Should Qantas Pay Back The $726m

Trying2SaveABuck on 28/08/2023 - 19:51

So Alan Joyce the out going Qantas CEO has defended refusing to pay back any of the money [$726m] they where given to them during COVID to keep them afloat by the government.

Alan Joyce sacked over 9000 workers during COVID to keep the flying Kangaroo in the air. Most people probably accept we do 'need a domestic' carrier and thus the handouts where seen as a nessary action by the federal government. It is important to note other business also got handouts and refused to give the money back ie Harvey Norman. However many business did had back the money

However Qantas has announced it has made a 'record' profit of 2.7billion before tax [arguably from price gouging and the built up need to travel post COVID] making their bottem line health - 1.7 net profit after tax

Alan Joyce is refusing to pay back of the money given to the company - keeping in mind Alan Joyce has been a vocal critic on social justice issues in the past painting himself to be someone who cares about socialist issues….however to me it seems Mr Joyce is happy to 'spend' other peoples time and effort on issues but when it comes to the company he represents he is happy to line his pockets and the pockets of shareholders.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/i-will-…

My question is simple do you think Qantas should have to pay the money back to the Australian tax payers either 'out of good will' via a special tax which will remain in place till the entire handout is paid back with indexation level interest

Poll Options

  • 837
    Qantas should pay the money back
  • 43
    Qantas shouldnt pay the money back
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Comments

    • Gaz1 on 31/08/2023 - 17:00

      Morals. The shareholders should be incredibly thankful the handout happened & perhaps they should consider the damage to business & reputation caused by the massive public backlash about this & the obvious price gouging.

  • quasio on 31/08/2023 - 12:26

    they should give a refund for all the credit notes they still hold, that will expire by the end of the yr.

  • zrmx on 31/08/2023 - 13:54

    More fuel to the discussion fire:
    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-31/qantas-sued-by-accc-f…

    I really hope Qantas has refunded all those who were affected, or have let them used the credits without hindrance (I know, too much of a dream).

  • zerog101 on 31/08/2023 - 13:56

    blame scomo and the liberal goverment … giving out mass handouts with no future requirements to payback…..

  • Roman Sandstorm on 31/08/2023 - 15:25
    +2

    So, Qantas knowingly took money for flights that were already cancelled?

    There's a word for that…. ahhhh… ummm…. fraud? theft? I dunno.

    Imagine if I hopped over the counter at the 7-Eleven, grabbed all the cash in the till, and scarpered.

    Next day the cops turn up at my place. I tell them that I can give 'credit notes' back to the 7-Eleven, but they have to use them within a few months. Oh, and in some circumstances I can give a bit of the cash back. (Meantime I've invested all my ill-gotten $$$ in BitCoin overnight, and stand to profit.)

    I wonder how forgiving the constabulary would be with me?

  • TightLikeThisx on 31/08/2023 - 21:06

    The thing about government bailouts that gets me is the government never gets equity.

    Why is that?

    Private gains and public losses.

    • plmko on 31/08/2023 - 21:28
      +1

      In contrast the Hong Kong Government got $200million in dividends from Cathay Pacific via the money they lent them.

      Pretty telling who the Aus Gov is trying to protect here.

  • DemocracyManifest on 31/08/2023 - 21:28
    +1

    yes

  • infinite on 31/08/2023 - 22:55

    Most of the profit they made is still going straight back into the company to help rebuild and overcome the damage they suffered as a company, due to the completely pointless and useless lockdowns the Australian government imposed on them.

    It's completely laughable to even suggest any company in Australia should hand back COVID funds - especially given the one's bitching about this now are the same morons who were screeching hardest in the first place to shut everything down and allowed the government to do it. What did these imbeciles expect was going to happen ?

  • TightLikeThisx on 01/09/2023 - 00:17
    -1

    completely pointless and useless lockdowns the Australian government imposed on them.

    How are you evaluating this? Useless by what metric?

    • infinite on 01/09/2023 - 08:24

      Useless in that the majority of the world chose not to lock down at all and not only did they have better health outcomes than us, they didn't implode their economies and cause an entire generation of inflation and additional taxes.

      That would just be the tip of the iceberg.

      • pos on 01/09/2023 - 09:49

        This is just factually incorrect.
        https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality

        • infinite on 01/09/2023 - 21:12

          LOL, you should have read the data you linked too.

          First line of the study: "For the twenty countries currently most affected by COVID-19 worldwide"

          All twenty countries listed had extensive lockdowns and forced vaxx's. No country that chose to not do lockdowns is on it, as they all had no increase in mortality rates due to their decisions not to lockdown or force vaxx's.

          • pos on 02/09/2023 - 21:33

            @infinite: What countries do you reckon did a good job?

  • Pudina Chutney on 01/09/2023 - 08:58

    Consumers don't get to complain in a capitalist economy.

  • Sweet3st on 01/09/2023 - 10:08
    +2

    Well the ACCC wants to fine Qantas $600 million for slot hoarding and selling tickets for flights they had already cancelled… so looks like we'll be getting some of those taxpayer funds back after all ;)

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