The National Professional Body for Logistics Professionals
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Tuesday, 20 February, 2007

The official newsletter of the Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society.
http://www.lscms.org

UNSUBSCRIBE information at the bottom of this email.

- Seminars on SCM Concepts & Procurement & Sourcing Strategies
- First-ever class action lawsuit in Australia
- Society endorses 3rd Logistics Summit 2007 and 11th China CHEMlog and Transportation
- Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelors and Masters courses in Supply Chain Management

THE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SOCIETY WISH ALL OUR MEMBERS AND READERS A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS LUNAR NEW YEAR !

Seminars on SCM Concepts & Procurement & Sourcing Strategies

Logisticians will have the chance to attend 2 excellent seminars in Singapore or Malaysia in March 2007.

The first seminar on Procurement & Outsourcing Strategies will be conducted in Singapore and Malaysia by Mrs Stephanie McKern of the Australian Logistics Academy.

The second seminar on Supply Chain Management will be conducted in Singapore on March 24th & 25th. Attractive group and individual pricing for all programmes are available and for more information on dates and specific topics covered, please e-mail Edmund at elee@lscms.org or call Leonard at +65 6222 5280.

First-ever class action lawsuit in Australia

AUSTRALIA is in the midst of its first-ever class action lawsuit against seven airlines for allegedly price-fixing surcharges on international air cargo.

Qantas, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, JAL and British Airways were served with an A$200 million (US$155 million) lawsuit, a class action was filed January 11 with the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne by Maurice Blackburn Cashman solicitors, according to The Associated Press.

The AP report said that if found liable, each airline's payout would be based on individual market share.

Qantas commands 22 per cent of the Australian airfreight market, followed by Singapore Airlines with a 16 per cent share, Cathay Pacific with eight per cent, Air New Zealand with 6.5 per cent while British Airways and JAL have three per cent each. They collectively hold 60 per cent of the market.

The alleged price-fixing cartel whose illegal activities are said to date back to 2000, according to papers filed with the Federal Court. The alleged violations involve the imposition of fuel and security surcharges in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington. The seven airlines are further charged with implementing Iraq War-risk surcharges,
which led to higher insurance costs.

The AP report said the airlines are accused of inflating airfreight surcharges to the point that they did not accurately reflect actual costs, and were introduced in an agreement between the airlines to raise prices.

Kim Parker, principal of the law firm bringing the suit, said there could be thousands of plaintiffs, adding that businesses which paid more than A$20,000 on airfreight charges since 2000 were included in the case.

Society endorses 3rd China Logistics Summit 2007 and 11th China CHEMlog and Transportation

Recognising the pivotal importance of China in the regional and global Supply Chain environment. the Society will be participating or endorsing 2 leading Logistics event to be held in China in the first quarter of 2007.

Discounts are available to members of the Society and readers can find out more by logging on to our website at http://www.lscms.org.

Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelors and Masters courses in Supply Chain Management

Intakes are now open for full and part-time study in programmes offered by various collaborative partners of the Society. Various benefits and discounts are available and anyone interested in enrolling in any of the Internationally Recognised courses available are encouraged to contact Edmund at elee@lscms.org or +65.6222 5280