Wings
Not at all and a very succint summing up indeed.
John_tullamarine
Quite so
That was then and we knew how to work the system.
It was British Post Colonial Australia and across the industry we knew how to "Yes Minister" as well as any Humphrey Appleby.
It would have been easy for any sort of Smith to demonise the system, but at least it worked and had embedded in it many years of experience derived in the unique social, environmental and political context of Australia.
There is no doubt change was in the wind, maybe Mr Smith accelerated it, if indeed he did, then, it was at a terrible cost.
The trail of destruction, the destroyed careers of many highly experienced and competent individuals and the "export" of a significant part of the intelectual property carried in the heads of these people, has left Australia close to being mortally wounded.
Simply, that many internationally respected and highly experienced people can't be wrong.
Any Smith would have had the support of the "chattering classes", but I do not recall the "industry at large", at least the part that was the backbone, he was determined to "save", clamouring for his personal support.
One has to fully understand the events, in the contexts of the times to fully understand the phenomenon.
Overall we are waaaaaaaay past the "time" to which
Wings alludes.