THE NEWS WRAP: Gaming industry prepares for pokies battle

There appears to be no end in sight to the industrial dispute between Qantas and unions, with warnings that the stand-off will impact Australia’s tourism industry.

Qantas said that it will ground five planes on Monday and cut 100 flights per week due to the disagreement with engineering staff over pay and conditions.

Tourism minister Martin Ferguson has warned that the government may intervene in the dispute, calling it “un-Australian.”

Gaming industry prepares for pokies battle

The gaming industry in NSW and Queensland has amassed a $40 million war chest to fight Labor’s proposed poker machine reforms, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Thousands of hotels and clubs are reportedly joining forces with big businesses to target key Labor MPs in Queensland, including treasurer Wayne Swan.

Australians critical of bad customer service

Australians are among the most outspoken complainers in the world when it comes to bad customer service, according to new research.

The latest American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, taken across 10 countries, shows that Australians tell 23 people about a bad customer service experience, while informing just 10 people about a favourable interaction with a business.

Only Italians and Indians complain about bad customer service more than Australians. 

Overnight

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 40.72 points, or 0.35%, to 11,478.13. The Australian dollar was up to 102.1 US cents.