SUB: I dont like it but Howes' speech was clever. Hes been unheard of for months - unusual. Shorten has major problems; 'more of the same' leadership, too close to the greens and totally unionised. He has the job (like his predecessors) courtesy of Ludwig. The lot of that cadre are deeply implicated in the AWU mess, which thanks to the highly competent media we all know about in this country has yet to really explode, but it will - even if the court exercise is a whitewash, a Royal Commission will do the job. From TA's perspective, the longer it ticks along the better. Howes is no fool and is not from the left but has (as I said) been very quiet. And he is in a serious (sickening from every angle!) relationship with a skilled and ambitious publicist. Incompetent from an aviation perspective, but she did get a big job. So all of a sudden Howes comes out against the left, the AWU & the Thomson matter (very linked BTW) and puts himself palatably very much towards the centre of Aussie politics. Though I totally disagree with his ideology and the pond he was spawned in he is no fool. In light of Livvie I do not think his speech seperating him from a mountain of ALP poo and his new relationship is a coincidence at all.
I think the possibilities are sickening for aviation and the country, but that is what I think. Id be very interested in Steve P's take as he would know FAR more than me, but I see Livvie wanting the lodge - nice job once Qf is a carcass...
Last edited by V-Jet; 6th Feb 2014 at 15:07.