That's the CURRENT Australian legal system you're talking there, right? You know, the corrupt-payola, barbaric and feudal English one that even avoids the principle of "truth" in its inquiries and deliberations?

This was more obviously a simple case of state extortion against a compromised and targeted billionaire at his most vulnerable. The civil proceedings merely paid for some larger-than-usual cocaine parties for the silks involved; the real deal concerned the criminal case and its heftier machinery for milking the Visy empire. Developing countries have often been more open about such practice, and used these tactics for ages, especially when caught in an extreme monetarists' pickle of debt and mega-breakdown.

The departed knew that - unless he settled - his main inheritor-son (for one) could be dogged by the state's loot-hunting legal apparatchiks for decades. The only question of interest is: where did most or all of the prised "family honor money" go? Defence? Welfare? Equally vague bail-out pork? Or some other "separated power" of budgetary largesse?

How else to explain the OTT butt-kissing and coffin-polishing by nearly every leading party apparatchik in the country? Hell, it looked like they were about to award him a VC and bar! Wait, "posthumous" could still be on...

Oh no, none of that could happen here. Westminster system, Chesterfield furniture, Rule Bwittania, blah blah.

It is clearly un-Australian to think of Mr Pratt as anything but a shining example of all that is good about this wide brown land of ours.

You know, the nation that thinks Ned Kelly was a dinkum Aussie freedom fighter and philanthropist. The one that sentimentalizes over a petty thief in its national song.

He should be up there next to the emu and the kangaroo, in my view. Let the world know precisely and without compromise what makes our businessmen great.

Most inappropriate to deride someone whose
body has only just be laid to rest, and in whose
case criminal charges have been dropped.
Whatever wrong was done - $36 million was paid
in penalties.

Why not focus now on the good
the man did and the millions that were given yearly
to charity.

Is there any CEO out there that could take being
place under a microscope?

Why do we have this insatiable need to tear down
people - even after they've died?

Now that he has departed this life, Richard Pratt should be regarded as a "Good Jew".

David

Dear David,

No. Why don't we just simply remember Richard
Pratt - as a very generous philanthropist?
Or are you making a subtle comparison here
with Christ?

Strongly disagree Foxy. Being ill, and even death doth not Teflon make.

Amcor admitted wrongdoing. Pratt repeatedly denied it, despite evidence to the contrary. Things would have been considerably different if he did not see himself as above such matters-which he damn well did. Had he admitted alleged (never went to Court..) collusion, then Samuels would have certainly looked as if he had a vendetta against Pratt-as he has been accused-if he; Samuels did not get off Pratt's back.

As it is, Pratt was pursued because there was clearly matters to pursue. The fact that the charges against him were dropped the day before his passing suggest nothing more to me than......., well; then what I think.

I cannot abide the odious excuse "Tall Poppy Syndrome". It is a gutless excuse for 'because I'm at the top of the tree, I can do what I like and you mustn't question it. You're just jealous'. RAPC!!

As for his good works: I am still receiving Meals on Wheels because of some ongoing frailty. THATS good works! Lovely, lovely folk; most older than me, bringing my lunch everyday. I can point to any amount of such wonderful folk. Yet when the Gates';the Pratt's of this world give some of their millions away......

I'm neither glad nor sad that Pratt has died. I just don't see that that absolves him, or anyone else of wrongdoing, and suddenly makes them into a hero. It does not. They are not.