Unlike a lot of other schools our oral presentation will be done next term however I am supposed to choose an oral topic by the end of the week. It has to be in the Australian media since September 2013 as well.
I'm thinking of doing either media regulation or the qantas situation however a quick google search finds a lot of confusing political information. Which one would you recommend and if so could you provide some summary points on the pros and cons of the issue?
For those of you who have been with qantas: How bad are they really in comparison to others? I've actually only traveled with jetstar not the main Qantas flights
The Drum has had some really good articles about QANTAS the last few weeks. Unlike ABC TV, the Drum online doesn't tend to cop flak for being biased (mainly because it's not). Some interesting articles from Chris Berg (massive righty) and them some of the protectionists. They will give you a really good idea about what's going on and which way the argument is going. Really, these are the cream of the crop, so it's a good start.
There was also some fact checking done on Albanese's claims about QANTAS (google: ABC fact check). Outed them all as bullshit, but gave some very nice stats and background along with it—so it will be useful as well I think.
Also, just a small point, the question you've asked everyone is kind of redundant. The QANTAS issue has nothing to do with their service and far more to do with the economics of the company. Virgin has significant foreign backing, and can afford to run deficits, whereas QANTAS has a much lower level of foreign investment (foreign ownership is capped at 49%, though in reality is lower than this). Virgin have engaged in predatory pricing, essentially, which means that they've offered services below cost (running a clear deficit), so as to force QANTAS to follow. It's a manufactured increase in competition, that have left the price of plane tickets very, very low (indeed the difference between a ticket to Adelaide now and 40 years ago is $0...that's right, exactly the same!). Obviously an untenable position for both companies, but Virgin can last longer, hoping QANTAS buckles and then folds. Really dodgy business, but QANTAS was stupid enough to go after it. Anyway, this has put QANTAS in the shit pretty much. In stacks of debt, can't pay back their loans so their credit rating is shot, and are in desperate need in ways of making revenue. Can't be done at all with the prices they're running at the moment. CEO, Alan Joyce, is trying to bring the company through a restructure, though there's only so much money to be made there anyway. Very buggered in the current position.
Govt. currently considering repeal to legislation that prevents more than 49% foreign ownership in QANTAS. Repeal has potential of making the national carrier (a huge emotional point), completely foreign owned—difficult position for lots of people. Also means that they can offshore jobs and maintenance (though I think there may be provisions in the act to stop this, not sure). The idea of the quintessentially Australian brand going overseas is untenable for some people, indeed a lot. I guess in our age it's harder to appreciate (perhaps if we think about the ads we all know and love, then our patriotic nerve will be hit), but airlines were akin to a nation's flag symbolically. Any serious, strong and proud nation had an airline. That airline was its representative around the world. In Australia, huge pride in QANTAS because it had an infallible safety record, the only airline in the world. Even now, its record is unbeaten. This safety record even
got a run in Rain Man, very good publicity world wide.
On the flip side, the free-marketeers thing that by providing legislative constraints on QANTAS, it is not able to compete properly against Virgin. This is a disadvantage on QANTAS and blatant protectionism. They think that it closes of the market and stifles competition (doesn't exactly stifle competition, because of the battle between the airlines). They see it as an unfair burden on QANTAS, and something that makes it more difficult for them to turn profits against the unencumbered Virgin. Any sort of constraint can make a big difference between doing well and doing poorly in an open market. It is also envisaged that these will be a help to QANTAS' issues, as they'll be able to secure foreign capital and use it to invest in their projects. With the caveats on them at the moment, it's very difficult to do that at the moment.
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