“Don’t get in our way”.

Ref:  ScoMo message to Mandarins – real intent or just rhetoric?? via The Mandarin.

“Don’t get in our way”.- AP Forum version.

“Or what” – was the slightly amused answer.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this came to pass. It would be even better if we had a PM ‘of the people’ acting for ‘the people’. The greater majority of ‘ordinary’ folk living in Oz are not hysterical agenda driven zealots; in fact they are a quiet, fairly conservative bunch wanting no more than to live in peace; pay the mortgage, get the kids to school on time and be able to go out for dinner once a while. Jobs, a future for their offspring, clean water, reasonable roads etc. But how is the PM to bring the bureaucrats to this realisation? They exist on what is, essentially, a different planet. For example the current CEO of CASA ‘sleeping rough’ for one safe night – for charity. What in the seven hells would he know about ‘sleeping rough’ or ‘doing it tough’ – SFA is the answer. It is believe it or not insulting to those who have had or are having a tough time. The simple things like getting a shirt clean and shaving become an extraordinary problem; finding the money to buy a paper to find a job is a challenge; bus fare to the potential employer means nothing for lunch and probably a long walk to wherever the swag has been hidden. No comfy home to return to, where wounds may be licked, dinner will be served and a hot shower to wash away the grime and humiliation. Good luck with ‘humanising’ the exalted ones PM.

Behind a veil, unseen yet present, I was the forceful soul that moved this mighty body. ― Jean Racine.

Then there is the ‘ministers’ to consider. I can feel a soupçon of sympathy for these folk – not a lot – but enough to see their ‘problems’. They fall neatly into the trap of terminal ignorance and must rely on ‘advice’ from ‘experienced’, trusted ministry “experts”. Thus, the will of the people becomes the will of the ‘Crats. What chance has a Muppet like Whatisname – him from Wagga (or wherever) got against the likes of St. Commode, the evil of Crawford and the voodoo Aleck weaves? None whatsoever; when you add his own ex CASA ‘advisor’ to the crew you can easily recognise a captured spirit. The wishes and will of an entire industry have been ignored and subverted, through the ‘minister’ for thirty years now. And you blithely trot out a “Don’t get in our way” statement. I’ll bet they are laughing their collective socks off in Canberra. “You want it when? I wish you Bon Chance mon ami – with bells on it. Get your minister some sound, sane advice – you may get lucky.

What men call knowledge, is the reasoned acceptance of false appearances. Wisdom looks behind the veil and sees. ― Sri Aurobindo.

I note that finally, carefully shrouded in ‘white noise’ the ATSB have released their report into the ATR event.  Oh!  What a delightful confection; and a masterful exit from blaming anyone for anything; hells bells not even the tea lady could be cross with this report. Facts of course have little to do with the guff ATSB are spreading these days – when they eventually get around to doing it. The flight crew broke the aircraft; doing as trained using auto pilot and flight director – not mentioned. The maintenance folk ‘inspected’ the aircraft and returned it to service with no more done than a clean windscreen, not mentioned; several pilots failed to notice that the arse end of the thing was cock-eyed, not mentioned; and, it flew merrily on it’s way for several days. Absolutely ducking stellar. At the cost of covering political arse another scam has been allowed to slip by without a ripple in the ministerial pond. PM these folk are not in your way – they are leading ministers around like performing bears. It is embarrassing.

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“I sit with Shakespeare and he winces not. Across the color-line I move arm in arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide in gilded halls. From out the caves of the evening that swing between the strong-limbed earth and the tracery of the stars, I summon Aristotle and Aurelius… and they come all graciously with no scorn nor condescension. So, wed with Truth, I dwell above the Veil.” ― W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk

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Now to the serious stuff – the TAAAF policy. What a conundrum. If you take away the ‘history of attempted reform’; the native cynicism, the internal politics and vested interests – it is a brilliant platform. Right then, I do know, I’ve hammered the topic this week, torn between ‘hope’ and history. For a Bookie it’s a raving nightmare; yet, run the book I must. Much depends on the PM’s own department and his promise to serve the needs of Australia – that department does matter and has an almost unbelievable degree of ‘clout’. Make no mistake – the PM’s mandarins know more about the way the aviation world wags than any ‘industry’ guru – skeletons, cupboards etc. They are the elite of the mandarin class and bloody good at what they do. IF they could remove the CASA tick from the ministerial posterior and IF they can see benefit in the TAAAF platform and IF this industry gets off it’s collective – then, maybe, the minister could become a hero of this land by simply nodding. However: if -“IF’s and But’s were Candy and Nuts– what a Christmas we would have”. Anyway ‘the book’ is open and I’ll post the runners later this week, when I get a look at the entries, form and track. Could be the best race ever; could be a total fizzer – don’t know – yet. MTF a racing certainty.

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.” ― Niccolò Machiavelli

Come daylight the stable pot belly will be lit, a coffee and an illicit smoke before I ‘loose the hounds’ and trot along behind; to find a place of quiet while I work out how to repair a large (very old) blanket box made with irreplaceable timber: ‘Aye, ‘tis a puzzle; perhaps a short while spent by the river will assist – then again, maybe not – but, the time spent would never be counted as wasted by the pagan gods.

That on the banks of this delightful stream
We stood together; and that I, so long
A worshipper of Nature, hither came
Unwearied in that service: ― William Wordsworth

Selah.