Dear reader,

we return once again to our saga, as out two heroes, protected by arguably Australia’s greatest soldier, ‘ Benny-Boy’ Roberts Smith await their fate from arguably Australia’s second most powerful woman Sophie Mirabella, now compassionate and fair minded member of the Fair Work Commission on a huge stipend. Not that the stipend has anything to do with her proven electoral popularity or the parachuting of , (who the fuck is he?) Her hubby onto a safe senate seat, but in recognition of the work she has performed in aged care, (Putting a law professor in her back shed) and womens rights, (the right for Gina to pay no tax) and philanthropy. For Sophie is a ‘heavy-lifter’ determined to preserve the right of Gina, Twiggy and any other grotesquely wealthy Australians to choose where they pay tax, (if at all ) and enjoy kickbacks, adulation and on offer of a lucky-dip gong for services to themselves on their way. 

Perilously perched, our heroes await their fate as Sophie and Dutto sort out the spoils of victory. If SCOMO loses, Albo wins for punching through with epoch making change and a radical platform? Or a safe policy of offering to the electorate more of the same, (with a left-leaning earnest commitment to do something about homelessness and corruption….one day)  It makes no difference. They’ll win through, and winners, as Justin Langer will tell you, are more often than not, may not be……grinners. 

So satrap yourself in, and prepare for the worst. The stakes are high-level, and so is the pong coming from the same corridors of power than those in which out Tea-lady, was so cruelly defiled. And the perpetrator? Still, a mystery behind closed doors.

‘Let the doors open’, as Cardinal Pell would say…. 

And… as the pommy lady on the tube station says in reference to Boris’s plummeting popularity, (a possible contender for a seat on the Fair Work Commission?) “ Mind the gap” 

Thus ensued a  whispered conversation, in which Ces and Quent, had to de- brief Terry as to why the economy was run by hedge fund managers and crypto currency dealers, and merchant bankers in league with the real estate industry and mining. Terry seemed surprised, and yet at ease with the overall definition of public policy since decimalisation as being, lazy, complacent and insular.  As he sighed to Ces and Quent, (the dim silhouette of Sophie still engaged in conversation with Dutto);

 ‘That is a source of some relief! Australia was never ever going to be a radical country and it’s good to see overall, that the Australian public still stand for insularity, quiet xenophobia and the lowest common denominator.’ Terry could see the big- picture, and though there was the blip of the man they called “Gough”, it was reassuring to see that neither party stood for anything other than gouging and feather- bedding. He scratched his head and said thoughtfully; 

‘What of Ming, did he retire gracefully, after decimalisation’? 

‘Oh yes, Ming was still in power, and I believe it was rumoured that Harold was in line, funny how the years fly’, to whit Terry wth renewed interest enquired; ‘incidentally, how did Harold go’? 

‘Well, I’m afraid your in for a bit of a shock,  Harold died swimming’. There was stunned silence. 

‘Jeez, that’s bad luck was it in his pool at home’?….

‘Nup mate it was at Portsea. 

Jeez, that’s such a shock, we had some good times together. Being his driver in the olden days I wondered which Sheilas’ swimming pool in Toorak it might’ve been? He was always keen on visiting his many lady donors and supporters whilst Zara was out to cocktail parties and society gigs.  But I spose he was destined to drown… he was always drawn to the sea, and the many sea creatures that he found irresistible’. 

Before Terry began to reel off the names of all the exotic species Harold Holt was fond of; the mollusc, the clam, the sea cucumber, and the bearded-bivalve, Ces cut in with “Yeah Terry, with all the scuba diving?” Quent interjected, 

‘Nup mate all the womanising’ On this Terry had first-hand experience. ‘ Gets to a bloke when he just can’t get up in the morning for all the shagging’. 

‘I suppose a lot else has changed’? 

The next twenty minutes were intent, with Ces and Quent filling in Terry on all that had happened in Australia since 1966. 

After a few more minutes of narrative, “the Dismissal’,  the decision by Hawkey to establish compulsory superannuation and the “supine state’, the decision to eschew universities for 457 visas. The boom in real estate, post political career lobbying and the BOON of private prisons to process indigenous Australians and maintain the policy of forced separations “ for their own good’ as ‘THEY’ are by and bye, ‘an ungrateful people for all we’ve done’, Terry was up to the mark on what made contemporary Australia tick. 

“So I spose White Australia does that still hold well’? 

‘This will come as a shock Terry.  Well no, but yes..… I’m afraid, not, but then we still do have a broader policy called ‘Sovereign Borders’ that keeps most of the rat-bag lefties out and people of colour. We still allow foreign people in on a special category, provided they have shitloads of money’. 

‘Oh that’s reassuring’ Terry sighed, ‘good to see we still have a broad immigration policy that’s not reliant on compassion and empathy. That would be a national disgrace, and an affront to the all those politicians who have served to ensure that real estate and mining are the twin pillars of Australian Society’. 

“You’ve got it on one Terry”, Ces affirmed reassuringly.

Just as all of this had sunk in, they noticed Sophie step back and tell Dutto that the deal was off. 

We listened, they’d clearly had a disagreement, was this our chance? 

What chance was their left to play, have the cards been dealt and does Crown have an option on the next deal? Who’s deal? Find out in the next indexed episode of statistical probability. ‘A deck in the hand, or a decking’? or…. ‘Two tools in the box and they’re both blunt’.