NFI is the short answer.
Many folks wondering about the departure of Mrdak; much speculation and even more guess work. One could, without too big a stretch, see it as part of the natural course of events; he has been in the position a long time – longer than the ‘average’, whatever that is. There has been nothing but praise from his peers and he has done a remarkable job – albeit not one that suited everyone outside the sheltered workshops. I for one will miss him at estimates. His ability to defer, distract, divert, delay and confound the Senators provides a master class on learning how a top class public servant operates – and he’s very good at it. He ain’t straight of course, but how many of the class are? A master craftsman in any trade is work watching. The pity of it is that he was working for the opposition; if he were working for aviation, I dare say things would be different now; alas, he played for Canberra.
But I reckon there’s a little more to it than a routine re shuffle; and, perhaps – maybe – he is a victim of the Darren 6D system of exclusion – for those who dare say the things he don’t want to hear – dissension or disagreement with Australia’s greatest aviation disaster is not tolerated. Comparing the computing power of MM to the 6D version is pointless, and I just can’t see 6D liking that or MM bothering to hide his contempt. If you back track a short time; you see that MM got his blows in early; you can read pretty much whatever you like into the MM press release:-
"The untold Federation story, Mrdak began, is not the big dollars allocated by governments, but in long-term planning and investment reform. Rather than something unique to infrastructure, Mrdak sees that long-term perspective as a core responsibility of all public servants.
“Electoral cycles are very short, the focus of government tends to be very short,” Mrdak said. “We are the continuity and the people who have to understand what the future needs are to provide that long-term advice to government … often governments don’t want to hear our view.
“A view is not an opinion. I have lots of opinions — not worth much — but my agency has a view on the right outcome for the future. It’s informed by evidence, informed by good long-term research, and it’s all about what is the right outcome for the challenges facing the country.”
:- but for my two bob, Mrdak wanted to set a sensible course (as he saw it) and 6D wanted to steer another. Mrdak has seen fools come and go, tolerated their notions and managed to keep the control within the departments he ran. For weal or for woe depending on where you sit and how you see it. The picture below, for mine, says it all. 6D looking like a just raped Nun detached and pretending it never happened and MM at the far end of the table, all attention focused on him – the ‘conversation' is definitely at the other end of that long table, separating the two.
![[Image: DIR2A_2UIAAh23-.jpg]](http://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/DIR2A_2UIAAh23-.jpg)
Aye; like him or hate him, you have to admire the skill.
What shall we make of the new fellah? Time will tell I expect. But for me, the little red flags and amber warning lamps are flashing. This is a dyed in the wool public servant, bred, cossetted and reared in the sheltered workshops of the Canberra system; I doubt he’s got any notion of the real world or is practical enough to realise that outside of the rarefied, privileged, well paid atmosphere, that sometimes, for some folk, life ain’t all that rosy or easy. Time will, undoubtedly, tell the tale.
That is my two bob opinion – which is about all it’s worth. Who, in the seven hells knows what goes on or how they think in Canberra; it has so little to do with the real world.
Right then, back to my knitting. Toot - toot.
Many folks wondering about the departure of Mrdak; much speculation and even more guess work. One could, without too big a stretch, see it as part of the natural course of events; he has been in the position a long time – longer than the ‘average’, whatever that is. There has been nothing but praise from his peers and he has done a remarkable job – albeit not one that suited everyone outside the sheltered workshops. I for one will miss him at estimates. His ability to defer, distract, divert, delay and confound the Senators provides a master class on learning how a top class public servant operates – and he’s very good at it. He ain’t straight of course, but how many of the class are? A master craftsman in any trade is work watching. The pity of it is that he was working for the opposition; if he were working for aviation, I dare say things would be different now; alas, he played for Canberra.
But I reckon there’s a little more to it than a routine re shuffle; and, perhaps – maybe – he is a victim of the Darren 6D system of exclusion – for those who dare say the things he don’t want to hear – dissension or disagreement with Australia’s greatest aviation disaster is not tolerated. Comparing the computing power of MM to the 6D version is pointless, and I just can’t see 6D liking that or MM bothering to hide his contempt. If you back track a short time; you see that MM got his blows in early; you can read pretty much whatever you like into the MM press release:-
"The untold Federation story, Mrdak began, is not the big dollars allocated by governments, but in long-term planning and investment reform. Rather than something unique to infrastructure, Mrdak sees that long-term perspective as a core responsibility of all public servants.
“Electoral cycles are very short, the focus of government tends to be very short,” Mrdak said. “We are the continuity and the people who have to understand what the future needs are to provide that long-term advice to government … often governments don’t want to hear our view.
“A view is not an opinion. I have lots of opinions — not worth much — but my agency has a view on the right outcome for the future. It’s informed by evidence, informed by good long-term research, and it’s all about what is the right outcome for the challenges facing the country.”
:- but for my two bob, Mrdak wanted to set a sensible course (as he saw it) and 6D wanted to steer another. Mrdak has seen fools come and go, tolerated their notions and managed to keep the control within the departments he ran. For weal or for woe depending on where you sit and how you see it. The picture below, for mine, says it all. 6D looking like a just raped Nun detached and pretending it never happened and MM at the far end of the table, all attention focused on him – the ‘conversation' is definitely at the other end of that long table, separating the two.
Aye; like him or hate him, you have to admire the skill.
What shall we make of the new fellah? Time will tell I expect. But for me, the little red flags and amber warning lamps are flashing. This is a dyed in the wool public servant, bred, cossetted and reared in the sheltered workshops of the Canberra system; I doubt he’s got any notion of the real world or is practical enough to realise that outside of the rarefied, privileged, well paid atmosphere, that sometimes, for some folk, life ain’t all that rosy or easy. Time will, undoubtedly, tell the tale.
That is my two bob opinion – which is about all it’s worth. Who, in the seven hells knows what goes on or how they think in Canberra; it has so little to do with the real world.
Right then, back to my knitting. Toot - toot.