-wringing and endless demands from some politicians for details of the proposed Indigenous Voice to parliament – who the Voice can talk to, who will be selected and the selection process – we learn there are already “hundreds of people who can wield influence in the building without disclosure”. And it’s not even in the Constitution. All power to Senator Pocock and the other independent MPs who are demanding full transparency to rein in this out-of-control access by outsiders. Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT)

If professional lobbyists are given orange passes to stroll the corridors of parliament to flog their clients’ causes, then every Indigenous person in Australia should be given an orange pass to freely knock on MPs’ doors – that would be a real Voice. Frank Walker, Coogee

It seems remarkably easy for lobbyists to get unfettered access to Parliament House. Can we just issue one of those orange passes to the Voice? Geoff Wannan, Dawes Point

Protect our heritage

The whole Powerhouse Museum (“Second report casts doubt on Powerhouse demolition”, May 3) should have been heritage listed in 2020, including the 1988 Wran Building and the Harwood Building, which housed the electric trams that were the rationale for building the power station. The Heritage Council’s declaration that the award-winning Wran Building “impacted the visibility of the Powerhouse” is nonsense. Without Neville Wran’s decision to create the museum, there would be no Powerhouse, as it would have been demolished years ago. The proposal to replace it with an ugly brick building would ensure even more of the original would be rendered invisible. That project must be stopped and Alan Croker must be invited to complete his conservation management plan. Debbie Rudder, Maroubra

Monarchy OK for now

Emeritus Professor David Flint is right (“Will it be coronation quiche or democracy sausage?” , May 3). Until someone comes up with an acceptable republican model, that is our current system of government. So what’s not to like? The King’s environmental credentials were well known (even derided) years ago, and his wanting to defend “all faiths”, as King, is truly inspiring. Until the republic – God save the King!Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga

Home truths

Rob Stokes’ suggestion for medium density for all areas of Sydney seems fairer than hubs of high density near train stations (“End high-rise corridors: former minister”, May 3). Think London and Paris. However, what we first need is a national housing stocktake. Small families are the norm, but 75 per cent of households have three or fewer occupants. So why have Australian houses grown to be the largest in the world? The current shortage of supplies and trades has fuelled price rises, resulting in several developer collapses. Injecting more money into the sector won’t help. The answer is a housing stocktake. Add underutilised (empty) property back to the market, then fund small homes affordable for new home buyers, average earners and retirees. Anne Matheson, Gordon

Protection racket

Your correspondent cannot understand why some of us believe Australia does not need a defence force (Letters, May 3). The last time Australian servicemen and women were engaged in the active defence of this nation was 80 years ago in New Guinea. Every engagement since then has been at the behest of another country. Australia was not under threat. The navy could be converted to a marine safety and coast guard service for a fraction of its current cost. The army and air force might be combined to form an efficient civil emergency and rescue organisation, again at a fraction of their current cost to taxpayers. The savings to the national budget would be large. David Salter, Hunters Hill

All this talk of defence spending must surely raise the question of what we need to protect: Aged care? NDIS? Public schools? Medicare? Public hospitals? The arts? While there is no war currently being waged by China or anyone else, we are so far not doing a very good job of protecting our public and social infrastructure on our own behalf, are we? The enemy, clearly, is within. Shaun Davies, St Peters

Patients come first

Providing discharge summaries has always been a problem for time-poor doctors, who generally choose direct patient care over paperwork (“GPs missing crucial hospital information for patient care”, May 3). The information required is all there on the computer. I don’t know why hospitals are not employing retired doctors to do them.
There is a world of expertise going to waste while young doctors struggle and GPs are kept in the dark. Jennifer Briggs, Kilaben Bay

Untameable inflation

Does the Reserve Bank of Australia board actually understand the vast bulk of our current inflation is on non-discretionary items (“RBA plays ‘recession roulette’ as it steps up inflation fight”, May 3), on which their constant rate rises has little to no effect? As such, they can’t possibly tame our current inflation. Given that, their rate rises are useless, cruel and harmful. Craig Selman, Willoughby

After the RBA decision to raise interest rates for the eleventh time in this chain, if Philip Lowe has prepared a draft application for an extension of his term as RBA Governor in September, he might as well tear it up now. Seppo Ranki, Glenhaven

After announcing a cash rate rise, Philip Lowe foreshadowed further rate rises in the future. He and the RBA board need to do some lateral thinking to prevent the further suffering of mortgage holders who struggle to meet the additional repayments. Peng Ee, Castle Cove

Note to the RBA: Inflation is not inflation when it is all price rises with no wage increases. It is a rip-off of low income earners and a handout to big retailers. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell

The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Orange is the new hack: 891 more lobbyists gain inside access to Parliament House
From Blackbird: “Transparency is a key requirement of good governance. This is a timely initiative to make visible to all which individuals and corporations are spending money to influence our politicians.”

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