Put it another way - Johnson was fired from the ministry for denigrating the boat building fraternity. Hawke gets a government issue chocolate frog, (rum flavoured).
Kharon, Minister Johnston received his major pineapple because he made a very public spray which embarrassed poor Tony, plus Minister Johnston, although well connected, has had only a relatively short political career and not enough time to entrench himself in the system and collect enough aces up his sleeve to pull out for an occasion such as the one recently
Chairman Hawke on the other hand has hand a long and robust political career dating back at least 35 years in which he has learned and practised his bureaucratic skills, and we all know what they are. He has many notches (and scalps) under his 'wide' belt, and he would have enough dirt on every living and breathing politician, and beyond, to ensure he retains a robust, long and profitable political career until such time that
he chooses to retire with his nice taxpayer funded career superannuation mega-nest egg.
These guys in Can'tberra play a spectacular game of survival. You don't last as long as Mr Hawke by having an I.Q of 80. People like Craig Thompson as an example aren't patient, they want it all now, today, in one giant hit, and they screw up and become short term trough dwellers. People like Mr Hawke are much to smart for the average consumer to understand
On a side point, I also heard this week, rumour of course, that Terry is close to leaving the S.S CASA come the end of January, once Skates has settled in to Sleepy Hollow. It has been suggest that one P.Boyd may take up the Far'Q'hard'son mantle and become assistant DAS
God help us if that rumour is true........tick tock