Flight Attendant Who Stole Onboard Alcohol Awarded $33,000 After ‘Harsh’ Firing

After a 2000 mile Australian transcon flight on Qantas from Perth to Sydney, crew members were searched.

Qantas searched a flight attendant and found he had “a can and a bottle of beer in his jacket, two 50ml bottles of vodka in his trousers and a 50ml bottle of gin in his bag.”

    I didn’t steal this car, officer. I found it.

He claimed the beer in his jacket and vodka in his pants got there by mistake. He “he inadvertently pocketed the beer and vodka while serving passengers.” And while he really had no idea, “the gin might have come from a hotel mini bar.” (emphasis mine)


Qantas Airbus A380

Qantas accused him of stealing and lying about it, and fired him. He appealed to Australia’s Fair Work Commission who ruled that, while there was a valid reason for firing him, doing so was ‘harsh’.

He said Qantas failed to take into account 28 years of “unblemished­” service, his age, his recent car accident, recent surgery causing four months off work and his contrition.

Qantas must pay him six months’ salary or AU$$33,731.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  1. This is so typical of the madness that is Australia now. “Got there by mistake…”. LOL You stole it you liar.

    Everyone in that place is a victim, “oh boo hoo hoo, whoa is me, I had a car accident….look at me, look at me”.

    The most inappropriately named taxpayer funded government bureaucracy called Fair Work Australia, there is nothing fair about it…. riddled with bureaucrats and union officials who have never had to earn a real wage in their lives, always living off the tete of the taxpayer and virtually cannot get fired.

    Now, even for stealing, you get rewarded. Sums up Australia sadly which is why I left that sick and sorry place for good.

    Too many minorities and foreigners who don’t love the place, they are there for the handouts. And this is a classic example. The place needs a Donald J Trump to clean out the swam, but Australians are too gutless and PC to do anything about it.

  2. Why a can of beer was so a big of a deal? What a silly time wasting since there many more important things in life other than searching a 50ml gin and a bottle of beer.

  3. Well, in most countries it is expected companies will use what is known as “progressive discipline”. Individuals such as this one with heretofore good records would be counseled, have the offense annotated in their personnel record and possibly given a few days suspended without pay at most, possible referral to an EAP.

    OTOH, if he had previously documented theft and a signed return to work agreement acknowledging a further offense would result in termination, or got caught committing egregious theft (stockpiles of minis for resale, trunk full of “change for good” passenger donations, or pilferage of passenger bags on overnight flights – all recent, documented incidents), one could expect summary termination for cause, most likely without any separation benefits.

    That’s how it works in the real world of work.

  4. Why did Qantas search the crew? Why did the attendant submit to the search knowing he had contraband? The link lands on a “subscriber only” page.

  5. Unionism in Aus, a legacy of the Brits, and the Commonwealth remains problematic to this day, the Canadians have similar problems, a real blight on economic growth. Australia’s GDP figures wld be so much better, withought the lower productivity, and economic drag the unions cause.

    Australia’s track record of not having a recession in 25 years, will definitely be broken if the the Union driven left Labor Party get control at the Federal level. No thieves will be sacked then. Also important to note, many Union bosses in Australia have been prosecuted, and jailed for theft, no wonder, their culture is to be empathetic for their comrades working for Qantas.

  6. Unionism in Aus, a legacy of the Brits, and the Commonwealth remains problematic to this day, the Canadians have similar problems, a real blight on economic growth. Australia’s GDP figures wld be so much better, without the lower productivity, and economic drag the unions cause.

    Australia’s track record of not having a recession in 25 years, will definitely be broken if the the Union driven left Labor Party get control at the Federal level. No thieves will be sacked then. Also important to note, many Union bosses in Australia have been prosecuted, and jailed for theft, no wonder, their culture is to be empathetic for their comrades working for Qantas.

  7. Usually someone has been stealing for quite a while before they’re caught, so they lie about it. It’s part of the behavior.
    You were caught and got fired. Your actions have consequences. Good luck finding another (decent) job.

  8. After 28 years of an unblemished record I think firing is a bit drastic. Had he only been employed there for six months that would be different. This sounds like BS. A short term suspension would have been applicable here and then zero tolerance going forward.

  9. MMmm Paolo, that’s a good Aussie name…. part of the reason it is not my country anymore…… too many outsiders which is why you think it is doing OK without me… how the hell would you know…..

    I have no intention of coming back to Nanny State Australia, let me assure you, could not think of anything worse…..

    All those Unions, all those gangs roaming the streets of Melbourne, all those victims, all those bludgers who won’t get off their fat asses and get a job, all those Union loving Labor voters and all those foreigners, far too many….

    the place needs a Donald J Trump, the sooner the better, clean it out…..

    Get rid of all those illegals, round ’em up and deport them immediately…. bye bye….. off you go Paolo

  10. Only six months pay as compensation? After 28 years with Qantas he can’t be a young man and will no doubt find it difficult to find another job. If the Fair Work Commission had really wanted to help him, it would have advised Qantas to reinstate him with a warning.

  11. Harry, Harry, Harry, get a grip mate.

    He stole from his employer for Christ’s sake. And therefore his fellow workers. It’s called theft, it’s called robbery.

    After 28 years this thief should have known better. If he worked for me, I would lay charges and attempt to put him in jail for a few months to cool his heels.

    There is no excuse for theft. Imagine if he worked for a bank for 28 years and started stealing money from the bank, would you still have the same attitude?

    Imagine if he didn’t pay his taxes for a few years and they found out? Would you still have the same attitude?

    Theft is theft is theft. No matter your political persuasion or otherwise.

  12. Having worked over the years as Cabin Crew for three leading international airlines in North America, the Middle East and Auatralia, it is common practice for airlines to conduct random spot checks on airline crew to check for theft resulting from items removed from aircraft. This practice is outlined during company induction or training and punishment is made very clear, including immediate termination in some cases. Aircraft product are company property. Whether removing packs of photocopy paper from an office or liquor from an aircraft, this is regarded as company theft. Having been in the business for many years I have seen it is not uncommon for cabin crew to remove items from aircraft. I often saw $500 bottles of Dom Perignon disappear into a cabin bag at the end of a flight. At one airline I worked at it was an unwritten rule to place two cans of beer from the aircraft bar in the Captain’s flight bag at the end of a flight. This was still regarded as theft and if you got caught you’d suffer the consequences. Still, everyone did it. Nowadays, companies are becoming incredibly strict and taking company property is not worth the risk. As for forgetting you have bottles of liquor in your pocket, what a rediculous excuse. This action was blatant theft. This was not a harsh dismissal and the company has every right to terminate this employee. Being paid 6 month’s pay – what a joke. I saw a cabin crew terminated because they took company branded pens off an aircraft. Not worth the risk. So grow up and accept the consequences.

  13. @Tim

    You want to kick start the economy (something the Coalition Government has spectacularly failed to do after three annual budgets)?

    Get rid of the middle class and right wing / rich prig rorting welfare started by the previous economic wrecker John Howard ($20 billion negative gearing roots, $20 billion superannuation hand out rorts, $30 billion to the churches, $15 billion to the mining industry, $6 billion to the pharmaceutical industry, goodies only knows how much to those multinational agricultural companies courtesy of the National Party nitwits): BUDGET FIXED!!!

    Now start to invest in the future – research / technology (decimated under Abbott / Turnbull due to the religious idiots from the far right), small business (crucified by the introduction of PAYG taxation under Howard / Costello): invest in infrastructure (current expenditure at a low popimnt under the Tory Twits)…

    …meanwhile the Turnbull Tory twit do-nothing government continues to stoke the enormous debt bubble in both government and private debt in a separate attempt to coax an economy in recession through a housing market bubble – stupid intergeneration theft fella….

  14. @Tim

    You think that corporates don’t engage in mass theft by stealing from their employees? How you going to stop that? The practice is rampant! My partner has been short changed by a string of well known national icon Australian employers (superannuation not paid properly, bonuses worth $1000s not honoured, mass fraud pocketing third party salary subsidies, etc.).

    And estimated 20% of employers do not pay the superannuation of employees correctly.

  15. @Robbo

    I’m glad you’ve left Australia. Maybe you’ll find what it feels like to be treated as a immigrant in your new country!

    Sanity check:

    Original article on the QF employee published by the Australian newspaper – a right wing biased rag (sucked in fella!)

    If QF thinks employee if stealing they should bring a criminal case – the employee is presumed innocent until proven guilty (most basic facet of law – actually one ignored on occasion by the government of your new homeland).

    Like it or not, the conclusion of Fair Work Commission is in keeping with the standard of legal cases for first offence theft – offenders charged with stealing can avoid a criminal conviction under Section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act, for example, for first offences with consideration to good character, remorse extra curial punishment (e.g. impact on employment) – it happens in about 15-20% of cases.

    So, your problem is not with unions, but with the system across the board. Ironically, the unions are there to protect the little people from greedy employers.

    Gang crime in Australia? Incidentally, the USA has a murder rate over three times that of Australia (per person), so you are statistically three times less safe from crime: violent crime is up 3.9% in one year in the USA (FBI figures) by moving country.

    Remember to get your health insurance and have the odd $100,000 in savings for each of your children’s college / university education.

    Good luck!

  16. Platy….. mmmm… maybe short for platypus? “Sucked in fella” – such a command of the English language I see…..

    I bet any money you’re a Unionist, Leftie, Labor/Greenie voter ( same thing ), probably gay, living inner-city Melbourne or Sydney, sips lattes every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times, living on some Government handout, probably a public servant who is guaranteed a wage and virtually cannot be fired even for theft. Am I right? And you probably think the Rudd/Gillard years were good.

    “If QF thinks employee if stealing they should bring a criminal case – the employee is presumed innocent until proven guilty (most basic facet of law – actually one ignored on occasion by the government of your new homeland)”
    Dude, the employee was caught red-handed. The thief had it on him. He was caught. There is no case to answer. He was proven guilty. On the spot when he was caught red-handed. I assume you have seen his contract. But I have no doubt it says something along the lines of immediate dismissal for theft. If you work for a bank and you steal money, you’re fired. If you work for me and to steal, you’r fired. But Nanny State Australia, the red-tape, the tax-free Unions control and the regulation overruns everything. Why would they tie-up the courts to convict and throw in jail a thief. The bastard is a thief and would have been fired on the spot. Give yourself an upper-cut Platypus.

    Your assumptions about Unions protecting people and the rights of employees, Employers have rights too. This employee stole, he is a thief, he was caught. He’s a thieving bastard. We don’t need Unions to adjudicate on this. Although based on the number of Unionists that are before the courts now for criminal matters, I can understand why you think it’s OK. There is literally 100’s of thm before the courts for criminal activity. Let them all off. The poor darlings didn’t really mean it. It was their first offence. Again, give yourself an uppercut Platypus.

    Mmmmm murder rate….. double uppercut you tosser. Australia should not have let those refugees in under your Socialist mates, they are all criminals. I bet any money the Qantas thief is a Unionist and a Labor voter. Say no more. You need a good dose of Donald Trump down in the Nanny State, mate. He’d sort you people out and get rid if the illegals.

    That’s all. Go away. You’re a Nanny-State pest and part of the reason why I got the hell out of that hell-hole. Aren’t you due to follow up on some handout? Go on, off you go you imbecile.

  17. Reading back through the comments. International readers, you are reading here why Australia is like it is. Because I simply say the guy is a thief, and should be in jail, and because I say Australia needs a Donald Trump to clean the place out the Lefties in Australia go berserk.

    KKK is mentioned. Right wing is mentioned. Tim talks about “his partner”. Tim, you’re partner ( boyfriend? girlfriend? wife? husband? you’re allowed to say outside Australia LOL ), did it steal? No so whats that got to do with the price of eggs?

    I get called a White supremacist because a QF employee steals from his employer and gets caught – go figure…. thank goodness for the sanity of @Jimmy Lester” I am sure he must live outside Nanny State, but if he is Australian, there is hope I guess.

    I am so sad for the country my ancestors came to in the Second Fleet way back in the 18th century… what happened to it? ( Apart from the obvious disasters of Whitlam, Hawke, Keating, Rudd, Gillard, Rudd and god forbid if foreign born Plibersek ever gets near anything remotely related to power…)

    Look at Japan…. Look at Morocco…. Oh to see what could have been…. I long to see my country with a leader of the calibre and conviction of Donald Trump….. God Bless America.

    That’s all.

  18. @Robbo

    Tim here, no partner mentioned, i’m anti thieves, and therefore anti unions.

    the criminal courts in Australia are overflowing with Unionists for larceny offences.

    it really is unfortunate what they’ve done to Aus.

  19. @ Tim

    If you anti thieves, what are you going to do about the corruption, thieving etc., in corporate Australia? These are the companies that bankroll the right wing political parties….often though clandestine means to avoid scrutiny by the Australian Electoral Commission.

  20. @Robbo

    What makes you think that you’re going to get what you expect from tRump?

    He has already backtracked on key far right expectations on Hilary Clinton and immigrants / Muslims: already the far right is pissed off with him.

    tRump will say anything to grab a headline and appease people just like yourself, constantly contradicting himself – which of his statements are you going to trust?

    What makes you think the Republican Party won’t impeach him if he falls out of line with their preferred positions? There’s plenty of material, including not paying his taxes properly, and a complex web of complex of conflict of interest breaches: he’s on borrowed time and will be fighting for survival in the face of his own party!

    If you think is theft is always bad and punishable – you do realise not paying your taxes properly (like tRump may have done) is stealing from the taxpayer = the every day people like yourself?

    Oh, and you do realise that tRump is himself part of the very establishment with which you seem to have a problem. He is part of the corporate greed that has led to worldwide economic ruin though the GFC: he seeks win-lose deals which will inevitably hurt parts of the community; he says he’ll increase the debt bubble which will eventually lead to another financial collapse (unless they start to steal your superannuation / savings and/or trash the economy through more quantitive easing (print more money!).

    And you do realise that many of tRump’s business interests are conflicted in terms of dealing with other countries – China and Russia – much of his borrowed money comes from China!

    You appear to have a very superficial grasp of politics, fella.

  21. let’s focus platypus, we are talking about an employee that stole from his employer. Larceny. Criminal Offence.

    he broke the law, a sackable offence, and that’s exactly what they rightfully did.

    i can imagine when Qantas was Govt owned, he wld have received a warning, but no more.

    in respect of the right in Aust, when i explain Aus politics to Americans, i tell them the Liberal Party in Aus (the conservative party) is really equivalent to the Democrats, and the Labor Party (the left party) are like the Russians, they even refer to their colleagues, as ” Comrades”

  22. @Tim

    You are wrong about the extent of criminality of union members / officials. The extensive Royal Commission into union corruption initiated by the right wing government of Australia resulted in just ONE conviction at a cost of $46 million and that with a self confessed right wing stooge (Heydon) in the commissioner’s chair.

    Shame to let the facts get in the way of the right wing diatribe.

    If the right wing had any cogent policy it would be able to argue its case, rather than stoop to a constant barrage of lies and innuendo and lack of transparency.

    Meanwhile the economy is collapsing through the inaction of McMansion Turnbull (lack of leadership in the face of the far right religious nut jobs in his own party).

  23. Platy,

    to clarify, there’s no suggestion Trump didn’t pay his taxes, he just carried losses forward, to offset future income, a provision under the tax law here, and also Australia.

    Nothing illegal about it at all.

    we can all do that under the tax codes in the US or Aus.

    whereas, the Qantas employee actually committed a crime.

  24. really?

    on 15 December 2014 Craig Thomson, a former national secretary of the HSU and a former Labor politician, was found guilty in the Victorian County Court of thirteen charges of theft, and later convicted and fined A$25,000.[7][8] Other charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception were dismissed on appeal.[1]

    His conviction followed an appeal against a conviction and sentence in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on 25 March 2014 when Thomson was found guilty of 65 charges of fraud and theft for using Health Services Union funds for personal benefit;[2][3][4][5] and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, with nine months suspended over two years. Thomson was initially released on bail;[14][15][16][17] and the conviction and sentence subsequently overturned on appeal.[7][8]

    In October 2013, Michael Williamson, a former national president of the HSU, a former general secretary of HSUeast, and a former union and Labor right-wing factional power broker,[13] pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud totaling nearly A$1 million from HSUeast, one charge of fabricating invoices and another charge of recruiting others to hinder a police investigation.[6] An earlier independent report commissioned by the union detailed that companies associated with Williamson and his family had allegedly fraudulently received more than $5 million from HSUeast in the period from 2006 to 2011.[6] In the NSW District Court in March 2014, Williamson was sentenced to seven–and–a–half years of imprisonment; with a non–parole period of five years.[9][10][11]

  25. Upon release of the Interim Report, The Age reported that: “Justice Heydon identified key concerns about the use and operation of union election slush funds. They include that they operate largely in secret, have deficient or non-existent record-keeping and that candidates commonly plead ignorance on how money is raised and spent. The report also recommended fraud charges be considered against former Australian Workers Union officials Bruce Wilson and Ralph Blewitt for their use of a secret slush fund in the 1990s. Mr Wilson was the ex-boyfriend of former prime minister Julia Gillard. Justice Heydon said there were no grounds for prosecuting Ms Gillard, but agreed with counsel assisting Jeremy Stoljar’s submission, that her conduct as a solicitor had been “questionable”. Ms Gillard had done legal work setting up the slush fund for Mr Wilson and Mr Blewitt. The report recommended seven past and present Health Services Union officials should be considered for charges for their role in an alleged right of entry scam… .[33]

    Results of hearings and recommendations[edit]
    In August 2015, The Australian reported that 30 individuals had been referred to 11 agencies for possible charges, and that 11 people had been referred to Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and ten people to state DPPs. Four arrests had already been made by police, and allegations of illegality against nine unions had been uncovered, with over 50 potential breaches of criminal and civil law identified.[4]

    Following July/August 2015 hearings in Canberra, it was reported that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) began investigating allegations emerging from the Royal Commission that union actions resulted in price fixing in the concrete and formwork trades. The media reported that “Allegations of intimidation, blackmail, standover tactics and threats” were uncovered and two arrests of union officials for alleged blackmail offences were made following their testimony.[34]

    Final Report[edit]
    Commissioner Heydon found that corruption was widespread and deepseated, and recommended a new national regulator with the same powers as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission be established to combat corruption in the trade union movement. The Report highlighted insufficient record keeping (including false invoicing and destruction of documents); “rubber stamp” committees which failed to enforce rules; payment of large sums by employers to unions; and influence peddling by means of the inflation of union membership figures. The Report recommended a toughening of financial disclosure rules, new civil penalties to bind workers and officials on financial disclosure provisions; a new criminal offence.[35]

  26. really Platy, 1.4M

    Aug 19, 2015 – Disgraced former union leader Kathy Jackson has been ordered to pay about $1.4 … Ms Jackson is under criminal investigation for alleged widespread theft and fraud … The Australian trade union movement is the better for it.

  27. @Robbo

    Platy is short for platypus which is short for Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw 1799): the name platypus was already taken by a beetle so the scientific name had to be renamed from the original.

    You’ve really got yourself sucked in the by the right wing brainwashing, haven’t you?

    Anyone who disagrees with you must be union = leftie=labor/greenie=gay=big city=coffee drinking=on handouts=public servant

    Are you really that blinkered? Have you really bought the right wing line so totally?

    I don’t belong to a union or live in big city, drink coffee at all, receive any government payments, or work as a public servant.

    I live in a rural city, have had my own business for over 20 years, have enough of my own money to retire at 50, don’t receive any government hand outs.

    Try to understand – employers generally hold the power, many of those are themselves corrupt (stealing from their employees by note paying their wages / superannuation properly and expecting employees to work unpaid hours).

    In Australia there is a Fair Work Commission to balance the conflicting interests of employer and employee.

    If you look through the cases listed on their website, many have been determined with relatively very minor payouts to a maligned employee.

    Your favoured right wingers have failed to change industrial relations legislation to favour the employer whilst in government (Abbott / Turnbull). The last time that was tried (Howard with Work Choices) the people realised that too much power would be given to the employer and they voted resolutely against it.

  28. for further statistics on Union corruption in Aus, pls see…..

    lots to read.

    https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=union+corruption+statistics+Australia

    Senior CFMEU figures under criminal investigation
    http://www.hcamag.com/hr…/senior-cfmeu-figures-under-criminal-investigation-204739.as...
    Aug 26, 2015 – Some of the most senior leaders of the CFMEU are facing police … Energy Union) leaders are reportedly under investigation by three separate state … Is the ‘retired’ workforce the solution to the talent shortage in Australia?

  29. @Tim

    Good job, mate, you’ve managed to cite a few names and think that somehow maligns the whole union movement. Sucked in by the constant bleating mantras of the right.

    Have you heard of Damien Mantach? Can you remember the long list of names of John Howard’s MPs who got caught fiddling their travel expenses?

    Line them all up and deal with them with the full force of the law. Bad unionists, bad politicians, bad corporate executives, bad priests: the whole sorry lot of them.

  30. Platy,

    and Bad Flight Attendants that commit criminal offences too, they all shld be held responsible, lose their jobs, and be criminally prosecuted, and held accountable with potential civil actions also.

  31. Platy,

    everyone in the US knows the NYTimes is an anti Trump publication, NY is a pro democratic state, just servicing its customers.

    no criminal convictions i note, just speculation, and accusations by journalists (if you cld call them that) more accurate to call them newspaper marketers.

    where as Qantas Flight Attendant was caught stealing red handed.

  32. @Tim

    Read my earlier post – QF should bring a criminal charge of theft if it believes that theft has occurred.

    But people herein have confused two different issues – the industrial relations angle and the possible criminal (theft) angle.

    The legal system determines the legal /criminal outcome! That’s its role: to determine criminality (whatever others herein have decided about the cabin crew member, thy are not entitled to make such a legal judgement).

    In the meantime, The Fair Work Commission has adjudicated the case within the scope of an industrial relations issue as a body independent to both the employer and employee, whilst taking into account relevant aspects of the case (which probably have not been reported and which we are not entitled to pass judgement without the full facts and legal cognisance).

    It is my understanding that QF would have the mechanism to appeal a ruling at its disposal.

    To note (as I posted earlier) the courts may not record a criminal conviction if mitigating circumstances are deemed to warrant such a position. The courts might even regard the public shaming exercise by The Australian newspaper, ironically, making a criminal conviction less likely in this case.

    Imagining leftist and union conspiracies are at large in this case is entirely misplaced/ill informed, etc.

  33. @Tim

    per my earlier post – IMHO where there is dirt on tRump it is the REPUBLICAN PRTY which will secure such and use it against him through impeachment (which they would have the ability to do with majority in both houses), in the event he fails to fall into line with more classical GOP policy positions…time will tell!

  34. Whatever you may say about Australia, it does seem they have an awful lot of free time. Who do we blame for that?

  35. Platy,

    don’t you think under the circumstances, Qantas has cut him a break, by just sacking him, and not reporting it as a crime, that wld most likely end in criminal charges, and a prosecution?

  36. @Tim

    Please consider:

    1) It is likely that QF would act solely in its own interests. I think that QF would have done what it felt was the best outcome for least risk / cost. Cutting the employee a break doesn’t come into it. If QF perceived that the employee could argue from a position of a 28 year unblemished HR record it may not leap to attempt a criminal prosecution.

    2) You are assuming QF could be assured of a successful prosecution.

    Please consider that petty theft offences do not necessarily lead to criminal convictions – as far as I can tell from online stats some 15-20% result in no conviction (“Section 10”), particularly for first offences.

    Ironically, we have the case of Senator Rod Culleton playing out – he pleaded guilty to the theft of keys from a tow truck driver and the magistrate did not record a conviction whilst noting he acted in a “foolish manner”.

    I can envisage a scenario where QF initiates a legal action, the employee pleads guilty and the magistrate / judge doesn’t record a conviction. Such an outcome may not have been helpful to QF.

    QF could take control of the situation by dismissing the employee (or adopting another disciplinary action) and bank on the assumption that the employee would not refer the situation to Fair Work Australia or if the employee did, the Commission would find in QF’s favour.

    2) It’s debatable whether QF has “let the employee off lightly”.

    Apart from the probability that there would be no conviction under Section 10, the value of the goods stolen would determine the penalty should a conviction be recorded.

    From what I can gather on a quick google search, for example, in QLD goods of $150 or less would accrue a penalty of 6 penalty units under the Regulatory Offences Act 1985: that equates to a fine of $731.40.

    Arguably, the more significant penalty would be having the criminal conviction against your name.

    3) When you consider the reality of point (2) – that theft of items under $150 is punishable by a such a small fine – it is unsurprising that the Fair Work Commission would find QF acted unfairly in sacking an employee of 28 years good record over the claimed theft of a few dollars worth of goods.

    That all said, I personally support strict ethical standards in the workplace!

  37. If you all knew the facts of the case and the lies told by the managers ,the other employee still flying that was caught with 15 chocolates on the same flight,two miniatures in your pocket on a 3 hour flight to save time running back and forth to the galley in the middle of a service knowing you have thirsty miners returning home is not procedure but not uncommon and can be forgotten,the beers were stolen,after Meal choice not met and thrown back at me,wrong choice of action,but managers said everything came out of my bag except one bottle of beer,falling to sleep at the wheel of car with 3 year old daughter in car,crossing the road up an embankment into a tree,righting off car is not something to joke about and does fuck with ones mind to this day,so ribbon and all you people that want to make judgement without knowing the facts and there are a lot more,I say get stuffed

  38. @Robbo

    “MMmm Paolo, that’s a good Aussie name…. part of the reason it is not my country anymore…… too many outsiders”

    Racist eh? Australia must rip open the tinnies to celebrate the day you went into self-imposed exile. What a bitter charcter you are. Try and get some help with your attitude, bitterness only ever eats into the host.

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