An Ode to Ansett
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An Ode to Ansett
"The time has come",the peasant said"To speak of many things.Of economic management in the hands of dingalings"
"How can it be? his mate replied.His face drawn and white"Not long ago we were on top-Everything was right!"
The peasant thought, then lit a smoke and slowly began to speak."Old mate", he said, his voice was soft-"We are truly up the creek."
"It doesn't matter who or where,you must surely understand-That wealth is but produced by work,and work is done by man."
"We,ve had it all so easy-So easy for so long. And now we're undone,Some will not belong."
"Remonds me of this bloke,Hitched two horses to a cart.One in front and one behind;Guess it wasn't all that smart."
"Then naturally his horses went to pull with all their might-the effect upon the cart was not a pretty sight."
"And that ,Old mate,is why today We're in the mess we're in. We should look to where we are going instead of where we've been."
"How can it be? his mate replied.His face drawn and white"Not long ago we were on top-Everything was right!"
The peasant thought, then lit a smoke and slowly began to speak."Old mate", he said, his voice was soft-"We are truly up the creek."
"It doesn't matter who or where,you must surely understand-That wealth is but produced by work,and work is done by man."
"We,ve had it all so easy-So easy for so long. And now we're undone,Some will not belong."
"Remonds me of this bloke,Hitched two horses to a cart.One in front and one behind;Guess it wasn't all that smart."
"Then naturally his horses went to pull with all their might-the effect upon the cart was not a pretty sight."
"And that ,Old mate,is why today We're in the mess we're in. We should look to where we are going instead of where we've been."
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"It’s time to run", the Kiwi said, “To sneak into the wings,
‘cos of AN, bare bones’re all that’s left - we’ve plucked the carcass clean."
"How can it be?” the AN staffer said, on hearing this sad story.
"When Rupert sold his share to you, he said all was hunky dory!"
The Kiwi glanced behind him lest someone else might hear him speak.
"It’s true we screwed up big time and for that, your future’s rather bleak.
But you’re a silly, silly Aussie. It was right before your eyes,
The truth was out there all along – Rupe was telling porky pies.
“The signs were there, long years ago – perhaps you should have seen the signs
When the Fat Man stuck it to your colleagues who would not toe the line
You allied yourself with heroes, both home grown and from o’erseas
And what’s that old saying ‘bout lying down with dogs and getting fleas?
"AN was like a rowing team with eight cox’s and one lone rower
- no matter how hard that rower rowed, the boat got slower an’ slower
While in the lanes beside it were new boats with teams of eight
And don’t forget, with heroes on your team, you carried much dead weight."
‘cos of AN, bare bones’re all that’s left - we’ve plucked the carcass clean."
"How can it be?” the AN staffer said, on hearing this sad story.
"When Rupert sold his share to you, he said all was hunky dory!"
The Kiwi glanced behind him lest someone else might hear him speak.
"It’s true we screwed up big time and for that, your future’s rather bleak.
But you’re a silly, silly Aussie. It was right before your eyes,
The truth was out there all along – Rupe was telling porky pies.
“The signs were there, long years ago – perhaps you should have seen the signs
When the Fat Man stuck it to your colleagues who would not toe the line
You allied yourself with heroes, both home grown and from o’erseas
And what’s that old saying ‘bout lying down with dogs and getting fleas?
"AN was like a rowing team with eight cox’s and one lone rower
- no matter how hard that rower rowed, the boat got slower an’ slower
While in the lanes beside it were new boats with teams of eight
And don’t forget, with heroes on your team, you carried much dead weight."
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Location: Caloundra. Qld. Australia
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There was movement at the terminal, for the word had passed around,
A group from old NZ, was running Ansett into the ground.
So came the experts from airports near and far to dish up unparalleled sh!t
And behind the pprune names they hide, for fear they may also be hit.
Now cries of anguish we hear, almost hourly every day,
As sixteen thousand workers, go looking for their pay.
The Kiwi Prime Minister reckons, Australians are bloody stupid
But how the hell would she know, she was obviously passed by cupid.
Sixteen thousand is but the tip, of the mountain of heartache and despair
As workers stand side by side, just longing to get back in the air
The unions of Australia near and far, believe they have the answer,
Just take ANZ by the scruff of the neck and let the liquidator pants her.
And of course the boys from ’89 sit back and bask in the glow of success
Most couldn’t give a **** about the undue strain and stress
They justify their fleeting moments of glee and satisfaction
Yet they seem to forget or ignore, that nearly 70,000 people are affected by this action.
And in amongst all this, the real culprits hide and cower
Bob Hawke, Peter Ables, Rupert Murdoch and the rest of that ****ing hopeless shower
They took an Australian Icon of huge an immense public participation
And dismantled it for personal wealth, greed and self gratification
We could go on down the list of those that played their part
But one has to admit and agree, that the ANZ Board have incompetence down to a fine art
One has to go on and wonder, what part in this Singapore played
As methinks that in their insignificant little pile of dirt, they should bloody well have stayed
‘tis the hope of all Australia, that the skies will soon be graced
By a group of dedicated souls, to give QF & VB a race
So put aside your logos and your company pride
And give these guys a hand, ‘cause it’s BLOODY COLD OUTSIDE
A group from old NZ, was running Ansett into the ground.
So came the experts from airports near and far to dish up unparalleled sh!t
And behind the pprune names they hide, for fear they may also be hit.
Now cries of anguish we hear, almost hourly every day,
As sixteen thousand workers, go looking for their pay.
The Kiwi Prime Minister reckons, Australians are bloody stupid
But how the hell would she know, she was obviously passed by cupid.
Sixteen thousand is but the tip, of the mountain of heartache and despair
As workers stand side by side, just longing to get back in the air
The unions of Australia near and far, believe they have the answer,
Just take ANZ by the scruff of the neck and let the liquidator pants her.
And of course the boys from ’89 sit back and bask in the glow of success
Most couldn’t give a **** about the undue strain and stress
They justify their fleeting moments of glee and satisfaction
Yet they seem to forget or ignore, that nearly 70,000 people are affected by this action.
And in amongst all this, the real culprits hide and cower
Bob Hawke, Peter Ables, Rupert Murdoch and the rest of that ****ing hopeless shower
They took an Australian Icon of huge an immense public participation
And dismantled it for personal wealth, greed and self gratification
We could go on down the list of those that played their part
But one has to admit and agree, that the ANZ Board have incompetence down to a fine art
One has to go on and wonder, what part in this Singapore played
As methinks that in their insignificant little pile of dirt, they should bloody well have stayed
‘tis the hope of all Australia, that the skies will soon be graced
By a group of dedicated souls, to give QF & VB a race
So put aside your logos and your company pride
And give these guys a hand, ‘cause it’s BLOODY COLD OUTSIDE
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nasa, I’m slipping out of verse to reply, because what I have to say is too damned important to fit into my hopelessly poor attempts at iambic pentameter. I know I can’t speak for all 89-ers, but the vast majority of us feel no joy at AN’s current demise. We admit to feeling some satisfaction at the discomfort the unspeakables are currently going through, (I’m sure ‘heroically’), but we sympathise with the rest of you, for we all too accurately understand what you are going through at the moment. Because, not to make too fine a point of it, we’ve ALL been there and done that. Remember? And we, unlike you, had ZERO public sympathy at the time and a blanket refusal on the part of damn near everyone to understand..
What I and others have tried to say here is that in 89 /90 we tried to warn you ALL where the Fat Man was leading the company and almost without exception, we were met, sometimes with hostility, but universally with a selective blindness that staggered me at the time. Early in the dispute, I was roundly abused picking my children up from school by a woman whose husband was missing out on his overtime ‘because of you’. And she didn’t want to hear anything that might cloud her ‘clear understanding’ of the situation.
This was coming – none of us could predict how, but it was coming – from the day the dirty duo took over in 79 and began stripping the very guts out of a once proud company. You only had to look at the low-lifes who moved into (and UP into) management – people who would do the Fat Man’s bidding however stupid we (and they) could see it was. You got quite a few of those among your pilot group post 89, but it wasn’t just the pilot group who suffered fools at the helm. Who could forget the biggest sh*t kicker of them all, now (mis?) managing a certain football club?
Good luck to you all - well, almost all. May you be back in gainful employment with minimum delay. I just hope the damned government doesn’t end up giving the carcass, without debt, to those manipulative bastards from SQ. If they take AN over, those ‘lucky’ enough to get their jobs back will understand the term ‘blood on the streets’.
Maybe it’s time you all took a class action suit out on the survivor to the dirty duo – the real culprit in AN’s current demise.
What I and others have tried to say here is that in 89 /90 we tried to warn you ALL where the Fat Man was leading the company and almost without exception, we were met, sometimes with hostility, but universally with a selective blindness that staggered me at the time. Early in the dispute, I was roundly abused picking my children up from school by a woman whose husband was missing out on his overtime ‘because of you’. And she didn’t want to hear anything that might cloud her ‘clear understanding’ of the situation.
This was coming – none of us could predict how, but it was coming – from the day the dirty duo took over in 79 and began stripping the very guts out of a once proud company. You only had to look at the low-lifes who moved into (and UP into) management – people who would do the Fat Man’s bidding however stupid we (and they) could see it was. You got quite a few of those among your pilot group post 89, but it wasn’t just the pilot group who suffered fools at the helm. Who could forget the biggest sh*t kicker of them all, now (mis?) managing a certain football club?
Good luck to you all - well, almost all. May you be back in gainful employment with minimum delay. I just hope the damned government doesn’t end up giving the carcass, without debt, to those manipulative bastards from SQ. If they take AN over, those ‘lucky’ enough to get their jobs back will understand the term ‘blood on the streets’.
Maybe it’s time you all took a class action suit out on the survivor to the dirty duo – the real culprit in AN’s current demise.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
You've conveyed my sentiments fairly accurately too, Wiley. BTW, I have never been able to email you on the address provided on your profile.
No Booka, it is NOT possible to dismiss the events of 1989 as being inconsequential in Ansett's long term debilitation and final demise.
No Booka, it is NOT possible to dismiss the events of 1989 as being inconsequential in Ansett's long term debilitation and final demise.
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Twelve years on, and the message a number of us have delivered is beginning to dawn on those who derided that message, and those of us who delivered it.
Shoot the messenger syndrome.
My lack of pleasure in seeing the collapse of AN is not because of the current incumbents, but because of the slow torture delivered by those who are still at large, and were strung by the true antagonist - Abeles.
It is hard to forget ground staff verbally attacking my late wife and telling her the scabs were heroes.
Shoot the messenger syndrome.
My lack of pleasure in seeing the collapse of AN is not because of the current incumbents, but because of the slow torture delivered by those who are still at large, and were strung by the true antagonist - Abeles.
It is hard to forget ground staff verbally attacking my late wife and telling her the scabs were heroes.
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Wiley….. A reply was not required and I fail to see the need for same…..The little ditty above, was done tongue in cheek and was not meant as a shot across the bows as it were, to anyone…..In fact, you will notice that I have basically attempted to include everyone, all and sundry, with the exception of our beloved Prime Minister and opposition Leader, but fear not, I will endeavour to add them in later today. 
However (and there usually is an however), I would like to put the record straight on a number of assumptions raised in your reply…..Firstly, I am not, and never have been, employed by AN (many years ago I did work for a company that was a member of Ansett Supply & Trading Group), but am well acquainted with a good number of persons, including my daughters boyfriend who was employed as an engineer there (g’day to Capt Hatrack, Kiwi Carl, Bill, Christine et al)…..The little dig at the ‘89er’s, was prompted by comments such as:
sniffer dog posted 17 September 2001 11:10
Betelgeuse posted 17 September 2001 11:56
And these are but two that I pulled off one thread at a flick of the mouse…..I’m sure you will agree that there have been a sh!tload of others, and decidedly less tasteful than these…..therefore, I can see no reason as to why you would take exception to my little ditty, to the degree that it would require a response that would suggest that I need a lesson in what transpired back then…..Your response is fairly well standard, and that comment is not meant as a slight to yourself, your feelings, or experiences, but is a simple fact of being…..The words may not be in the same order, but the meaning is…..Basically, I guess what I’m saying is, if you (read ‘89er’s) expose yourselves (again read ‘89er’s) to ridicule with comments/post as exhibited above, than I fail to see how you (again read ‘89er’s) can adopt the moral high ground with dented, wounded and misunderstood demeanour.
I could not agree more re your comments on the inevitable demise of AN, in particular once SQ became involved, this once great icon.
Again I stress that the entire thing was done in good humour, and not meant as an affront to anyone.
I fear however (there it is again) that this post will only draw me further criticism from the select few who feel that when addressing subjects pertaining to pilots from that era, one should employ the now standard level of Political Correctness
However (and there usually is an however
), I would like to put the record straight on a number of assumptions raised in your reply…..Firstly, I am not, and never have been, employed by AN (many years ago I did work for a company that was a member of Ansett Supply & Trading Group), but am well acquainted with a good number of persons, including my daughters boyfriend who was employed as an engineer there (g’day to Capt Hatrack, Kiwi Carl, Bill, Christine et al)…..The little dig at the ‘89er’s, was prompted by comments such as:
In the words of a great American comedian Jackie Gleeson HOW SWEET IT IS!!!
'89er
'89er
Yep - the celebrations here are BIGGER than the "Screw the Pilots" celebrations regularly held amongst the AN/TN staff in '89.
I'm getting muscle cramps from the permanent smile on my face!
There IS justice in the world after all.
I'm getting muscle cramps from the permanent smile on my face!
There IS justice in the world after all.
And these are but two that I pulled off one thread at a flick of the mouse…..I’m sure you will agree that there have been a sh!tload of others, and decidedly less tasteful than these…..therefore, I can see no reason as to why you would take exception to my little ditty, to the degree that it would require a response that would suggest that I need a lesson in what transpired back then…..Your response is fairly well standard, and that comment is not meant as a slight to yourself, your feelings, or experiences, but is a simple fact of being…..The words may not be in the same order, but the meaning is…..Basically, I guess what I’m saying is, if you (read ‘89er’s) expose yourselves (again read ‘89er’s) to ridicule with comments/post as exhibited above, than I fail to see how you (again read ‘89er’s) can adopt the moral high ground with dented, wounded and misunderstood demeanour.
I could not agree more re your comments on the inevitable demise of AN, in particular once SQ became involved, this once great icon.
Again I stress that the entire thing was done in good humour, and not meant as an affront to anyone.
I fear however (there it is again
) that this post will only draw me further criticism from the select few who feel that when addressing subjects pertaining to pilots from that era, one should employ the now standard level of Political Correctness
