Loudmouth

Its not that I have a problem with the sheeple as such, but rather the bent and twisted electoral system that is structured to maintain the duopoly. For instance in both the 2007 & 2010 federal elections there good reason to believe the sheeple weren't at all impressed with either of the two options offered. The fact that one of two mobs of utter incompetents got up didn't mean the sheeple chose them because they were wanted, but more because the sheeple despised the other ratbags even more ie one mob 99.8% distasteful & the other 99.9% distasteful. If we'd had a 'none of the above' option on the 2007 & 2010 ballot papers, the result would undoubtedly have been interesting. Since we do have, in effect, that option in 2013, there is the possibility for the very first time since federation that the days of the duopoly have ended.

We had exactly the same arrangement with Qantas & TAA / Australian Airlines which had hitherto enjoyed a convenient (and gubmunt encouraged) duopoly since the dawn of time. Remember how competitors were invariably setup to fail and it was only when Branson came with his endless buckets of money that the grubs were unable to pull the rug out from under him as they had with Compass 1, Compass 2 & Impulse. What Branson did was introduce a viable third option, something we'd never had previously, more to the point it was one that couldn't be killed, bought off, subjugated, controlled or otherwise inactivated.

to be continued

continued

I suggest this is exactly where Big Clive comes into the picture. Like Richard Branson he comes with endless financial resources, all the necessary tools & more enthusiasm for the task at hand than the members of the duopoly have ever possessed. How many sheeple said it was absolutely impossible to topple Qantas & TAA / Australian Airlines ?? I guess that episode was too far in the distant past for many sheeple to know or care about, but the stories about the gubmunt blessed two airline policy / airline duopoly are all in the public domain for those who care to delve.

Where Slippery Pete fits into the system I have no idea, however his attempt to infiltrate the Palmer tribe is a clear indication he answers to some other master, possibly / probably not in Australia. I'd love to know what possessed the clown to pull that lunatic stunt when he was named speaker though, one would think he'd have the nous to keep his stupid head down, but then I guess being seen as half-cut as he is might be seen as a good smokescreen.

Ahem. I think Ansett came into the equation somewhere along the line, praxidice.

>>We had exactly the same arrangement with Qantas & TAA / Australian Airlines which had hitherto enjoyed a convenient (and gubmunt encouraged) duopoly since the dawn of time... How many sheeple said it was absolutely impossible to topple Qantas & TAA / Australian Airlines ??<<

But hey, who needs boring old factual accuracy when you can maintain a splutteringly confected indignation, generously larded with words like "sheeple" and "gubmunt", that are invariably employed without a trace of irony.

Which makes it all the more surprising that you have targetted Slipper for your opprobrium. Someone who, let's face it, displays such thoroughly Australian values as tenacity in the face of adversity, a majestic faith in his own wonderfulness, and a gift for taking maximum financial advantage of every situation.

Pericles

Appears you are correct re Australian Airlines, I was confusing that company and Ansett. AA was apparently merely a subsidiary of Qantas.

Whatever, my comments re the officially sanctioned duopoly remain. Anyone who purchased air travel when it was in place should recall being asked for a virtual down-payment on the aircraft. As has been the case with the two major political party duopoly, Australians were systematically raped unmercifully by vested interests which had no qualms about employing every dirty trick in the book to maintain their dominance.

Whatever can be said for or against Slippery Pete, few Australians will mourn his passing.