Estimates season.
There are folk who await the Christmas season with bated breath, while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads. There are those who await hunting season, eagerly spending on the paraphernalia and latest outfit, gun oil and ‘don’t shoot me’ stickers for their silly arses. I hear there are folk who loose sleep waiting for the latest fashion designs to be released; they are friends with those who will kill and maim to get tickets to an opening night. Bismillah; manifold and wondrous are the workings of the gods. But for PAIN; it’s the Estimates hearings. Pitch forks being sharpened, stakes being pointed, sacks of feathers along with barrels of tar; you can’t buy a straight rail at Bunnings; there’s been a run.
The stars of the show have been training during the winter months and in the warm-up sessions have been showing the benefits of that hard work. Fawcett is in dynamic form, lethal as ever, well informed, well briefed, precise, cool and eloquent. Sterle in the warm up bouts has been impressive, as always, but there is an extra something in the tank this season; a little more ‘Oomph’. O’Sullivan standing four square and more than capable of filling the Heffernan place; unflappable, another lethal weapon. Xenophon, back in harness and with some added horsepower to boot, a consummate politician and a honest campaigner. Who could ask for more, not the IOS. The roll call of honour of those who did aviation proud last season is long and the reappearance of the perennial favourites is looked forward to.
There will be some ‘grudge matches’ as well as local Derby’s; many old scores to settle and lots and lots of probing questions. Many of the opposition teams will be hoping (praying) that time has mellowed the anger of this first class Senate crew, which would be a mistake. It is always a mistake to underestimate the opposition; particularly when they are already pissed off, before the obfuscation defence kicks in and the ‘take it on notice’ escape is used. There will be some awkward moments; as a couple of departmental windbags discovered this week. This Senate crew ain’t taking prisoners; not taking funny cheques or buying any snake oil.
It is not everyman’s indaba, but those with an interest in the well being and future of the aviation industry need to get a season ticket, best seats and be there to support the best hope aviation has had in many a long, weary decade.
The Hansard team and the boys and girls behind the scenes will be doing their usual splendid job, so replays and ‘interesting’ passages of play will be available as soon as practical. Check list: beer, munchies, and special throwing popcorn which will not damage your monitor; (GD buys in bulk) and the bucket; don’t forget the bucket, essential equipment.
Toot toot; and, a high probability of more to follow. (Cheers Kelpie).
There are folk who await the Christmas season with bated breath, while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads. There are those who await hunting season, eagerly spending on the paraphernalia and latest outfit, gun oil and ‘don’t shoot me’ stickers for their silly arses. I hear there are folk who loose sleep waiting for the latest fashion designs to be released; they are friends with those who will kill and maim to get tickets to an opening night. Bismillah; manifold and wondrous are the workings of the gods. But for PAIN; it’s the Estimates hearings. Pitch forks being sharpened, stakes being pointed, sacks of feathers along with barrels of tar; you can’t buy a straight rail at Bunnings; there’s been a run.
The stars of the show have been training during the winter months and in the warm-up sessions have been showing the benefits of that hard work. Fawcett is in dynamic form, lethal as ever, well informed, well briefed, precise, cool and eloquent. Sterle in the warm up bouts has been impressive, as always, but there is an extra something in the tank this season; a little more ‘Oomph’. O’Sullivan standing four square and more than capable of filling the Heffernan place; unflappable, another lethal weapon. Xenophon, back in harness and with some added horsepower to boot, a consummate politician and a honest campaigner. Who could ask for more, not the IOS. The roll call of honour of those who did aviation proud last season is long and the reappearance of the perennial favourites is looked forward to.
There will be some ‘grudge matches’ as well as local Derby’s; many old scores to settle and lots and lots of probing questions. Many of the opposition teams will be hoping (praying) that time has mellowed the anger of this first class Senate crew, which would be a mistake. It is always a mistake to underestimate the opposition; particularly when they are already pissed off, before the obfuscation defence kicks in and the ‘take it on notice’ escape is used. There will be some awkward moments; as a couple of departmental windbags discovered this week. This Senate crew ain’t taking prisoners; not taking funny cheques or buying any snake oil.
It is not everyman’s indaba, but those with an interest in the well being and future of the aviation industry need to get a season ticket, best seats and be there to support the best hope aviation has had in many a long, weary decade.
The Hansard team and the boys and girls behind the scenes will be doing their usual splendid job, so replays and ‘interesting’ passages of play will be available as soon as practical. Check list: beer, munchies, and special throwing popcorn which will not damage your monitor; (GD buys in bulk) and the bucket; don’t forget the bucket, essential equipment.
Toot toot; and, a high probability of more to follow. (Cheers Kelpie).