[Gobbledock]

ROD SIMS JOINS ELAINE JOYCE IN CLOUD CUCKOO LAND PART 2

So, a friend told me today how each financial year when airport fees and charges are decided and Qantas agree to those prices, they demand to be given 90 days notice of the changes. Which means for at least 3 months of the new financial year they only pay the old price, not the new one. It’s not written into any contracts or anything like that, it’s just a demand they make. They trot out bullshit such as ‘we have to apply the extra cost to airfares and the computers and reservations system needs to have updated software’ blah blah blah and other crap excuses like that. Yet miraculously when for example, VA stopped operating to Moranbah Qantas jacked up the fares by around 40% in one week!!! Amazing that.

So where is the ACCC focus and interest in scams such as that? The airlines are gouging the bush so they can earn hundreds of millions per year. It’s bullshit.

Rod’less Sims and Elaine Joyce both live in cloud cuckoo land. Fu#kwits

Tick ‘cuckoo cuckoo’ tock

[Gobbledock]

Minister Michael Rougarou McCormack.....aviation? What aviation?

There must be an election coming up. The ‘Miniscule for swamp dwelling and trough gorging’ has had his spin doctors release a plethora of pithy media releases, almost on a daily basis of late. The releases relate mainly to the odd shitty bridge here, a road there, here some piffle, there some waffle and lots of lots of folly. But where art thou Aviation announcements? Where are the policy announcements relating to some aviation reform, a change to the Act, an overhaul of CAsA, less regulatory burden upon aviation businesses?? Where where where? I will tell you where - up his ass! Nothing. This muppet has the ability to stand still like a cardboard cutout with a vacant stare on his face like a deer in the headlights. Useless dross.

This close to an election and nothing for aviation - well I say fuck him off. Vote with your feet boys and send this muppet back to doing reports for the local newspaper in his electorate. Send him back to the politician swamp where they all lurk beneath the dross, watching, waiting and seeking to devour another taxpayer treat.

Miniscule Rougarou;
“The rougarou (alternatively spelled as roux-ga-roux, rugaroo, or rugaru) is a legendary creature in Laurentian French communities linked to European notions of the werewolf. It prowls swamps looking for victims.”

TICK TOCK

[P7_TOM]

IMO.

I’m not what may be considered a ‘political’ animal; in fact the Canberra carrying's on are resolutely, for the most part – ignored. However – if the current government was a rugby team I supported, I’d be despairing.

The amount of free kicks this vacuous, ovine pretender to ministerial power is offering the opposition is disgraceful. I write of ‘matters aeronautical’ of course. The proposed, Senate led, inquiry into aviation is being orchestrated and managed by non other than the government's opposition. Aided and abetted by a truly bi-partisan committee which has endured the endless obfuscation, the unbelievable clap-trap and slightly disingenuous answers to their honest concerns. It is, by the by, a committee which has had it’s findings, disrespectfully treated, with gross contempt. I refer to the 30 odd Pel-Air recommendations, combined with the 30 odd Pel-Air  Forsyth report recommendations which were, arbitrarily, dismissed and ‘opinion’.

I hope Glenn Sterle gets his inquiry up and running; it is time for the ‘powerful’ Senate to exert it’s serious authority on those who should be serving the country, not themselves and being a law unto themselves.

Should the committee decide to open the scale and import of this inquiry to public submissions – over the entire gamut of ‘wrong’; then it is a thing of beauty and, hopefully, a joy for ever. They (the committee) must be as sickened, as we all are. The cost to the country, the damage inflicted on an industry, etc.  Time to take the gloves off Senators; methinks.

It is also my round – no less than 6 empty glasses sit on the bar. “ Same again please”.

[Peetwo]

Barmybaby to make a comeback before Xmas??  

Seems like the Nats are starting to wise up to the fact that the DPM and miniscule 8G McDo'Naught might be a nice guy but is totally useless and has NFI what he is doing...

Via the Oz:

Barnaby Joyce ‘open’ to comeback as leader of National Party, if he’s drafted

Barnaby Joyce during Question Time today. On return to leadership speculation he said “if anything was offered to me, I would take it”. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

• JOE KELLY
  POLITICAL REPORTER
  @joekellyoz
  

Barnaby Joyce is open to being drafted by Nationals MPs for a return to the Deputy Prime Ministership ahead of the next election, but has denied making calls to any of his colleagues asking for their votes.

The renewed focus on a comeback from Mr Joyce comes as the Nationals face internal turmoil, disagreement over policy and growing concern the party must compete more strongly with the Liberals to upholds its key interests.

Some Nationals MPs have also defied the appeal from Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack not to background journalists, telling The Australian today they believed Mr Joyce had the support of many of his colleagues to return to the Nationals leadership.

The growing tensions within the Nationals follow claims from 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley this morning that Mr McCormack had backgrounded journalists against Mr Joyce in the political crisis that forced Mr Joyce to stand down in February.

Mr Joyce told The Australian today: “I have never called one colleague to ask for their vote, not one. My focus is making sure I look after people in New England”.

“I am focused on the National Party getting the best possible result at the next election and as many of our colleagues retaining their seats — which is what we did last time — and also picking one up on the way”.

However, Mr Joyce also indicated that if he was offered the leadership then he would take the position. Speaking on Sky News, he said: “I’ve always said that, if anything was offered to me, I would take it”.

“It is faux modesty to say, if you are offered a job you will turn it down. That is garbage”.
Mr Joyce also expressed concern on moving the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, especially in relation to trade.

“We’ve got to be careful. In Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan; there’s lots of sensitivity here. We have to take them on this journey with us.”


[/url]

Sky News Australia

✔@SkyNewsAust




.@Barnaby_Joyce on moving the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: We've got to be careful. Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan; there's lots of sensitivity here. We have to take them on this journey with us.

MORE: https://bit.ly/2EqfeM5  #Speers
4:45 PM - Oct 17, 2018

Some of Mr Joyce’s colleagues told The Australian today: “I know Barnaby does harbour aspirations to return before the election. Whether he wants to pursue that or wants to be drafted is another question”.

“If Barnaby wanted to come back and he bid for the leadership, I’d probably vote for Barnaby”.

Another Nationals MP agreed the leadership issue could be revisited before the next election, saying: “There are strong arguments from within to look at this sooner”.

The MP warned of a “leadership void” and questioned the ability of Mr McCormack to stand up for the party’s interests.

Earlier today, Nationals frontbencher Darren Chester dismissed speculation that Mr Joyce was positioning to regain the deputy prime ministership.

Mr Chester labelled the claims as “rubbish” and declared Mr McCormack had the full support of the Nationals’ partyroom.

“Parliament House is a nest of rumours and innuendo, it runs through the building and everyone gets excited, but I am sitting here telling you it is rubbish,” Mr Chester told Sky News.

Mr Chester said Mr McCormack had the values that regional people want to see in a leader.
“He has got a family, he lives in Wagga Wagga, he was brought up there, he had a small business there, he is a passionate fella for regional NSW, in fact all of regional Australia,” Mr Chester said.

“He is a personal friend of mine and I back him 100 per cent and I think he has strong support across our partyroom.”

Mr McCormack told The Australian in response to the comments made by Mr Joyce that he would continue to work with the former party leader, saying the Nationals were a “fantastic grassroots party focused on issues that matter to country people”.

However, he said that regional communities expected the Nationals to provide stable leadership which understood their “specific needs” and “unique differences” -- arguing his leadership was delivering this.

“All of us are working to deliver for country communities, to back small business and to back farmers, which is where Barnaby is playing an important role as drought envoy,” he said.

“I will continue to work with Barnaby and all my colleagues to stick up for regional Australia and for country people”.

“Regional Australians want secure and stable leadership which listens to their specific needs, understands their unique differences and delivers for them -- that’s what The Nationals stand for.

“And that’s what my leadership is providing”.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, who was a leadership contender following Mr Joyce’s decision to step down earlier this year, told The Australian: “There’s no chance of a leadership contest. Even if there was, I am not interested in any position”.

Nationals frontbencher Darren Chester told The Australian there was no push against Mr McCormack and that Mr Joyce did not have the numbers.

“The Press Gallery is being played like a poorly tuned banjo. There is no challenge and Michael has the support of the National Party room,” Mr Chester said.

“If anyone has a problem they should raise it in the party room in the normal course of business. And no-one has raised a problem in the last seven months. It’s horse shit”.

Via News.com.au:

Unthinkable twist looms in Barnaby Joyce saga
BARNABY Joyce’s career could take an unthinkable twist in the wake of his scandalous affair with former staffer Vikki Campion.

Sam Clench @SamClench
[img=0x0]https://i1.wp.com/pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/4d1a34c164aabffe89ceaee74bb108ec?t_product=tcog&t_template=s3/ncatemp/authorBlock@2.0.0[/img]news.com.au OCTOBER 15, 2018 11:49AM



Barnaby Joyce. Pic: Gary RamageSource:News Corp Australia

BARNABY Joyce could complete an unthinkable political turnaround and return to the leadership of the National Party, despite the scandal-ridden past that now plagues him.

Yesterday the Sunday Telegraph reported the Nationals’ party room had “completely blown up” and none of its 22 members could confidently rule out the possibility of Mr Joyce calling for a spill this year.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast this morning, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud stressed his party was satisfied with the performance of Michael McCormack, who replaced Mr Joyce as leader after his affair with former staffer Vikki Campion was revealed to the public.

“We are pretty happy. Things are back on track and people expect us to focus on them and not on us,” Mr Littleproud said.

But he also fuelled the sudden surge of speculation about Mr Joyce’s ambitions.


Never say never. Pic: Kym SmithSource:News Corp Australia

“Never say never in politics. The reality is it’s a fluid place, Canberra. Anything can happen in the future and Barnaby has a lot more to offer in regional and rural Australia,” he said.

“He hasn’t broken any law. That’s the reality. I’m not supporting his lifestyle choices but he’s his own person and he’s got the right to privacy.”

One of the reasons Mr McCormack was chosen to succeed Mr Joyce in the leadership — his “nice guy” image — is now hurting him among colleagues who feel he lacks traction.

Mr Joyce has also been a strong fundraiser for the party in the past, a consideration which will become ever more important as the election approaches and MPs focus on defending their seats.
[size=undefined]
“Of course Barnaby Joyce, as the old saying goes, still has a field marshal’s baton in his knapsack. Of course he does,” former Queensland premier Campbell Newman told Sky News last night.

“As to whether he would ever come back after that position, well, I think a few other things have to go down before then. And surely he would see that it’s not going to help the PM or the Coalition in an election lead-up for next year to have any sort of further instability on the Nats’ side of the House.”
[/size]

[url=https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust]Sky News Australia

✔@SkyNewsAust

.@CampbellNewman on the possibility of Barnaby Joyce calling a National Party spill:

He still has a field marshal’s baton in his knapsack. But surely he would see it wouldn’t help the PM or the Coalition to have any further instability.

MORE: https://bit.ly/2BuFqi1  #PMLive
10:50 PM - Oct 14, 2018

[size=undefined]
Mr Joyce himself has been up front about his willingness to take on a leadership role again.

“You take the punches on the chin and move on, and I’m doing that. I’m going to make sure that the great honour I have of representing the people of New England, I’ll keep doing it to the very best of my ability,” he said a week ago.

He said he was “not touting” for the leadership but would do any job offered to him by his colleagues.

“Any job that my nation offers me, I’ll take it and run with it and go as hard as I possibly can, because that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Mr Joyce said.

“If responsibility is offered to you, you accept it. It's faux modesty to say, ‘Oh no, I’ll put that aside, because I want to live a quiet life.’ You go as hard as you can and when you’re sick of going as hard as you can, you get out.”

Mr Joyce is currently serving the government as a special envoy for drought assistance — a position Labor labelled “a joke” and a “slap in the face” for farmers.

He has also been outspoken on energy policy. Today, he told The Australian the government should “prioritise coal-fired power stations” instead of sinking money into the Snowy 2.0 hydro scheme.

“It is a net energy user, it doesn’t create energy,” he said of the hydro-electric proposal. “You can’t increase supply by reducing supply, and this means you need baseload power.”

His political career took an abrupt nosedive thanks to his relationship with Ms Campion, which was exposed earlier this year. The couple have since welcomed a son together, named Sebastian.

Breaking her silence about the saga during an interview with Channel 7’s Sunday Night in June, Ms Campion said “conservatives” in the National Party had pressured her to terminate the pregnancy.

“They came to me and they said ‘You’re pregnant and you have to get an abortion’. And they said, ‘If you don’t, they’re gonna come after you’,” she said.

“And I said, ‘it’s too late, it has a heartbeat.’ And they said, ‘If you don’t, they’re gonna come after you.’’’

Mr Joyce refused to name those who had targeted Ms Campion, but said they were “absolute scum of the earth”.[/size]

Hmm...no comment - 

MTF...P2 

[P7_TOM]

In the third drawer? A mystery.

It is time for (dare I say it) ‘leadership’. Australia became a great place because of ‘good men and true’ who wanted nothing more- or less – than this nation flourish. The simple truth is that it is not. So tangled up in the ‘stay in power’ at any cost race, our nation's leaders seem to have forgotten, what this land is all about – the people who live here; not their ‘newspoll’ rating. Right or Wrong? Does it matter when people are homeless and those who would work; cannot because to get a laboring job, on a building site is more trouble than it’s worth. Hell's teeth; when I first came of age, I could – if it suited me; have three jobs and still study.
 
Time to make Australia, once again, the best country ever. Leaders not milksops and wannbe popular journalists who believe that departmental advice is the road to re-election Nirvana. IT AIN’T…….
 
“If Barnaby wanted to come back and he bid for the leadership, I’d probably vote for Barnaby”.
 
 “He hasn’t broken any law. That’s the reality. I’m not supporting his lifestyle choices but he’s his own person and he’s got the right to privacy.”
 
One of the reasons Mr McCormack was chosen to succeed Mr Joyce in the leadership — his “nice guy” image — is now hurting him among colleagues who feel he lacks traction.
 
Mr Joyce refused to name those who had targeted Ms Campion, but said they were “absolute scum of the earth”
 
A vote for Barnaby is a vote for the Australia we all want it to be.

[Gobbledock]

THE PEELED BEETROOT TO MAKE THE NATIONALS AND AVIATION GREAT AGAIN?

Anything is possible. But do we want him back in the DPM role? Certainly the dopey Chester and the cardboard cutout McDo’nothing were much worse than Beetroot Head, but let’s be honest, they are all in it for themselves and are full of shit. Speaking of being full of shit;

Mr Joyce told The Australian today: “I have never called one colleague to ask for their vote, not one. My focus is making sure I look after people in New England”.

Ha ha ha. A politician focusing on his constituents? HA HA HA HA. Faaaark off mate. You are in it for the money and for getting your todger chewed off.

[Peetwo]

And a comment from Albo - 

Anthony Albanese‏
@AlboMP


They come and they go but I'm still here... 

Now for this week's CAPTION COMP - 

Meanwhile our DPM and miniscule 8G McDo'Naught finally works out how to view his twitter account on his mobile phone...



MTF...P2 

[Gobbledock]

I thought the Cardboard cutout, McDo’naught may have been doing the following;
- Reading a Steve Creepy article in which the Miniscule is lauded, honoured and praised.
- Reading Auntypru and reviewing a true and concisely documented assessment of his capabilities and his skills.
- Reading The Mandarin and laughing at how all these other politicians, bureaucrats and snake oil salesmen are complete fucktards, but not him.
- Looking up a Can’tberra men’s salon to arrange the next cut of his luscious silver locks and to have a manicure and pedicure.
- Looking at the same websites that Christopher Pyne accesses on those lonely nights in Can’tberra during parliament sitting days.
- Nervously looking at websites that depict how the real world lives and what real people do for a living and how real people have real problems in life.
- Reading about Barn’boy and Crampion in the online New Idea.

‘Safe internet browsing for all’

[Peetwo]

Dear Miniscule 8G McDo'Naught - L&Ks AGAA (the real voice of General Aviation)

Via BM AOPA CEO :

CASA ‘Stakeholder’ 2018 Report - AOPA Australia calls for report’s immediate withdrawal and for CASA to conduct a genuine ‘like for like’ survey.

Tuesday, 30th October 2018
Mr Michael McCormack MP
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
PO Box 6022, House of Representatives 
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600, Australia
Mr Shane Carmody
Director of Aviation Safety, CASA
GPO BOX 2005
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
Mr Rob Walker
Group Manager Stakeholder Engagement
GPO BOX 2005
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

Deputy Prime Minister,

Further to the release of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Stakeholder Satisfaction Research Report 2018 prepared by Colmar Brunton between 18th April 2018 and 12th June 2018 and statements made by the CASA Director of Aviation Safety in the Friday 26th October 2018 CASA electronic newsletter.

CASA Director of Aviation Safety, Mr Shane Carmody in his newsletter states;

“We have just released the results of our second survey to evaluate the health of CASA’s relationship with the aviation community... I am pleased to advise that our aviation community satisfaction with the performance of CASA has risen markedly since the 2015 survey... This is the result of a lot of hard work right across our organisation, led by a clear focus from management on getting results that benefit everyone in aviation… The survey, conducted by research organisation Colmar Brunton, canvassed the views of more than 1100 aviation industry participants… Clearly this survey shows CASA has come a long way in a relatively short time…”

With respect to the Stakeholder Satisfaction Research 2018 report, Page 7 Section 1.1 the introduction states;

“…the stakeholder survey followed the Aviation Safety Review (2014), which identified a need for CASA to improve its service delivery and its relationship with industry stakeholders… The 2018 research was required to: Explore current stakeholder perceptions with regard to CASA’s service provision and relationship with industry, and measure changes in perceptions since the 2015 benchmark; and Provide guidance on how CASA could continue to improve both service delivery and its relationship with industry stakeholders…”

On Page 15, Section 2.1 the report’s background information states;

“…the Government response to the (ASRR 2014) Review accepted that the majority of recommendations made by the Review, including those recommending that CASA;
- Identify and understand industry priorities, concerns and perceptions;
- Undertake regular anonymous stakeholder surveys to monitor these factors;
- Change the underpinning regulatory philosophy to move from an adversarial relationship to a collaborative relationship with industry; and
- Build and demonstrate a philosophy of a just culture”.

CASA’s continued failure to genuinely consult with the general aviation industry

With the above references in mind, on page 17, Section 3.1.2 the report acknowledges that it did not consult with AOPA Australia, SAAA, GFA, AMROBA or any other partner to the Australian General Aviation Alliance. 

In total, some 16 key general aviation industry associations which have been highly critical of CASA’s decision making over the past five years were excluded from the survey in 2018. These associations represent the vast majority of the general aviation aircraft owner, pilot and business community, collectively representing the interests of some 15,000 participants.

Associations that CASA did survey were; Qantas, Virgin, AAA, RAPAC, TAAAF, RAAus, RAAA and the AAAA. All of those surveyed are members of the CASA Aviation Safety Advisory Panel, of which none directly represent the interests or views of the vast majority of general aviation community. Furthermore, the RAAus, RAAA and AAAA are all members of the TAAAF.

Throughout 2016, 17 and 18, the AOPA Australia has continued to call on CASA, to ensure that the general aviation community are fairly and genuinely represented, seeking the right to be included in CASA’s industry consultation frameworks. Yet despite our determined efforts, CASA has continued to exclude AOPA Australia and our AGAA partners, thus denying our community the ability to provide a meaningful and consultative contribution.

CASA’s continued refusals (since 2016) to permit our involvement can only be seen as promoting and fostering an adversarial relationship that has served to silence considered, valuable and constructive criticisms that would afford you our Minister an understanding of the challenges facing our industry. CASA is not demonstrating an open willingness to engage, but rather appears to be seeking cheerleaders in support of its agenda – whatever that may be.

The 2018 report on page 24, Section 4.1 openly identifies the above issue and reinforces our concerns that CASA is seeking only to engage with associations/peak-bodies where they can rely on ‘positive and supportive’ responses;

“Targeted stakeholders (associations/peak-bodies) participating in the study were typically more positive in their attitudes towards CASA overall… Whereas previously targeted stakeholders had raised issues… finding CASA senior management to be either unresponsive or unwilling to engage on topics of concern…”

Furthermore, on Page 24, Section 4.2 the report goes on to state that;

“General industry stakeholders (industry participants, not associations/peak-bodies) were commonly less positive in their assessment of the relationship between industry and CASA…”

The above statement reinforces our argument that CASA’s approach to hand-select ‘Targeted Stakeholders’ has been an abuse of process and has rendered the outcomes and findings of the report as unreliable.

Problems with the 2018 report that make it entirely unreliable

Page 18, Section 3.1.3 of the report states that;

“…the quantitative questionnaire was largely the same as that used in 2015 in order to allow for comparisons to be made to the 2015 benchmark study… the aim of the quantitative survey was to explore the indicators of relationship health with all CASA stakeholders…. While the questionnaire was largely unchanged, the sampling approach did change… from a self-select opt in… to a random sampling approach…”

Page 18, Section 3.2.7 of the report states that;

“In 2015… the survey was emailed only to those who had opted in to research & stakeholder consultation processes, while all other stakeholders were offered the opportunity to undertake the survey via a generic link published across a range of CASA’s communications channels… Due to the change in sampling approach… (for 2018) Colmar Brunton has not undertaken significance testing between 2015 and 2018 survey results. Instead commentary has been included which discusses the observed changes in stakeholder perceptions.”

It is somewhat concerning that CASA has refused the opportunity to re-survey the original 2015 benchmark report participants. This refusal has rendered the 2015 to 2018 comparisons in the report as unreliable, as they do not provide a genuine ‘like for like’ measurement.

The report clearly identifies that Colmar Brunton had no involvement in the selection of survey respondents and relied on CASA to inform as to who should be contacted for the 2018 report. The report identifies that CASA undertook the ‘random selection’ of the survey participants and fails to identify or quantify how CASA determined the contacts to be random in their selection, nor does it identify who in CASA made this decision.

Without question, the report cannot be viewed as independent and clearly demonstrates a strong bias towards presenting a positive view of the regulator and its purported progress since 2015.

Summary and Recommendation

The AOPA Australia highlights that;
1. CASA sought to exclude the general aviation industry’s associations/peak-bodies which are on the public record as constructively criticising the regulators decision making and performance;
2. CASA is promoting and fostering an adversarial relationship between the regulator and industry by refusing to permit fair and equitable involvement in the available consultative frameworks;
3. CASA refused to re-survey the original benchmark 2015 participants who criticized the regulators decision making and performance, rendering a like for like (2015 to 2018) comparison as impossible;
4. CASA by way of the report’s admissions hand-selected the survey participants, explicitly providing Colmar Brunton with the list of ‘who to survey’, demonstrating that the participant selection process was not independent, creating an environment to achieve survey result bias; and that
5. CASA rejected broad voluntary survey participation by not allowing individual industry representatives who are actively seeking to provide comment/feedback with public access mechanism to participate in the survey.

For the CASA Stakeholder Satisfaction Research 2018 report to be of any value to yourself or Government, the survey must be conducted in an open and transparent manner, enabling participation by any industry participant that relies on CASA for access and involvement in our aviation industry.

In view of the above, the AOPA Australia is calling on you as our Minister to immediately withdraw the 2018 report and to require that CASA and Colmar Brunton re-survey the benchmark 2015 respondents in the same methodology as was conducted in that year, along with permitting all of the industry association/peak-bodies and individual representatives to participate without restriction.

Furthermore, we are seeking your assistance in requiring CASA to include AOPA Australia and our AGAA partners in the CASA ASAP panel, along with all the various Technical Working Groups to ensure that our general aviation community is afforded fair and equitable representation in all consultative frameworks available within CASA.

Thank you for your time and our association awaits your response.

Yours Sincerely,

BENJAMIN MORGAN
Executive Director
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia 
Hangar 600, Prentice Street, Bankstown Airport NSW 2200 Australia. PO BOX 26, Georges Hall NSW 2198 Australia.

View all AOPA Australia letters to the Minister:
https://aopa.com.au/categ…/advocacy/letters-to-the-minister/
View all AOPA Australia letters to CASA:
https://aopa.com.au/category/advocacy/letters-to-casa/

MTF...P2 

[thorn bird]

CAsA hand picked respondents????

Good grief, one could be forgiven to suspect that a lot of them were
either CAsA employees or those in industry CAsA has
"leverage" with, or more likely a veiled threat of the consequences of
dissent.

What's the old bureaucratic mantra, "never hold an enquiry unless you know the result"

[Peetwo]

Real world vs Fort Fumble fantasy land: cont/-

---

---

Some additional commentary off AOPA Oz FB page...  

Steve Fenech More of CASA's self perpetuating bullshit!.. Line your friends up, survey them (special medical arrangements for RAAus for example), and reward them for saying nice things about you. Seems like a perfectly biased survey to me but then what did we really expect from that lot of navel gazing wankers. About the only thing that has improved in the GA world is the size of the screw up CASA are creating and fostering with their protected mates!

Jeremy Watson I don't remember receiving a survey. If there had been I would have let loose.

Ric Wilson Federal Royal Commission urgently needed into the Australian Aviation situation - All aspects.

Rob Lawrie Sounds a bit like the smoke they were blowing up themselves a few months ago about another self reported audit on their performance, interestingly North Korea managed to provide a presumably equally accurate and totally honest self report and achieved the same score as CASA for Organisation and Legislation mmmmm...... They really do think we’re that stupid.

 
Continuing with the Mythical Reform theme of Real world vs Fort Fumble fantasy land (ref: http://www.auntypru.com/forum/thread-53-...ml#pid9460 ) - off twitter Dr K from Ireland tweeted this to my attention... 

Dr K I Kourousis
@K_Kourousis
Rationalisation of GA regs: One of the VERY good reasons for non-EU countries to harmonise or get under the oversight of ⁦@EASA⁩ (now available under the new basic regulation). My view: No point for Australia to keep working on matters solved by EASA ⁦@PAIN_NET1⁩

Watch the full EASA presentation and weep...

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Ask not what the industry can do for you - 


And so; down the rabbit hole. http://auntypru.com/and-so-down-the-rabbit-hole/

How KC and the AMROBA band must wring their hands in frustration when they view such progressive EASA policy and work-shopping (above) on how best to promote the GA industry inside of the European Union...

However one thing about KC is despite having the historical knowledge on how it is our GA industry is in such dire straits, he also maintains a pure vision on how these mainly Government  and CASA generated embuggerances can be arrested and turned around...  

Example from AMROBA's latest newsletter...  

1. An Industry in Permanent Transition?

It is of great credit to the participants of ‘general aviation’ that safety levels have been sustained during continual transition to an unknown future not yet defined by governments, or the public service, that are still debating what is “general aviation”. Since the 1992 Productivity Commission’s Intrastate Aviation paper, aviation, in particular general aviation, has been in transition. But, Transition to what!!!!

Aviation, especially general aviation, has been unsympathetically treated by governments for decades and some changes that have been imposed on aviation was not based on survival or growth of the VH general aviation industry. You only have to look at how the public service interprets recommendations from multiple reports that have been created over the last 30 years to understands the outcome we have today.

None of the reports generated by Federal & State parliaments supported a blueprint that describes where and how general aviation participates and grows in the future. The political answers were, and are, “competition” and “direct cost recovery” from participants.

Like roads, airports are a means of transport servicing communities commercially and privately. Without airports, communities tend to wither and stagnate.

The significance of “AVIATION” was officially removed from the Federal Portfolio Department’s title in 1987 when Departments of Transport, Aviation and Communications amalgamated to form the Department of Transport and Communications.

Creating an Agency (CAA) in 1988 moved aviation outside political influence but this also meant a loss of a previous political supported general aviation industry; design, manufacturing, maintenance, private and commercial operators.

The August 1990 Federal Budget announced that the $73 million contributed towards safety regulation would be phased out in favour of the costs being met by the aviation industry.

A list of the changes (ref: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/...c284925919 ) over the last 20 years demonstrates the instability of governance.

No industry can grow when there is so much change in governance and administrative directions – all affect the capability of small and private businesses and individuals.

What are the benefits to the community and the small private and commercial industry?

It is hard to imagine the future when there is no vision promulgated and politically supported.

The biggest single problem with the government’s guide to better regulation is that the Regulatory Impact Statement is based on there being a government policy.

If there is no policy for a future safe and viable general aviation industry, then all the RIS is creating is an undocumented policy problem to be changed.

The Government’s guide to better regulations provides what was once an approach taken by the Authority and before the decision to include European provisions.

“Light touch regulation is defined as: As a policy maker, you can choose to be less prescriptive and give discretion to regulated parties on how they can act. Principles–based regulation allows maximum flexibility among affected groups as to how they achieve compliance.”

When politicians eventually support a future for general aviation private and business aviation, including design, manufacturing and education, then making regulatory changes to reduce regulation and red tape to support that vision would make sense.

Also from the newsletter: https://amroba.org.au/wp-content/uploads...sue-10.pdf

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All makes perfectly good sense to me, trouble is we have a miniscule seemingly hell bent on ignoring the pleas from the AGAA and the aviation IOS in preference for an aviation safety bureaucracy that has spent the better part of 3 decades and 500 million dollars on a still incomplete regulatory reform program - FDS!   

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 In reference to the ASAP (pic above) I note a passing strange coincidence that last week in Friday's 'the Oz', the CEO of the RFDS and Chairman of the ASAP,  Martin Laverty featured in an Ironsider article labelled - Timely tweak for aviation safety law??

New aviation safety regulations will be required by law to consider the cost to operators, under new legislation to be drafted by the Deputy Prime Minister’s General Aviation Advisory Group.

Chairman Martin Laverty from the Royal Flying Doctor Service said a meeting of the group yesterday won the commitment that there should be an awareness that any regulatory changes came with a cost that ultimately affected operators.

“The decision of the Deputy Prime Minister (Michael McCormack) to ask the advisory group for direction as to how this should be legislated is responsive to the industry’s concerns,” Dr Laverty said.

“Legislation will continue to have safety as the first and foremost obligation, but there will now be a requirement on the regulator for that to be applied in a pragmatic, practical and proportionate way.”

Other commitments given by Mr McCormack related to work pressures in the aviation workforce, and would deliver improvements to student con­cessions available through the vocational education and training sector.

Dr Laverty said it was widely recognised that the cost of obtaining a pilot’s licence was “a specific barrier to entry to the profession at the same time as it was experiencing a shortage”.

“This is particularly impacting general aviation and the flying doctors, so any concessions are going to be a great help,” he said.

“Emphasis is to be placed on the attraction and recruitment of females into both these pilot and maintenance roles. We think there’s a great opportunity to ­expand the profession as an ­attractive career choice.”

It was the intention to go back to government before Christmas with the group’s position on amendments to aviation safety legislation followed by broader consultation, Dr Laverty said.

“ Those words that I’ve chosen —pragmatic, practical and proportionate — were the sentiment of today’s discussion and we will now be formalising that up,” he said. “We’d anticipate that amendment should be made early next year as a possibility.”

   
"..Those words that I’ve chosen — pragmatic, practical and proportionate.." - Q/ Why is it being left up to the ASAP Chair to make the decision to adopt those key words? And why has there been NO consideration by the ASAP (or by the Govt) to adopt the guiding principles promolgated in the AGAA Wagga aviation summit resolutions? Surely if there is contemplation of a legislative solution to the nearly three decade CASA red tape embuggerance of industry, then the AGAA resolutions and suggestions for amending the Act deserve ASAP (& by default Govt) review - ANYONE??  

MTF...P2         

[Peetwo]

Dick Smith and three billboards outside Wagga - 

From Ironsider, via the Oz: https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&sourc...x=3&uact=3

Three billboards outside Wagga Wagga target McCormack

The Australian

ROBYN IRONSIDE

Forget Ebbing, Missouri.

Dick Smith’s latest mission is three billboards outside Wagga Wagga, NSW.

Inspired by Academy Award-winning film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the veteran airman will shell out for the billboards to turn up the heat on Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack over civil aviation safety legislation.

Mr Smith wants the current review of legislation to recognise the need for high safety standards must be balanced with the cost of delivery, and be of benefit to civil aviation. Instead, he said, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Mr McCormack, was insisting on the laws retaining the phrase that “CASA must regard the safety of air navigation as the most important consideration”.

“Those words are a lie,” Mr Smith said. “Take, for example, the control tower at Wagga Airport. If safety was the most important consideration, it would be staffed, and there would be a fire service stationed at the airport.”

He said the “non-negotiable” wording of the legislation was also being applied inconsistently. “When it comes to general aviation, we’re told you must do this no matter what the cost because it’s a matter of safety. That changes when it is the large airlines who don’t want to foot the bill for an ATC tower to be staffed.”

The billboards will have Mr McCormack’s image with “Stop the lie, update the act, otherwise ­Australian aviation is doomed”.

Mr Smith said they would be put up on the road to Wagga Wagga Airport and remain in place for three months in the lead-up to the federal election. He was unmoved by a commitment secured by Mr McCormack’s aviation advisory group that cost would have to be considered when devising safety regulations.

A spokesman for Mr McCormack declined to say whether he would seek to block the billboards being displayed. Mr McCormack has said he was committed to working “on a safe, sustainable general aviation sector”.

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Ref: http://auntypru.com/midweek-on-the-ap-fo...mber-2018/

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Sterlo's invitation to DPM McDo'Naught -   

Via the Senate RRAT committee & Youtube: 

GOLD Sterlo, pure GOLD!    Do you get the feeling that transport safety matters maybe about to get political??  


MTF...P2  

[P7_TOM]

Aw, why drag the Miniscule into it? Clearly he has the IQ of a well schooled racing rabbit and the vision of a house brick; hell, I’ve put joists in floors with a better understanding of aviation than he has. He may be a whizz at children’s poetry and an apple expert. – But FDS, to ask him even slightly difficult questions about aviation, would be like talking to the bath tub sponge. The man the Senate want is the one with ‘political’ aspirations’. The one who gets fired by Chester – the Inutile; then runs home to the CASA Nanny, then snags an ‘advisors’ job with a NDI minister. Now if the RRAT committee want to set the proverbial fox into the chook shed (chickens for the USA); this is the man to drag in; presented for the committee’s amusement, tarred and feathered.

[Peetwo]

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/?s=essendon+dfo+accident

...The Australian Government has marked International Civil Aviation Day by announcing it will stand for re-election to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council in 2019.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nationals’ Leader and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said continued membership on the ICAO Council would allow Australia to secure a safer and stronger global aviation sector for the future.

“International Civil Aviation Day is the perfect time to remember as global aviation continues to grow, collaboration, co-operation and consensus-building among all states has never been more important,” Mr McCormack said.

“Re-election to the Council will see Australia continue our major contribution to the work of ICAO and with our global aviation partners to promote a safe, efficient, secure and sustainable civil aviation sector.

“This is an opportunity for us to highlight and re-affirm the strategic importance of civil aviation as a way to connect the world and as a fundamental enabler of social and economic development.”

Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Andrew Broad, who yesterday addressed diplomatic partners and aviation sector leaders in Canberra to mark International Civil Aviation Day and launch Australia’s re-election bid, said aviation was critical to connecting people across Australia, from our capital cities right down to remote communities.

“Our aviation industry links our fresh produce to export markets, underpins our dynamic and growing tourism sector and links Australians to the globe for travel and to connect family and friends,” Mr Broad said.

“This year’s International Civil Aviation Day theme ‘Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left Behind’ is appropriate given Australia’s strong regional leadership role in aviation capacity-building, collaborative engagement with neighbours such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and support of regional initiatives such as the Pacific Aviation Safety Office and Regional Aviation Safety Group.

“We are committed to growing and strengthening aviation both in our immediate region and globally—recognising the role of aviation as a catalyst for economic growth and development.” - reference: http://www.auntypru.com/forum/thread-139...ml#pid9651

If you ever wanted a better example of why it is the miniscule McDo'Naught will not even entertain the thought that his aviation safety bureaucracy is taking the Mickey Bliss out of both him and the ICAO muppets, while the slices of Swiss cheese are 'thinned to the absolute minimum required by law' and serious identified aviation safety issues continue to be effectively ignored, then go no further than the following article in the Oz...  

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=i...1091872728

Weighty win for Essendon airport

The Australian



A change in federal government regulation is set to cement Essendon Fields Airport as Australia’s corporate jet capital.

From today, the airport will be able to accommodate private jets up to 50 tonnes, five tonnes more than the previous limit. It’s a significant win for Essendon Fields, which acts as a base for 65 corporate jets, up from only nine in 2000.

Chief executive Chris Cowan said the airport was now well positioned to accommodate the latest corporate jets, which were larger, heavier and faster.

“Business aviation is all about ‘fly anywhere, any time’. The passengers are time-poor, they’re businesspeople and they need to get away fast,” Mr Cowan said.

“The new bigger jets, like Bombardier’s Global 7500, has a wingspan of 34m. It doesn’t necessarily carry more passengers but it has better performance and range so it can fly further and get up in the air quicker.”

With a range of 14,260km, the Global 7500 can fly further than a Boeing 777-200 or 747-400, and seats up to 19 passengers.

The airport’s first customer to benefit from the regulation change, a Gulfstream G650, will undergo maintenance at Essendon Fields this month. The G650 has a slightly smaller range than the Global 7500 at 12,964km, but the same 19-passenger capacity.

“The G650 and Global 7500 are cutting-edge aircraft,” Mr Cowan said. “Because their performance is better, they use less runway on takeoff and landing. They can land in less than 1000m, they’re pretty amazing.”

Transport Minister Michael McCormack said the weight increase would cement Essendon Fields’ place as one of Australia’s major regional and corporate jet airports.

On the subject of those operating the jets, Mr Cowan said the business aviation industry demanded a high level of discretion,

“They’re business executives, captains of industry, so to speak,” he said. “There’s a close association between successful companies and successful people and business jets.”

As the operator of Platinum Business Aviation, based at Essendon Fields, former world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan welcomed the weight increase.

He said being able to land the latest generation of corporate aircraft within 10 minutes of the City of Melbourne would assist in attracting more foreign investment to Victoria.

“Current owners of corporate aircraft based at Essendon Fields will now have the option to upgrade their fleet to these ultra long-range efficient aircraft,” Mr Doohan said.

Hmm...no comment - 

MTF...P2 

[Gobbledock]

Ha ha ha

“They’re business executives, captains of industry, so to speak,” he said. “There’s a close association between successful companies and successful people and business jets.

What a tool. Thanks for stating the obvious, Mc’dickhead.

And why is Miniscule Mc’do’nothing sticking his two cents worth in anyway? It’s the airport operator who has picked up the extra work off their own back. It has nothing to do with the headline grabbing greasy politician.

[BRhoades]

Much to be ashamed of minister.

Of all its flaws - and there are many - the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s greatest problem may well lie within its very title.

It was once known as the Civil Aviation Authority but now this regulatory authority has been burdened with the oxymoron of “safety.”

Apart from the confusion it creates in the minds general community because of its branding collision with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau CASA’s title is, quite simply, an absurd contradiction in terms.

CASA’s self-appointed role as a Big R law enforcement agency ensures it actually works to undermine the aspiration of safer skies.

It is clearly a regulatory enforcement agency which has never embraced “safety” as its primary mandate.

I have extracted some excerpts from the Professional Aviation Investigation Network Report 3rd Aug 2017 that expose a hostile and adversarial relationship between the GA industry and the Regulator (CASA). 

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PAIN Report.

"In general, it must be stated that the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has an unique approach to ICAO compliance, with record number of ‘notified differences’. Many of the notifications may, at face value, seem insignificant."

It is our opinion that the noted differences are structured to support the complex, contradictory, flawed rule set in place.Reform of this rule set has been in train for thirty years, with successive government ministers and directors of civil aviation promising to complete the task ‘within the next three years’.
 
This is an important consideration as it reflects on the operational approach taken to both open reporting of ‘incident’ or event; and, the tangible fear of prosecution.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR) are founded on the ‘criminal code’ and ‘strict liability’; this, standing alone, provides a strong disincentive to openly reporting safety related matters. This attitude is reflected in the government safety bodies approach to ICAO compliance and reporting.

Reference: https://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/...ICAO_1.pdf

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So it is hardly surprising to witness the industry’s adoption of a culture of “never Reporting incidents or accidents” when the obvious option for survival lies with concealment and in-house fixes.

It’s more disturbing than ironic to see CASA has developed a similar culture of not reporting all accidents to ICAO (as required by annexe 13) which might result in a downgrading of Australia’s overall safety approval by ICAO.

The Australian Government has in fact been lying by failing to submit reports to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, as required since 2009.

Over 30 years this has had a major negative impact on aviation safety in this country.

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https://auntypru.com/and-thus-i-clothe-m...-villainy/ 

....Late start this morning – much to consider and read; mostly to do with Bruce Roades and his run in with at the CASA gristmill. The story begins with tragedy, a failed engine leading to an air accident, ending with a fatality. A raw day for all concerned; services swung into action and did their usual sterling work (thank you – once again); ATSB arrived ‘on-site’ and began the task of ‘investigation’. This is what we have become used to after an accident; the ATSB attempts to define what happened, why and place, when required, some form of advisory or recommendation designed to prevent a reoccurrence. The CASA often buy in, they are quite entitled to run an investigation; there are matters which they need to be across, matters of law and operational well being. So the scene is set...

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We cannot learn from our own mistakes or those others if they are not reported for fear of retribution.

And no one is doing anything constructive about this (that is working).

I propose we build-up a file of unreported incidents and accidents from the last 20 years.

I can most certainly start with one with which I am familiar of about 20 who have already written to me.

We could even publish suitably redacted stories on the auntypru.com web site.

All contributors would remain anonymous except to the keeper of the file who would be required to testify to the veracity of the authors if required.

I imagine this file would build to considerable proportions in a very short time and continue to build over time.

This file would then be presented to the Senate enquiry to highlight the true extent to which CASA’s punitive enforcement culture has had a disastrous and worsening effect on Australia’s safety.

Supported by reputable industry organisations such as AOPA I believe government could not ignore such a stark reality of the failure of CASA.

As this file built up in size it would become a larger and larger cudgel with which to beat the Minister and the Senate over the head with.

Initially I would put my hand up to collect and file these confidential reports.

My email is berhoades@msn.com

This is an incident that should have been reported.

---

...A charter company operating a X hired 172 from a maintenance organisation.

The pilot was on a final approach to an ALA with 3 pax and 20 degrees flap (very fortunately not 40 degrees) and down to 200 ft. There was a loud bang followed by the aircraft rapidly rolling right.


Fortunately the pilot recognised that the flap extension cable to the right flap had broken causing it to instantly retract and causing the left flap to operate as a massive aileron attempting to roll the aircraft over.

Needless to say at such a low altitude on final approach with an aircraft attempting to barrel roll this was a critical situation.

The pilot recognised the problem and instantly retracted flap stabilising the aircraft and landed flapless...

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As he later told me he had read about a similar incident in the old Aviation Safety Digest (Crash Comic). As a direct result of his having read and learned from someone else’s misfortune he was able to recognise and react significantly faster which may have averted 4 more fatalities on that day.

We don’t have a Crash Comic any more and no one would be stupid enough to write in to CASA’s version of it.

Obviously the fault in the aircraft was an extremely sloppy maintenance inspection by the maintenance organisation (or several prior inspections not to have noticed corrosion in this crucial cable at the wing root roller).

And yet this incident was not reported to CASA by the company as no doubt CASA would have grounded all aircraft in the company subject to a lengthy investigation in spite of the fact that they did not own the incident aircraft.

No doubt there are many more similar stories which should/would have been reported if the industry did not have such a mistrustful attitude to CASA.

Clearly you cannot have an industry body which accepts confidential reports and makes safety recommendations in the best interests of safety and yet is also an enforcement body. The 2 roles are virtually in opposition to each other.

Finally we need a federal anti corruption investigative body with a mandate to root out corruption in all of our federal bureaucracies, they would be busy for quite a while.

Regards,

Bruce Rhoades

P2 footnote: Great initiative Bruce, FYI just a hint for perhaps why this miniscule and DPM McDo'Naught will simply hang off the coat tails of CASA's Iron Ring: 

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 Oz aviation, safety compromised by political and bureaucratic subterfuge?

http://www.auntypru.com/forum/thread-167...ml#pid8362

From the Airports thread this AM: Magic; stuff that makes you go Uhmmm!

K said: "..The duckling building was and remains a serious safety hazard; it is a significant part of the ‘investigation’ and it’s being located where it is remains a major part of the investigation into the Essendon accident. How can it possibly be ‘removed’ and treated as a ‘separate’ stand alone element, before the final report is released?

Post report – fair enough – let’s have a look at the  why and how’s this thing was allowed to park within the boundaries of an active runway and why the ‘documents’ failed to notify aircrew of the hazard or a reduced runway safety zone. The encroachment of buildings into operational airspace is a major concern and worthy of it’s own enquiry – but, the DFO at Essendon is part of the causal chain and it MUST be treated as such, not snapped off and put on the wait-a-bit shelf, marked ‘do later’..."

A possible explanation to this disturbing disconnection lies in the "K" statement that followed...

"..Hood working his own brand of magic – yet again; to delay, distract, defer and protect his masters by prostituting the once proud ATSB..."

But why would Hood so obviously compromise the independence and veracity of the ongoing investigation? Well perhaps because the BJ affair has created a perfect political and ministerial vacuum in which Hoody can weave his top-cover magic without being challenged or afforded any Government oversight from the distracted minister's office?

Remember that 6D Chester as the former miniscule for non-aviation managed to convince the Chair Barry O and the committee to defer their - Airports Amendment Bill 2016 [Provisions] - Inquiry till 19 March 2018 and the inquiry completion is now dependent on those findings:

1.17 The committee recognizes that the findings and recommendations of the
investigations into this tragedy, and the work of NASAG, may have implications for
the bill. It takes the view that sufficient time should be provided to allow the
investigations to proceed and for the committee to then properly consider their
findings.

1.18 Therefore, the committee recommends that its inquiry on the bill be extended
to allow consideration of the investigations and any other relevant aviation regulation
developments.

 
Plus: http://www.auntypru.com/forum/thread-30-...ml#pid9629

[Gobbledock]

Bruce posted this;

“As he later told me he had read about a similar incident in the old Aviation Safety Digest (Crash Comic). As a direct result of his having read and learned from someone else’s misfortune he was able to recognise and react significantly faster which may have averted 4 more fatalities on that day”.

This gets to the heart of aviation safety - “education”.

Education, communication, samples, examples, sharing, teaching, training.... an integral part of an important system. However CAsA and the ATsB in recent years have failed dismally in this area. Both agencies are a joke. That ‘joke’ sits squarely in the lap of another giant ‘joke’, the Miniscule. And Mc’Do’naught is an absolute abomination in his role.

So what can we do? Well, we need to put pressure on Albanese (insert ‘hands in the air’ picture here). I know I know, another Can’tberra muppet who has also previously failed aviation when he was in power. But the LNP are toast and will be gone in May after the election. That means Albo the great white elephant will be back. Time to lobby the flabby fool now and promise him a bunch of aviation votes if he commits to gutting the CAsA beast, amending the Act and ensuring ‘strict liability’ is jammed up Dr Voodoo’s spotty ass as he is frog marched out the door.....

Tick tock

[Gobbledock]

A Mc’Do’nothing coverup

Andrew Broad has resigned from Morrison ministry over bombshell sex scandal allegations. The Nationals MP, who represents the federal electorate of Mallee in regional Victoria, was the assistant minister to Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Michael Mc’Do’nothing. The Miniscule knew but sat on the information for several weeks.

That is also about his level of transparency with CAsA. It won’t matter what the Senate tell him or what the public say, he will always turn a blind eye for the sake of silence and obsfucation. It’s time to vote this muppet out of existence......

Viva Le revolution

From the Simply Marvellous Horse Pooh;

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/...50mon.html