0409msletters2

Taxpayers saved a trashed Qantas, not Joyce

Alan Joyce may well have “saved” Qantas financially but he did not do it without taxpayer and government assistance (Letters, September 4). The head of a company is responsible for trashing its brand, reducing its efficiency, displaying little empathy and failing to respond to customers. Who does he think he is, Elon Musk?
Sue Morgan, Menai

I wonder if John Forsyth, Dymocks chairman, penned his missive supporting poor, misunderstood, under-appreciated Alan from the Qantas Chairmans’ Lounge?
Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga

Your correspondent says we shouldn’t be critical of Alan Joyce because nobody gets it right all the time. Nor does everyone receive tens of millions of dollars per year for their efforts. If you or your board of directors claim that you are so special that you won’t work for less than hundreds of times the median salary, then you can’t expect to be treated like everyone else. You can’t have it both ways.
Brenton White, Mosman

Your correspondent offers a spirited defence of Joyce based on the primacy of shareholders and profit, but customers are relegated to collateral damage; the casualties you have to have. It is also worth considering that Qantas and Joyce were “supported” by the taxpayer during the global financial crisis. A publicly listed company with a laser-like focus on shareholders and profit has twice in a relatively short space of time been afforded government assistance to mitigate survival risk.
Brian Jones, Leura

I don’t know Joyce but what I do know is that he has trashed the reputation of a company that was once the pride of Australia. With the apparent backing of the board, Joyce has changed the once loved Australian icon into a company that is despised by a growing section of the public; many (like me) vowing to never fly with Qantas again. Surely, this cannot be good business practice?

Gareth Turner, Louth Park

What a hero Alan Joyce is, turning Qantas into the Ryanair of the South
Pacific.

Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba

It’s been suggested that shareholders vote against Joyce’s bonus payments. Unfortunately, voting at annual general meetings is stacked against the individual shareholder. Other groups such as superannuation funds hold the majority of shares and almost always vote for the status quo. Further votes on remuneration packages should be binding and should have an immediate effect with no need for two more votes over the next two years.
Barry O’Connell, Old Toongabbie