AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES

POLITICAL CONTROL OPPOSED FORMER DIRECTOR'S VIEWS (Rec. 7 p.m.) BRISBANE, Jan. 6. The political control of Australia’s airlines would be disastrous, declared a former Director-general of Civil Aviation, Mr A. B. Corbett. Mr Corbett said he spoke from 44 years’ experience as a civil servant. Before taking over his civil aviation post he was Queensland’s Deputy Director of Posts and Telegraphs. He said that political control would cause delay in decisions, a shortage of pounds at the right time, and a lack of expert knowledge. He said political expediency would certainly override efficient mangement. Nothing cotild prevent political interference and disorganisation if any Government owned an industry in which untrained and inexperienced Ministers assumed the role of managing directors .and disregarded the advice of trained executives. „ , , _ Mr Corbett said the Federal Government already controlled the air routes and stopping places, fares and freights, time tables, rates paid for mails, anp the safety of the aircraft. On the other hand, the companies provided all the capital, carried all the risk of losses, and paid about £2,000,0(H) a year in taxation. Mr Corbett estimated the cost to the taxpayer of the proposed nationalisation of airways at about £>>lo,ooo,ooo,