Howard Hughes, I think you are right on the money with your statement.
The board has given him a large pay rise to break the unions, and while not completely broken I believe he has succeeded where Dixon has failed.
At the end of the day neither QF or the unions will be able to claim total success but in the words or Sen. Bob Brown he had a big stick behind his back that he didn't show to anyone, until it was too late.
When all is said and done the board will cut him free as he will have become a "liability", but the huge severance he will be given will cushion his fall.
One more thing, if I hear AJ say we had to this so that "going forward"......
that small phrase gets on my goat every time I hear him say it.