Qantas:

Qantas spokesperson David Epstein writes: Re. “Qantas’ judgement clouded: passengers suffer as carrier reacts slowly to ash danger” (Friday, item 4).

The closure of air space in the UK and Europe clearly remains a major challenge for all airlines, and, since last week, Qantas has responded with the best interests of its customers, and a very clear focus on the safest aircraft operations, at all times.

Claims it took Qantas 16 hours to understand the initial scale of the situation are ill-informed and untrue.

The reality is Qantas responded quickly, providing information to our customers, as it first became available. As a result of our monitoring, we brought the departure of two flights from London forward which meant that hundreds of our passengers travelled who would otherwise still be stuck in the UK.

Last Thursday night’s services operated from Australia based on the information available from authorities at the time and in the knowledge that many customers were bound for the Asian mid-points, not just Europe. Those not able to travel on to London and Frankfurt have been provided with accommodation and assistance since.

As further information became available into Friday, we carefully considered the implications and options and have been cancelling flights accordingly since. Our contact centres quickly swung into action calling customers to advise them of the changes, and we have been very proactive since then to give customers certainty about their flights, at least in the immediate term. We have also adjusted operations to ensure we are able to get as many customers travelling to Asian destinations as possible.

Over the weekend, our focus has been on managing the impact of the required cancellations, liaising closely with the authorities in Europe and planning for the resumption of operations. Again, meeting the needs of our customers remains is central to everything we are doing. This will continue until we are confident the conditions are right for us to resume services and for as long as takes to re-establish operations as normal.

Health:

Peter Kemp writes: Re. “Ted Ballieu doing nicely from the health debate“. In Vietnam during the war there was a comedy tape that took a pilots view of combat operations and translated his words into official spin. In the current health debate we need to translate spin into reality thus:

  • Tasmanian government spin “If 30% of GST goes straight to hospitals we will lose budget flexibility.”
  • What the government means is “We won’t be able to divert some health money for a more pressing political cause.”

Most state governments want a pool of money controlled by them that includes dedicating a portion of GST and further contributions from the federal government. What they mean is “this could mean even more money and it will come through our hands so we can retain power and direct spending to suit our own political agenda.”

There are also rumblings that directing a portion of GST to health will set a president. This is just appealing to the paranoia of conspiracy theorists to help block the move for other reasons.

Basically if the federal government takes over responsibility for health the states can no longer be held to account. You would think that they would welcome this with open arms but they can’t see past losing control of large amounts of money and thus “budget flexibility”.

Election speculation:

Beryce Nelson writes: Re. “Game on: election speculation, anyone?” (Friday, item 3). If I were Kevin Rudd, I would deliver the Budget, allow the Right of Reply, then prorogue Parliament and go to a quick election campaign based on the government’s success in dealing with the GFC and with a request for a renewed mandate on health, education reform, etc — no Double Dissolution and no referendum.

A Double Dissolution would only distort the Senate further because the reduced % vote required to be elected means that it becomes possible for more nut jobs to get control of the Senate for another long six years. Also, the only referendum we should have is to move to four year terms and that should be held separate to any federal election. So my best guess is 5 or 12 June.

Queensland:

Malcolm Grant writes: Re. “‘It was satire’, but Libs not laughing at member’s racism storm” (Friday, item 5). What is it about Young Conservatives studying medicine in Queensland?

I was alive and politically aware in Queensland when another Young Conservative (National Party member Victoria Brazil) took control of the University of Queensland student union in September 1988 and evicted lefty radio station 4ZZZ from its St Lucia offices.

I always thought after hearing some of the things she had to say about “lefties” and “socialist scum” that I wouldn’t want to see her as my GP and now 22 years later we have another Dr to be (this one at my alma mater) making statements providing evidence of views that make me worry deeply about his ability to do his intended job in a multi-cultural society.

Population, skills and education:

Marcus L’Estrange writes: Re. “Dick Smith: gold-medal winning population growth not winning us friends” (Friday, item 13). Julia Gillard is right to be concerned with 457 visa holders taking Australian jobs and being concerned with the shocking report from Skills Australia showing that 4.7 million workers don’t have the literacy or numeracy levels to participate fully in a modern workforce.

In other words almost half the workforce is functionally illiterate! However the article didn’t go on to explain why we are in this situation.

First up the Educational Left and the doctrine of “Edubable” (educational left in the universities, the Socialist Left in the ALP and the AEU) are responsible for the “whole word” approach to learning to read and write. A sure fire way of ensuring illiteracy.

Secondly the abolishing of technical schools all because Joan Kirner didn’t want only working class kids becoming apprentices, was a disaster.

Finally our employment, education, training and immigration policies are based on a false unemployment figure of 650,000 (107,000 vacancies) when the real figure is 2 million or 20% – one vacancy for every 20 unemployed.

With the above and the unemployment real figures why would you want to increase Australia’s population?

A Current Affair and the barking dog man:

Denise Marcos writes: Re. “And the Wankley goes to: the twisted virus that is Dog Man” (Friday, item 17). Thank you, Crikey, for calling our attention to the Nine Network’s A Current Affair airing the story about a man imitating a barking dog. It’s encouraging that A Current Affair‘s producers have tackled an issue more profound than those they normally address.