Alan Joyce (AC)

[Infrequent]

Admire him or detest him, it pays to be the one to fly the politicians, the high and the mighty around!

Free drinks in the Chairman's...

 

[Pushka]

I really don't like these awards. To anyone.

 

[CMA222]

I can never understand why people get such awards for - doing their job. Services to aviation, transport and tourism.

 

[Pushka]

I can never understand why people get such awards for - doing their job. Services to aviation, transport and tourism.

And Cate Blanchett bobs up - again. I'd be very happy for them to go to Volunteers or people doing things 'for free' that make us proud Australians or who put their lives at risk in doing their job and shown bravery.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Totally undeserving.

 

[Hvr]

I can never understand why people get such awards for - doing their job. Services to aviation, transport and tourism.

The military get them for turning up, why shouldn't other people? Or even abolish them altogether?

 

[levelnine]

The military get them for turning up, why shouldn't other people? Or even abolish them altogether?

At least the military is providing a public service.

Joyce's job is to increase the bank balance of private shareholders.

 

[RooFlyer]

The military get them for turning up, why shouldn't other people? Or even abolish them altogether?

The military 'turn up' in circumstances rather more difficult than a shareholder lunch or (once) a cream pie in the face.

And Joyce runs an airline that discriminates against women when they, as WP have made and paid for a booking for themselves and (male) partner (see AFF posts re this). The male travel partner gets the acknowledgement and on-board recognition. Hey! Maybe 'booking equality' should be a cause he promotes!

 

[Pushka]

even abolish them altogether?

Yes. That's an option. I thought they had to be honest. Maybe Johnny/Tony did a recall.

 

[Deleted member]

Clearly you have never been in military service then?

The military get them for turning up, why shouldn't other people? Or even abolish them altogether?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think awards for public service (including military) are warranted. Or scientific/medical breakthroughs. People in those jobs are generally not earning the big bucks they would in the public sector.

Media and entertainment? There are some that may be worthwhile... especially from the older generation where they may not have made the big bucks people do now.

And for volunteers.

But folk on multi-million dollar salaries? It's perhaps questionable. Unless they have done something remarkable like create jobs. Or advance social welfare.

 

[PLANT]

Found atypo.... My name's missing again!

 

[mannej]

Bit of cynicism this morning...

 

[dajop]

Bit of cynicism this morning...

Nah, I thought it was more just questioning. The truly cynical would put together "grounding airline to deal with industrial relations", "hero" and "conservative government" in the same sentence. ;-)

Just joking on this one, but I can see why people would question this (and some of the entertainment ones), but it's been like this for eons. Arguments can be made for and against.

 

[Pushka]

Bit of cynicism this morning...

Maybe but these awards make me cranky pants.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I think it's well deserved personally.
I have no problem with anyone on big or small salaries being recognized for the contribution they have made to Australia.

 

[yohy?!]

seems like a bit of poetic justice really after others with platforms from sporting achievements or politics get to bash AJ - now he gets a platform to reinforce his views

(notice i'm not advocating or trying to take the thread off topic, just pointing out the timing :!:)

 

[RooFlyer]

I think it's well deserved personally.
I have no problem with anyone on big or small salaries being recognized for the contribution they have made to Australia.

We can disagree on that, but lets talk about Mr Joyce. He arrived in Australia in 1996 and joined Ansett, then worked for Qantas, becoming CEO in 2008.

He has performed very well for shareholders, finally bringing the airline back to significant profit in the last couple of years. This included bringing industrial action largely to a halt after the infamous grounding of the fleet, mostly not reducing fuel fines when the price of fuel reduced significantly, and by selling Qantas FF points by the A380-load to partners and making QFF members a product to be marketed to by those partners and making award redemption almost an Olympic sport, such is the difficulty in many situations.

All in all great for shareholders, but nearly all at the expense of Qantas passengers. He doesn't appear to have any Directorships outside of the Qantas group nor any charitable or philanthropic links that I can tell (eg his profile on Qantas web site and the inevitable Wikipedia article). His most prominent public advocacy, Marriage Equality is very much in his own personal interest.

In as much as CEOs of prominent companies inevitably get these gongs, he'll get one, but I can't see anything resembling 'service or contribution to Australia' other than running his airline in the best interests of its shareholders.

<<OT but what really gets my goat are the actor types who get these awards. Cate Blanchett for instance successfully reads lines written by others, in a manner produced by someone else, in scenes directed by someone else, wearing costumes selected by someone else, and with a marketing budget nothing to do with her. For actors, its an award for skill in being someone else and in some cases for genetic favourability. Absolutely nothing to do with any contribution to Australia. /rant over >>

 

[drron]

Well AJ did a great job of CEO.....at Jetstar.

 

[Princess Fiona]

We can disagree on that, but lets talk about Mr Joyce. He arrived in Australia in 1996 and joined Ansett, then worked for Qantas, becoming CEO in 2008.

He has performed very well for shareholders, finally bringing the airline back to significant profit in the last couple of years. This included bringing industrial action largely to a halt after the infamous grounding of the fleet, mostly not reducing fuel fines when the price of fuel reduced significantly, and by selling Qantas FF points by the A380-load to partners and making QFF members a product to be marketed to by those partners and making award redemption almost an Olympic sport, such is the difficulty in many situations.

All in all great for shareholders, but nearly all at the expense of Qantas passengers. He doesn't appear to have any Directorships outside of the Qantas group nor any charitable or philanthropic links that I can tell (eg his profile on Qantas web site and the inevitable Wikipedia article). His most prominent public advocacy, Marriage Equality is very much in his own personal interest.

In as much as CEOs of prominent companies inevitably get these gongs, he'll get one, but I can't see anything resembling 'service or contribution to Australia' other than running his airline in the best interests of its shareholders.

<<OT but what really gets my goat are the actor types who get these awards. Cate Blanchett for instance successfully reads lines written by others, in a manner produced by someone else, in scenes directed by someone else, wearing costumes selected by someone else, and with a marketing budget nothing to do with her. For actors, its an award for skill in being someone else and in some cases for genetic favourability. Absolutely nothing to do with any contribution to Australia. /rant over >>

We will have to agree to disagree. You see what you want to see. There is far more to AJ than advancing his own personal interest via supporting Marriage Equality and making the QF shareholders happy IMHO.