[Kharon]

Of Rhetoric, rectitude and reform.



“Rhetoric, it seems, is a producer of persuasion for belief, not for instruction in the matter of right and wrong … And so the rhetorician's business is not to instruct a law court or a public meeting in matters of right and wrong, but only to make them believe.”

Have you ever noticed just how bloody good we are at rhetoric in Australia. Not only is it a widely practiced art-form; it seems to be a prerequisite skill for any government job. It has many colloquial names; ‘credible deniability’ for one; ‘spin’ another. I prefer the tried and tested Anglo Saxon – Bollocks. Golly our politicians and bureaucrats are good at it; world class. Never before has so much been said, by so many, signifying nothing.  This of course is expected of the politicians, who’s sole interest is playing the game and getting re-elected. If you can stomach it, listen to parliament; question time is an easy one. There is little spoken of which is of any practical or intrinsic value to ‘the nation’. Most of it is for the benefit of ‘party’ and position, none of which leaves the average bloke any wiser or wealthier.

 

Aviation in Australia is in a hell of a state; apart from a handful of statesmen in the Senate; those who have, through direct contact with industry, come to realise what a ducking mess it all is, there is, in reality, no one out side the industry who gives a fundamental flying duck about it. I note the Kiwi’s (bless ‘em) have not only a thriving aviation industry but have managed to support, develop and complete a space launch program.

Australia has been talking about this for years and years. Do we get a space program; nope, but we got ‘drones’ and Part 61.  

Is this a topic for debate in parliament – No it is not.



Airvan 10 - This is the culmination of a lot of hard work and persistent dreaming on behalf of the entire GippsAero team, and it's a credit to the skills and ingenuity of Australia's aviation workforce. I flew this aeroplane several weeks ago, and I can tell you it is a remarkable machine that is the ideal utility for just about every operation you can think of. Much more about that is in the July-August print issue of (Hitch) - Australian Flying.

Was there a minister and press crew to make a headline of the Airvan 10 certification? No, there was not. GA must be congratulated, despite the serious number of hoops jumped through; they have managed to get it done. Not even a line on page three, let alone a grant and government assistance to develop and market the aircraft. Disgraceful.



Yet we can easily find 2.5 millions to teach public servants the noble art of ducking Senate questions at Estimates.  I reckon that amount spent in Gippsland would have helped boost our exports.



Even the very airports aviation needs to do business are no longer threatened; they are under a full on invasion. Not only is this invasion approved by government agencies; but the real danger to the public is being treated to a wonderful choral version of ‘not our responsibility’, the minister not only conducting, but leading the choir in a rousing chorus of “Ain’t we grand’. Pathetic.

The rot does start at the top though – the search for MH 370 has been a Tony Abbott drum since day #1.



Abbott has been consistent and I believe honest in his support for finding the aircraft and establishing the cause of the tragedy. The increased need for ‘rhetoric’ and to be seen as doing something has reached the point where the PM (Turnbull) has actually had to have his minions find him something to say. I doubt he even knows or cares about the real need to find this aircraft; but he claims to mention the release of data with his Malaysian cohorts at every opportunity.

Higgens - The Prime Minister’s revelation that he has repeatedly raised the issue with his Malaysian counterpart also follows renewed activism among relatives of the Australian, Chinese and other victims¬ who disappeared with the plane when it went down more than three years ago. 'The Australian'.

Mr Turnbull said he had ¬made representations in the interest of the families of the six Australians on board, with his spokesman saying “the Prime Minister raises this issue with his Malaysian counterpart every time they speak”.

Now this is classed as Bollocks; there is a very real ‘red face’ for Australia in this fiasco; the ATSB refusal to released data adding further to the speculation of a cover up on a grand scale. Australia lost all credibility the moment AMSA were dumped and Dolan took the reigns. Now the Hi-Viz Hood must earn his corn and continue the crooked party line. Refusal to release 'data' under FOI now has Prime Minister support - WHY?





 

Yet, despite the abysmal disinterest of the government and it’s agencies, the industry keeps on keeping on. Take the AAAA as an example; under the leadership of Phil Hurst, the Aerial Application crowd have gone from strength to strength; gaining relative independence from the toils of ‘the regulator’ and using collective expertise, they are showing other industry bodies the way to get things done. It is a fine example of how industry experience and expertise help guide the hapless regulator to making sensible decisions. Highlight of the week for me. Bravo AAAA, well done Phil and the crew.

---

I could, I suppose, rattle on about the Barmy-Baby performance; or, the lack of any from Darren-6D; or the endless merry go round of regulatory reform; or, the new version of lip service to the Forsyth report. The AP boards have many interesting takes from this past week; the shuffling of feet, the ducking, the weaving, the pony-pooh and the distancing from association with any major topic – like the blessed ‘drones’. But enough: I shall leave there and leave it to the reader to make what they will of the Hi-Viz Hood poncing about in his ‘safety gear’ at yet another fatal crash site.



Apart from providing the BRB a great deal of ribald commentary – can anyone explain why – without delving deep into physiological anomalies? Perhaps the ‘courage bracelet around his Willy is too tight – we’ll never know.

There’s a line by Milton which Darren 6D could ask one of his ‘aides’ to translate into small words; not that it would make a skerrick of difference; but, at least I tried.

“But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with thee Came not all hell broke loose?”

Aye well; best clean up around here before all hell does break loose (domestic tyranny); then I shall take dogs and eagle out to play. I am seriously impressed at how quickly they have developed an understanding of each other; not a ‘bond’ as yet, so much as acceptance and understanding. I watch in wonder the bird at work and play; airborne. Man has a considerable amount of work to do to build a drone to match her grace as she effortlessly executes a canceleer. I am in awe.

Selah.