One way debate…
“Perhaps we should not upset the pollies too much” says the quiet voice of reason at the back of the room.
“Upset ‘em, bugger that, I’d like to run half of ‘em out of town, tarred and feathered” says a louder voice of fury, from much nearer the front. “Hear hear” chants the crowd in unison.
“But it don’t pay to get ‘em off side”
“Bollocks, we’ve played nice, provided information, talked and, done meetings, pulled our weight and been a polite as hell – sod that – it didn’t work, not for thirty bloody years – time to tell ‘em what think of their pathetic performances”. “Hear hear” chants the crowd in unison.
So much for the democratic system at work, Oz style.
Now, in some democratic countries, when a Senate inquiry is called things happen – when that Senate report and recommendations are issued – things happen and things change and things get done; if not why not? With trouble following – should the answers be unacceptable.
Not so in the Antipodes, nope. We call an inquiry, spend the national budget of a small nation on it, provide miles and miles of solid evidence that change is required, spend weeks considering that evidence, issue a whole pile of serious ‘recommendations’ for change, then down tools. “Then what” the children ask – Sweet sod all is the answer. The Senators are politely told to shove their ‘recommendations’ where the sun don’t shine, and they meekly oblige. Imagine running an aircraft operation like that – it don’t bear thinking about.
Mind you, the Senators ain’t quite as piss weak as the ministers. Take a long hard look at the last couple; or, even Chester for the short of memory. Theres a fellah who revelled in the title, the kudos and the power (not to mention the dollars) and the chance to become a nation’s leader (not to mention the dollars). Here’s an unqualified (no formal training as a minister) Muppet who takes the prestige, the power, the hand-outs, the huge salary, the pension, the travel allowance, the rent allowance and any other perk which may be wrung from the system but will do nothing to assist a failing industry within his portfolio. Don’t upset him? – I’d like to kick his sorry, shiny arse down the main street – and probably back again.
Aviation history shows better than any ‘report’ the state of the nations well being. It is always the first to suffer when a recession occurs and always last to get going when the crisis is over. It staggers back to its feet as the economy improves, desperately trying to put some money in the tin as a hedge against the next cycle. The industry does this despite the ever increasing cost, the ever increasing raft of pointless incomprehensible regulation and the real threat of a criminal record for the most trivial of ‘offences’ in the face of some of the most despicable ‘over-sight’ aberrations known – outside of a third world dictatorship.
Successive governments have not failed this industry; politicians have failed to master the ministry and have, happily, become willing accomplice’s to the current anathema. Useless ministers have become sycophantic catamites to the CASA; and the Senators get their bottoms smacked every time they meekly try to make sense of it all.
Not upset the poor Pollies? Why ever not? The beggars have bloody well upset me.
Toot toot.
Full steam Skipper? – Not yet; but soon. Half steam will do for now – I do miss our dearly departed Gobbledock; he always kept the boilers at just the right temperature, ready to rock ‘n roll. Aye well – Godspeed and tailwinds mate.
“Perhaps we should not upset the pollies too much” says the quiet voice of reason at the back of the room.
“Upset ‘em, bugger that, I’d like to run half of ‘em out of town, tarred and feathered” says a louder voice of fury, from much nearer the front. “Hear hear” chants the crowd in unison.
“But it don’t pay to get ‘em off side”
“Bollocks, we’ve played nice, provided information, talked and, done meetings, pulled our weight and been a polite as hell – sod that – it didn’t work, not for thirty bloody years – time to tell ‘em what think of their pathetic performances”. “Hear hear” chants the crowd in unison.
So much for the democratic system at work, Oz style.
Now, in some democratic countries, when a Senate inquiry is called things happen – when that Senate report and recommendations are issued – things happen and things change and things get done; if not why not? With trouble following – should the answers be unacceptable.
Not so in the Antipodes, nope. We call an inquiry, spend the national budget of a small nation on it, provide miles and miles of solid evidence that change is required, spend weeks considering that evidence, issue a whole pile of serious ‘recommendations’ for change, then down tools. “Then what” the children ask – Sweet sod all is the answer. The Senators are politely told to shove their ‘recommendations’ where the sun don’t shine, and they meekly oblige. Imagine running an aircraft operation like that – it don’t bear thinking about.
Mind you, the Senators ain’t quite as piss weak as the ministers. Take a long hard look at the last couple; or, even Chester for the short of memory. Theres a fellah who revelled in the title, the kudos and the power (not to mention the dollars) and the chance to become a nation’s leader (not to mention the dollars). Here’s an unqualified (no formal training as a minister) Muppet who takes the prestige, the power, the hand-outs, the huge salary, the pension, the travel allowance, the rent allowance and any other perk which may be wrung from the system but will do nothing to assist a failing industry within his portfolio. Don’t upset him? – I’d like to kick his sorry, shiny arse down the main street – and probably back again.
Aviation history shows better than any ‘report’ the state of the nations well being. It is always the first to suffer when a recession occurs and always last to get going when the crisis is over. It staggers back to its feet as the economy improves, desperately trying to put some money in the tin as a hedge against the next cycle. The industry does this despite the ever increasing cost, the ever increasing raft of pointless incomprehensible regulation and the real threat of a criminal record for the most trivial of ‘offences’ in the face of some of the most despicable ‘over-sight’ aberrations known – outside of a third world dictatorship.
Successive governments have not failed this industry; politicians have failed to master the ministry and have, happily, become willing accomplice’s to the current anathema. Useless ministers have become sycophantic catamites to the CASA; and the Senators get their bottoms smacked every time they meekly try to make sense of it all.
Not upset the poor Pollies? Why ever not? The beggars have bloody well upset me.
Toot toot.
Full steam Skipper? – Not yet; but soon. Half steam will do for now – I do miss our dearly departed Gobbledock; he always kept the boilers at just the right temperature, ready to rock ‘n roll. Aye well – Godspeed and tailwinds mate.