Interesting article in Strewth, todays
The Australian suggesting that in utter frustration, Dick may start his own Political Party.
Certainly a new twist in the game of Australian politics!!
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See Dick Not Run
By James Jeffrey, Strewth Editor, The Australian (26.3.2015)
As Dick Smith’s partner in life and adventure, you’d expect Pip Smith would be prepared for the odd surprise.
Nevertheless, she was a bit taken aback at the Salvation Army’s Red Shield lunch in Sydney yesterday when Dick announced to the crowd he’d registered the name Dick Smith Party as part of his quest to bring about reform in the general aviation sector. “She knew nothing about it,” Dick confirmed to Strewth yesterday. “Nothing!” Pip confirmed, packing a remarkable amount of emphasis into two syllables. “No, I didn’t discuss this with her; she would have talked me out of it.”
Smith is, to put it mildly, hacked off with the state of general aviation in Australia, specifically governments that promise to reduce red tape in the sector but end up doing the opposite due to a “bureaucracy that takes no notice” of them. “An industry I love is being unnecessarily destroyed,” Smith says. “I respect the Prime Minister, I like the bloke, but he has to put people in bureaucracy who’ll implement policy.”
Rather prudently, in light of recent events, Smith says he won’t be emulating Clive Palmer. “I won’t run, I won’t be putting any money in it. It will have my name on it and I’ll spend a minimum of 80 hours a week on it.”
Smith says he’ll be looking for energetic “young turks” to run the show. “I’m not going into politics. I’m 71 and exhausted,” he explained to Strewth in typically frenetic tones. So if he won’t be opening his famously generous wallet, where will the money come from? “If people support the party, they’ll donate, won’t they?”
For a Government hell bent on reducing regulation and Red Tape, the Abbott/Truss Government are certainly looking the other way whilst CASA run amok with new Regulation intended to financially break General Aviation.
I don't think the new Director of Air Safety will be anything more than "more of the same".