In a normal (half-senate) election you will need to win about 14% of the votes which in NSW (pop. 7 mill) equates to just over 1 million votes, after preferences.

There is 15,000 aeroplanes on the CASA register of which 4200-odd (27%) are registered to operators in NSW.

There are about 36,000 pilot licences out there (from the CASA website) - applying the same proportion, that's about 8500 pilots in NSW.

How many engineers?
How many ATCers?
How many enthusiasts?
How many RAAus types?

I would be surprised if we could muster 100,000 primary votes from the whole aviation sector in NSW. The candidate would then rely on preferences and non-aviation types for votes.

It is hard to imagine anyone other than Dick getting... er... up. :ooh:

By contrast, there were 102,842 electors in Bronwyn's seat of Mackellar in 2013... 50% of them might be easier to get?!?

I am clearly a monarchist as they are all chopper pilots. If we change to a republic we may get a non pilot and that would be criminal.!

I wish there was a like button Dick. ;)

I am dumbfounded by the attention the republicans attempt to drum up when we had a referendum just 16 years ago. Like calling for another referee when you don't like the outcome of the match.

As for Pete (such smart bloke who says so many dumb things) Fitzsimons calling for that Morrison bloke to be first el-Presidente`, he obviously never twigged that Morrison never actually wrote the anti-discrimination/equality speech for which he was famously nominated AOTY. That speech was written by Army lieutenant colonel Catherine McGregor...formerly Malcolm.

Anyway as a local constituent Dick, I would vote for you.

Most of the people I know are happy to leave it as a monarchy, simply because of the cost of change......the rest remain silent hehe.

I think Dick should run on a Palmer Ticket as Deputy PM.
Clives a loudmouth and Dicks an Achiever.

Great crunch on numbers Horatio. But you missed the rednecks, who will vote for Dick 'coz they no he is ocker!' Probably be interesting to run the poll in frankston or broadmeadows hehe.

Personally, if i lived in Dicks electorate, I'd vote for him. At least I know i'll get a candidate that will belt his head (albeit uselessly) against the establishment. That alone outweighs his policies.

Don't they both have great self belief, robust egos and use their wealth to tirelessly promote themselves?