Industrial body orders end to Qantas stir

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 01.11.2011 (Business Standard): Small and big businesses, especially those affiliated with tourism, were counting the cost after Fair Work Australia, the country’s industrial relations body, ordered an end to the dispute between the management of Qantas, the national airline, and union members.

Destination New South Wales, for instance, estimates Parramasala, a unique international festival which celebrates South Asian Arts, could lose A$750,000 due to artists not arriving and lost business for restaurants and hotels. The festival began yesterday with a Deepavali Fair and runs until November 6. Five Indian artists from a musical group are due to leave Delhi on a code-share flight with Qantas and festival organisers fear that if an alternative flight cannot be found, performances may need to be cancelled and 1,600 tickets refunded.

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Qantas remains fogbound

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 30.10.2011 (Business Standard): Australia’s flagship carrier, Qantas’ entire fleet remains grounded affecting 68,000 passengers worldwide with the cancellation of 447 flights costing millions of dollars to the national economy.

A marathon two rounds of hearing before Fair Work Australia, which is considering the Federal Government’s application for termination or suspension of industrial dispute between Qantas and the Australian Licenced Engineers Union (ALAEA), the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Australian and International Pilots Union (AIPA), was far away from a resolution tonight.

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India-Oz tie-ups have tremendous possibilities: Shankar Vanavarayar, CII Young Indians

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 28.10.2011 (Business Standard): As executive director of Sri Sakthi Auto Motors Limited, Shankar Vanavarayar was recently in Australia (as part of a Confederation of Indian Industry delegation) to speak on education, knowledge and skills at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Perth. Also president of NIA Educational Institutions, he talked to Neena Bhandari on the significance of the Commonwealth for young entrepreneurs and the role they can play in strengthening India-Australia bilateral relations. Edited excerpts:

You attended a three-day Commonwealth Business Forum that focused on ‘Partnering for Global Growth: The Commonwealth, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim’. What does the Commonwealth mean for young entrepreneurs like you?

This is my third engagement with the Commonwealth as an organisation. We are working with them on different fronts. A few months ago, I was in London talking about youth and enterprise at a round-table. This is the first time I have spoken at such a large event. Despite this debate on the Commonwealth’s relevance today, I think it is a great forum which has so many emerging nations and some developed nations as its members. One could get the feel of different economies in this organisation. As an entrepreneur, I also feel it gives you an understanding on how developed and developing economies function; the regulations and opportunities that are emerging in different countries.

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