Charlie I'm marginally more optimistic than you. I know it takes far too long sometimes, but Drongos ,crooks and halfwits eventually are recognized for what they are.
A year or so ago at our local council elections we turfed out a puffed up hopeless mayor plus a number of useless councilors. Soon after the CEOs of the airport and council left to pursue other interests along with the useless airport 2IC and the arrogant hopeless ex politician who was chairman of the aerodrome board.
It's depressing that our town will never recoup the hundreds of millions of dollars these pretenders lost us but at least the bastards are gone.
It's a pity the incoming council didn't have the required guts to drag the lot of them through court. If nothing else it may have discouraged future trash from playing wide and loose with other peoples money.