I'm buggered if I'll take my shoes off for APEC: Whitlam

[airbusthreetwenty]

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was unable to attend an event in Darwin today because of what he described as "overly officious" APEC security at Sydney airport.
Mr Whitlam, who is 91, told the Herald he had chosen not to catch his flight to the northern capital because he did not want to be put through the extra security either leaving Sydney or arriving in Darwin.
"I wear orthotics to help me walk, but they would have made me take my shoes off and I'm buggered if I'm going to do that," Mr Whitlam said from his Sydney office.
"Then, on the way back I would have had to travel from Darwin to Brisbane and then to Sydney and go through the security at every stage of the process."
"Ordinarily they know me there and they just let me through, but with APEC they're going to be extra officious so I decided not to go."
The Herald is seeking comment from the APEC taskforce.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/im-buggered-if-ill-take-my-shoes-off-whitlam/2007/08/31/1188067353132.html





Good on Gough I reckon. :D

[Peter Fanelli]

"Ordinarily they know me there and they just let me through, but with APEC they're going to be extra officious so I decided not to go."



aaaah, one rule for the peasants and no rules for Gough huh?

[ScottyDoo]

Tough **** Gough. You were a part of the machine, this is what you produced.

Still, if everyone did it, we might see the day when thousands of pimply rent-a-cops are no longer empowered to enrage the general flying populace.

Ordinarily they know me there and they just let me through

What an ignorant fcuk, saying something like that.

[Mobi LAME]

But would they make George Dubblya or Johnny the Grub take their shoes off?

[Buster Hyman]

You are assuming that GWB & JWH would use the same terminal as commoners...:hmm:

Geez, I hope it was John Kerr's Grandson manning that checkpoint!:E

Gough, both you & Fraser can just go back to Jurassic Park where you belong!:=

[Spaz Modic]

Poor old Whitless.

That dumbass is the idiot who started the rot that took 25 years before a turnaround was even glimpsed.

We had the dopiest Layba Loony called Fraser (dressed up as a Lib) follow, then, as far as the profession of airline pilot is concerned, the disaster of Old Silver then the Undertaker.

And there is the possibility it's about to start all over again with Bonnie and Clyde - guess which is who.:rolleyes:

[Islander Jock]

But would they make George Dubblya or Johnny the Grub take their shoes off?
Well according to the regs they bloody well should! :mad:

[Fantome]

Foaming at the mouth about one old man's foibles, resorting to cheap invective and forgetting the old dictum about sex, politics and religion, is here apparent.

It is poor tabloid type form to sling off from the hip at anyone with an impressive history, unless able and prepared to debate and discuss the broad sweep of initiatives, including all that may be deemed either successes or failures.

[Wheeler]

Wow!!! fantome for moderator!

[lowerlobe]

But would they make George Dubblya or Johnny the Grub take their shoes off?

Thats why GB and his deputy have their own transport.

Wow!!! fantome for moderator!

Then perhaps fantome should consider checking his spelling.I assume he meant puerility not purility.

Maybe it's aircraft and he has someone in his English class helping him.:E

In fact it sounds more like a speech that Sir Humphrey Appleby would have made with with the exception that Sir Humphrey would have got the spelling and grammar correct.

[44WING]

"Well according to the regs they bloody well should!"

Different rules for different folk has always been, and will always be, the order of the day for those without $hit on their shoulders.

I recall some Japanese high rollers attending a certain casino complete with protection squad, one of whom had fallen asleep on a lounge and was displaying impressive weaponry under his armpit.

The 'own transport' comment isn't really relevant whether it is little Johnny Loser or President Chaney oops... sorry, Bush, or any other form of paranoia.

We are really no different to others we criticise - we just hide it better.

[bushy]

And the news I heard on TV said that Gough did not go because security would not accept his wheelchair.
Seems I was very naive to think that TV news gave us some truth, and facts.

[lowerlobe]

44WING...Did I say that having their own transport was a bad thing or comment in any way?

I simply mentioned that they did.....

[ScottyDoo]

Sir Humphrey would have got the spelling and grammar correct.
Last edited by lowerlobe : Yesterday at 22:47.


You obviously failed to get yours right - and had to rush back and edit it.

Pot, Kettle, over. :rolleyes:

[Worrals in the wilds]

FWIW...
I was a security screener in the nineties and Whitlam was a fairly regular traveller through the airport I worked at.
He was always screened to the same degree as everyone else and certainly received no special favours from us.

For the record, he was always co-operative and charming when passing through the screening point, unlike several other pollies I could mention :rolleyes:

From what I remember, current serving heads of state and PMs come under different (decreased) screening regs, but other pollies certainly aren't exempt.

[lowerlobe]

Hey it's Little Scotty,the ship of the desert is back and making about as much sense as usual.

My edit was to add the comment about Sir Humphrey Appleby not to correct any spelling or grammar.I don't know about the Pot or the Kettle or anything black but Scotty you remind me of a tea pot,over....

[44WING]

lowerlobe ....chill.

No harm - no foul.

There are two quotes of relevance there that are not necessarily connected - yours was one.

Trees, blues skies, dolphins, beer...............Spring is here.

[Buster Hyman]

Now, if the initial post was true...and Whitlam was a pilot....

Pot, faeces, large spoon...stir...:E

[priapism]

Malcolm Fraser took off his pants in America so I don't know what Gough is complaining about!!

[Captain Sand Dune]

Who gives a fcuk?:mad:

Furthermore, who really cares about the old git has to say anyway. Gough Whitlam sounds more like a male version of Germaine Greer every time he opens his mouth. Now if we could only get him to leave Australia! Fat change though, he's still milking the taxpayer for all he's worth after his failed attempt at leading this country!
P!ss off, Gough!:mad:

[D.Lamination]

Never Agreed with a single thing Gough has said or done :cool:

However, I am with him on this one. Airport security is an OTT farce:yuk:
We are looking for "the Needle in the haystack" by checking every piece of straw instead of using a metal detector (profiling & other measures) to find the needle directly. All in the name of political correctness.

Lastest example of the farce (in a series of 1,000,000):

Last week in CBR - Airport catering worker (or maybe he was just dressed like that!) is taking some cases of mineral water airside through the pax channel. He puts the cases of water through the scanner - no guns in there! (maybe nitro though since 100ml doesn't apply domestic). He then wheels his LARGE METAL TROLLEY :confused: between the scanners and walks through the body scanner himself. Meanwhile SLF are dutifully taking off their shoes belts etc.

I guess no one in CBR security has ever watched or read "Day of the Jackal"

[Jet_A_Knight]

Some of you guys would do well to actually research the legislative reform he and his government implemented - before mouthing off.:=

Those of you who were born without a silver spoon in your mouth might have even benefited from them.:hmm:

[D.Lamination]

:ugh:
Jet_A_Knight - would that include his muddle headed foreign policy including appeasing the Indonesian dictator Suharto - which directly lead to the deaths of 2-300,000 East Timorese (not to mention our journalists etc)?

-Would that include 20+% inflation and a complete economic illiterate as Treasurer.

-Would that include unemployment rising from 3% - 12%? The "workers" really enjoyed that.

-Would that include borrowing money from Saddam Hussein?

Anyway - he did have a certain "presence" and gift for oratory and as I said I agree with his stand on security.

[DutchRoll]

I'm not sure if you intended to come across as economically and historically simple-minded or not D Lamination. Before crapping on about any inflation or unemployment rates from the 70's, it would pay to seriously think about the different economic situation during those times.

Even a pitifully minute amount of research would've told you that inflation was already rapidly rising when Whitlam came to power, and the Oz dollar was badly undervalued. Not exactly great economic circumstances handed on by his predecessor, whose political party shall remain nameless. Whitlam initiated some fairly substantial reforms for the time, such as revaluations of the dollar and significant tariff cuts. The energy crisis of '73 then played no small part in sending the economy into recession (70% rise in oil prices, etc). Even the apparently legendary JW Howard would've been helpless to prevent that.

Hey, Whitlam was no angel: he deserves criticism for a dysfunctional relationship with the Treasury, among other things, and he failed to keep wages under control. But the "implication" that he was solely responsible - or even inherently responsible - for some of the things you listed, or that they would've ended up differently under, say, a Liberal Government, is just total, utter, and complete bullsh*t. Funnily enough, the Liberal-governed states at the time were openly and braisenly uncooperative with Whitlam's Government back then. Hmmm. I think I've heard the Governnment moaning about that sort of thing just recently!

[Jet_A_Knight]

DLAMINATION said:

Never Agreed with a single thing Gough has said or done

Delam, you must be a real unit to not agree with the list below, that even a cursory stab at ' Wikipedia' would net you.

In the space of a little less than three years, the Whitlam Government:

1. Established formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China

2. Assumed responsibility for tertiary education from the states and abolished tertiary fees

3. Cut tariffs across the board by 25% and abolished the Tariff Board

4. Established the Schools Commission to distribute federal funds to assist non-government schools on a needs basis

5. Introduced a supporting benefit for single-parent families

6. Abolished the death penalty for federal crimes.

7. Reduced the voting age to 18 years

9. Abolished the last vestiges of the White Australia Policy

10. Introduced language programs for non-English speaking Australians

11. Mandated equal opportunities for women in Federal Government employment

12. Appointed women to judicial and administrative positions

13. Abolished conscription

14. Set up the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee

15. Amalgamated the five separate defence departments

16. Instituted direct federal grants to local governments

17. Established the Order of Australia (Australia's own honours system)

18. Improved access to justice for Indigenous Australians

19. Introduced the policy of Self-determination for Indigenous Australians

20. Advocated land rights for Indigenous Australians

21. Increased funding for Indigenous Australian's welfare

22. Introduced the Multiculturalism policy for all new migrants

23. Established Legal Aid

24. Increased funding for the arts.

I never said he was perfect - but credit where credit's due.

[Capt.Grumpy]

Who gives a fcuk?
Furthermore, who really cares about the old git has to say anyway. Gough Whitlam sounds more like a male version of Germaine Greer every time he opens his mouth. Now if we could only get him to leave Australia! Fat change though, he's still milking the taxpayer for all he's worth after his failed attempt at leading this country!
P!ss off, Gough!
Capt. Sand Dune ,
my late Uncle Norm was in 13 Squadron with Gough during WW2 and maintained this friendship until his death 18 years ago . I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Whitlam on 2 occassions due to my Uncle Norm's wartime friendship . Mr Whitlam was an absolute pleasure. A humble thoughtful person who genuinely cared about his fellow man. He possesses more intellect, humility and altruism in his big toe than a non entity like yourself would ever possess. :mad: what a pity there is no smiley for "w@nker"

[Spaz Modic]

my late Uncle Norm was in 13 Squadron with Gough during WW2

Grumps - Whitless's failing as a PM has little to do with his comradeship in Squadron with your relative.

Whitless set in train a series of loony left policies which ballooned to the excesses we endured for a generation.

If you want the same to occur now, then you will vote for Pixie and Dixie, who will soon turn into Bonnie and Clyde if elected.

Economists have already predicted that the cash pool will be too much for them to hold and it will drip through their collective fingers like a squadron of Scrooge McDuck's swimming in the Treasury vault as they repeat the history of Whitless and his successors including The Mask - aka loony left Fraser dressed as a Liberal.

[DEFCON4]

You forget to view the Australian economy in a world context.
You will find that inflation,interest rates and employment were similar or worse in other western economies.
The australian Economy does not exist in a vaccuum.
The sub prime market collapse in the states is a perfect example.
Learn some basic economics.
The boom that we are currently experiencing is not due to Howard but rather the demand for our resources.
The only reason Howard et al have such a large budget surplus is because these swine are the highest taxing government in the history of Australia and in the present OECD.
A drovers dog could and is running this country.
Personal freedoms are decreasing and political correctness has become fanatical.
Unde Howard Australia has become a divided selfish and mostly unhappy country.
Employment has increased due to contracts and casual work.
The working poor who cant get a mortgage buy a car or even a fridge.
The gap between the haves and have nots has now become a chasm.
Whitlam had vision and took over an economy neglected by the conservatives for 25 years.
History will view JWH poorly

[Fliegenmong]

Defcon 4 wrote:

"History will view JWH poorly"

Very poorly indeed Defcon very very poorly indeed - however he may well be remembered as a trivial pursuit question "Who is the only Australian PM to have led the country in an attack of a sovereign state" actually there are a few of those come to think of it......."Who was the undisputed worst treasurer in Australia's history" "Who was the highest taxing PM in Australian history" - over to you..............

[tail wheel]

From: I'm buggered if I'll take my shoes off for APEC: Whitlam; to a passionate, biased political debate in 29 posts!!!!! :ugh:

Must be a new record for total thread drift............ :{ :{

I'f there is anything new and important about Mr Whitlam's shoes and is aviation related, feel free to start a new thread!

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