"...no major changes for now."

Well, that's all right, then. I'm with Bokhara. I've spent too much time observing the behaviour of senior executives to take any comfort whatever from that. What would you expect Geoff Dixon to say when the deal has yet to receive government approval? To quote the famous 1960s call girl Mandy Rice-Davies, "Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?" I'd also take into account the fact that Qantas' senior executives, whose pay packages would include share options, will see their personal wealth leap when the deal goes through.

Although large companies pay lip service to serving the interests of all three, when it comes to the crunch shareholders trump customers and staff. Small shareholders are prety much powerless, because the bulk of shares are held by institutional investors, managed investment funds and the like with no loyalty to the companies they put their money into. That's fair enough - I don't want my superannuation fund blowing my savings on sentiment. But this is where governments come in, in my book. It's their job to look after the long-term national interest.

"But this is where governments come in ... It's their job to look after the long-term national interest."

- I should have said that I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen.

"I should have said that I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen."

As you say, Neil, this government will do nothing.

Sell it all off - the "family silver" - like I said, the market, in some quarters, is king. Can do no wrong.

This really isn't about FF points; it isn't really about safety. It's about adherence to blind free market economics - and it's about greed.

I wish I could collar a Macquarie executive to ask them why they do it. Oh, the answer would be the money, the bonus. But hey, how much money do you need? I mean who are these people? Could you live with yourself if you were like them? Would you let them in the front door?

If you would - then by implication you don't really mind them buying Qantas.

Think about it.

fuzzy, I was told (can't vouch for the accuracy though) that the CEO of Macquarie is expected to collect $60 million this year. As you say, how much does one person need? But you can bet that he'll be in there batting for even more next year. It's a sort of sickness, a monomaniacal power trip in which there can never be any final satisfaction.