Tail Wheel,
Dick may not be breaking forum rules per say, but to not recognise that he is doing the website a huge dis-service is IMHO a big oversight.
Gauging the number of for/against posts as representative of the level of support for Dick's political agendas ignores the fact that the majority of professional pilots, who come here to discuss professional aviation, take one look at his numerous threads - and can't be bothered and won't weigh in. It's pushing them away from the website.
I've spoken to three colleagues in the last few weeks, all of whom have stated that they've abandoned Pprune recently because 90% of Australian content is Dick having a cry about being able to plough through Willy airspace, non ADSB when he pleases. Those three professionals will be a big loss to the site.
It's not the actual arguments - it's the making of this site into a mockery - and something which will push professional pilots away, not attract them.
You are right, in that some causes he champions for GA may well be in the interests of the industry as a whole. But those points can be made without the inflammatory post titles, negative attitude towards anything and anyone involving defence forces, and blatant and unfair conclusions such as "ATC sent the five people in VH-MDX to their death". It's not needed, and it's unfair.
And by the way I'm not military, never have been, never will - so no bias here.
We don't want him banned. We don't necessarily agree with what he does or doesn't say.
What's ****ting us off is the way he's going about it.
You might believe Dick to be playing by the rules, but the reality is he's turning Pprune into his own sensationalist news.com.au - and if left unchecked, it will be to the detriment of PPrune in Oz.