We have just read this article about a proposed demutualisating of the RACV – sister org to our RACT – in today’s [Wed 28 Oct 09] business section of The Australian
Surely there is more involved for the RACV’s members to consider in such a change of status than a “potential pot of gold from demutualisation [being] closer than they may think”?
Once the mutual benefits of the RACV’s current members is replaced by a profits-for-shareholders mentality, won’t there be an increased likelihood of some or all of these ensuing consequences:
(i) a ‘rationalisation’ of the more costly services in rural and remote areas;
(ii) ‘reforms’ to services involving overtime (especially under recently ‘modernised’ IR regulations);
(iii) a ‘harmonisation’ – ‘mutually beneficial’, of course – of the current arrangements between each State’s version of the RACV;
(iv) outsourcing of administration and service provision – to ‘reduce costs to you, our valued customers’, of course – , including importantly the first responders to 13 11 11, which will go overseas to places where our Australian accent isn’t all that common;
(v) ‘restructuring’ of any number of other benefits; and
(vi) an inevitable and very costly ‘re-branding’ and ‘education’ campaign, complete with tuneless jingles, Ms P Hilton and moronic slogans – how does “TasGo” or “VicFlow” sound?
And would anyone bet against a fee-for-service regime being introduced, with an annual ramping up of said fees?
Oh, and, as the quality of service plummets downward, the bonuses of directors will be soaring skyward.
Not to forget this “message from our sponsors” –
THIS SERVICE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR VALUED PARTNER BETFAIR / CUB / BMW GmbH / NEWS LTD / TEXACO / FEDERAL HOTELS / GUNNS.
Leonard Colquhoun and
Margaret Stuart Mackenzie
(former RACV and current RACT members)
