Jayne Hrdlicka to resign as CEO

[Saab34]

Certainly is just way too much at stake in the coming months and timing is wafer tight to get this over the line in time, to even bother going ahead with someone like Paul Jones. The comments from a senior Labor minister in recent days would have sent alarm bells off on in Qatar. The union came out with comments months ago, nobody seemed to flinch, bit different when coming from inside Canberra.

Either QR will appoint someone or the Velocity boss seems like the next candidate.

 

[RooFlyer]

Virgin had just released a presser stating they won't be appointing Jones as the next CEO.

Virgin will not appoint Paul Jones as CEO

In a brief announcement on Friday afternoon, the carrier put paid to months of rumours about Jones’ ascendancy to replace outgoing CEO Jayne Hrdlicka, following apparent pushback from corners such as the Transport Workers’ Union and the federal employment minister.

australianaviation.com.au

My personal thoughts, was it pressure from incoming part owner Qatar Airways, the Unions or both?

Both I reckon.

I doubt Qatar is pro union, given what goes on in their own country. They probably quite liked him.

Yes, but I think their liking to get the VA deal over the line would have higher priority.

Either QR will appoint someone or the Velocity boss seems like the next candidate.

VA will 'appoint' but QR might 'nominate' someone who they 'know' from elsewhere in its operations/associations.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes, but I think their liking to get the VA deal over the line would have higher priority.

Considering we’re about to go into caretaker mode, can they pivot if the other mob get in power?

 

[I love to travel]

Considering we’re about to go into caretaker mode, can they pivot if the other mob get in power?

Know something about caretaker we don't?

 

[justinbrett]

Know something about caretaker we don't?

Can’t make major ministerial decisions.

‘The great wait’ - How will the upcoming federal election impact your FIRB application? - KWM

With another Federal Election looming on the horizon in 2025, we are expecting that the processing time of FIRB applications will be impacted, potentially (with other factors considered) even up to mid-2025.

www.kwm.com

 

[I love to travel]

Can’t make major ministerial decisions.

‘The great wait’ - How will the upcoming federal election impact your FIRB application? - KWM

With another Federal Election looming on the horizon in 2025, we are expecting that the processing time of FIRB applications will be impacted, potentially (with other factors considered) even up to mid-2025.

www.kwm.com

Yes but they can up until caretaker and we are not there yet. Election not due to May 17, and caretaker is minimum 27 days before that so potentially they can do what they like for another 2 months yet.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes but they can up until caretaker and we are not there yet. Election not due to May 17, and caretaker is minimum 27 days before that so potentially they can do what they like for another 2 months yet.

Most predicting the election early April. Pretty logical they’d want to punt a controversial decision to after the election.

 

[drron]

Well it will be held March 9th or May 17th as those are the Saturdays we will be OS. I forget when the last Federal election was that we were home for.

 

[MARTINE]

Well it will be held March 9th or May 17th as those are the Saturdays we will be OS. I forget when the last Federal election was that we were home for.

Ditto

 

[ben95]

Pretty logical they’d want to punt a controversial decision to after the election.

It’s not really that controversial in the eyes of the general public. Most media outlet had sold this as a move to boost VA’s relative competition position to QF and will push airfares down. The wet lease thing sure it’s controversial but I think VA have side-stepped this topic well with it being “a trial to return to long haul flying and otherwise would wait multiple years to get aircraft leased”

On the other hand politically I think it’s silly for Labour to punt it down the road and leave a decision hanging until after the election. It’s one extra hole LNP could use to attack Labour (standing in the way of Australian getting lower airfares) especially even the TWU has given its blessing on this deal. LNP has attacked labour for the move to reject extra flights from QR and QF protectionism in the past and the whole chairman’s lounge situation hasn’t been great for the prime minister either. So I think it’s wise for Labour to wave this through and close this chapter ahead of the election.

 

[eastwest101]

It’s not really that controversial in the eyes of the general public. Most media outlet had sold this as a move to boost VA’s relative competition position to QF and will push airfares down. The wet lease thing sure it’s controversial but I think VA have side-stepped this topic well with it being “a trial to return to long haul flying and otherwise would wait multiple years to get aircraft leased”

On the other hand politically I think it’s silly for Labour to punt it down the road and leave a decision hanging until after the election. It’s one extra hole LNP could use to attack Labour (standing in the way of Australian getting lower airfares) especially even the TWU has given its blessing on this deal. LNP has attacked labour for the move to reject extra flights from QR and QF protectionism in the past and the whole chairman’s lounge situation hasn’t been great for the prime minister either. So I think it’s wise for Labour to wave this through and close this chapter ahead of the election.

Agree with you there on the main points, you would think that with caretaker mode due to arrive in the future, that the current government would be in a position to realise that this decision is a pretty easy and obvious one if their inclination is to approve, i.e. make the FIRB approvals now as good policy to allow investment to happen plus avoid any possibility of the perception of "Upgrade Albo" to be any sort of line of political attack by the opposition, put the entire issue behind them and move on with their own narrative in the upcoming campaign. A case of good policy also aligns with good politics.

If the federal government's own inclination is to not approve - presumably because of union influence or maybe some sort of factional deal/wrangling then surely the current government run the risk of Qatar commentary on any public debate. Now sure the next election campaign is probably all going to be about inflation and cost of living issues, and many observers believe that the ownership of VA and other competition policy may not be a big factor in the campaign, but by pushing off the decision until after the election the treasurer is going to have a tough time making competition policy arguments to solve some of these cost of living issues, and then if the current government is re-elected and they do block the Qatar investment then surely this will all just reappear as a daily political football again, with the perception that the government is captive of Qantas lobbying?