We Were Horny Then

Remember the 60’s, flower power and free love.

 Then there was Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n Roll in the 70’s and 80’s.

 It is all a bit dull in 2023, isn’t it?

At the end of each year, Google releases various data about the most search or Googled things of the year.

 The 2023 most Googled sex questions came to my attention and I was a little shocked.

I guess searching for details about a particular sex position could be expected and in 2023, the question concerned the speed hump position. But for this to be the number one question surprised me a little. There must be more interesting and adventurous positions to ask about, or invent.

The 5^th most popular question concerned how many dates should occur before sex. Sometimes one date is too many and one hundred not enough. Is it still 3 dates?

 While first being shocked at the mainly benign nature of the most popular questions a little reflection had me wondering if the easy access to graphic and unrealistic vision via numerous adult websites is having an impact on what we already know or think we know.

 Or maybe we are genuinely becoming more conservative in our teenage sexual explorations and there is less peer pressure to conform to stereotype.

 But putting all that aside, the tenth most popular sex questions posed to Google in 2023 particularly surprised me.

 he subject upon which information was being sort had never entered my consciousness. Further, I am not aware of it ever entering the consciousness of anyone I know.

I would be interested, at least I think I would be interested to know if it has ever entered the thoughts of anyone reading this. (marine biologists excepted)

Then again, is it possible I am the only person who has never wondered, considered or contemplated “How do fish have sex”

 For those interested, here is the source article   

Writers' Write

I identify as a cyclist; therefore, I ride my bike several times a week.

I identify as a runner, and likewise, I go for a run several times a week.

I identify as a reader of books and read on an almost daily basis.

I identify as many things, and practice each on a regular basis as appropriate to what each is.

I identify as a writer, but over the last 12 months, I have very rarely written.

Writing is an outlet, a recording of ideas, opinions, events, observations, and conversations.

Regular writing has many benefits.

When writing regularly, my senses of observation seem to grow along with the ability to recall and interpret. It is like a muscle that grows stronger with use.

When writing regularly, conversations that are seemingly mundane become more interesting because the tendency is to concentrate and ask questions, to learn because everyone is a teacher.

Diverting for a moment.

I do not like New Year resolutions. I see no reason why a selected date should be the date to start or stop something. Often, a New Years Resolution is an excuse to delay an action. What is the point of saying in August, come 1 January I will do this or that? It is more correctly called a New Year procrastination.

All year long we do minor versions of a New Year procrastination. We put off doing something until the first of the month, next Monday or at a more micro level, until the top of the hour. All are procrastination facilitators.

I am an expert at facilitating procrastinations. I will decide to go for a run at 6 am and then waste 12 minutes waiting until 6 am.

I am set on changing this habit right now, this moment at a day, date and time that is now.

Where was I before this little diversion?

In 2024, I will discover new music. We do run the risk of being set in our musical ways and retreating to the comfort of what we know. I will write about my discoveries.

In 2024, I will read at least 26 books, Now, this is not one book per fortnight, it just happens to be a number that equals the number of fortnights. I will discuss books in writing too. I will allocate time each week for focused, uninterrupted reading.

Last year, I delved in to the world of YouTube creating with my Melbourne Marathon project. I will diversify and expand my YouTube creativity in 2024. I might even write about it.

The downside of writing, or any creating is vulnerability. I tend to deal in the real rather than fictional exposing myself to judgement and criticism. No one likes criticism however, if I am to express an opinion, I must be open to others doing the same, about me.

When expressing a critical opinion, I will acknowledge the other side of the argument and always offer a solution. It is easy to be critical, however a critical opinion is only ever of value if it includes a solution. Please call me out if I fall short on either front.

Economics has been a long term interest. I am however moving away from the graphs and data, the science, the art and the analysis. Instead, I am establishing the “Observational Economist” This is the looking at the economy by way of observing changes in behaviour, intent, and mood in real or at least recent time rather than 3 months, 6 months later.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) fascinates me. I am determined to learn more about it and to share my findings from the basis of every day use by normal people. Most of the talk around AI seems aimed at big business, big money endeavours. My interest is the everyday applications of this new wonder. I will write about it.

I am also looking at The Absurd, and there is an abundance of things to look at. Feel free to offer suggestions.

Finally, I will be establishing a new or alternative platform, although posts will continue here, I will be transitioning to a new site in the coming weeks.

Welcome to 2024, a year of new beginnings, new discoveries, connections or re-connections and of thoughtful, meaningful, and respectful conversations.

I identify as a writer and I write regularly.

Scrap all funding promised for Women’s Sport announced these past 10 days (keep reading)

Australia, give yourself a big pat on the back.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) is done and dusted and by any measure it has been the most successful WWC ever.

 Record crowds, ticket sales, sponsorships, TV ratings, social media engagement, media content, everything has exceeded all that has gone before it. Well done Australia (and New Zealand)

 And what about our Matildas, the Australian Women’s Football Team? They have gone deeper in to the tournament than ever before, become household names and conducted themselves with absolute professionalism as fierce competitors on the field and with esteem and respect off the field.

Males, Females and Neutrals are wearing Matilda merchandise, proudly and with no regard to gender. Boys are asking what the boy version of a Matilda is called.

Not surprisingly, our retrospectively opportunistic politicians are clamoring to board the high floating ship.

Cash strapped Governments are pledging funds for female sports. $50 million here, $100 million there. Ministers, opposition front benchers and local members alike have suddenly become aware of the inadequacy of playing facilities and changing rooms.

 It is like they have all just realised girls and women are not all that inclined to use a urinal. (A typical sporting club changing rooms will have a urinal and 2, maybe 3 cubicles, more than adequate for most male teams).

 In the rush to be popular, the Federal Government and Opposition have made various promises to fund a variety of activities and infrastructure for Women’s sport.

My concern is we will suffer the fate of lots of hot air involving many words, too many speeches, promises and associated photo opportunities and as the front pages are filled with the next big thing, nothing will happen.

I propose the Federal Government and Opposition do the following:

• Jointly announce all promises and commitments made in the wake of the WWC are withdrawn
• Announce a bipartisan equal representation committee with each Leader alternating as Chair. This committee will determine where funds are most needed and instruct the Department of Sport to allocate project priorities. The committee has no authority to change the allocation of projects
• The Federal Government and Opposition will commit to a level of funding in the next budget and for this to be an annual amount for 15 years indexed to inflation. This means even when the colour of the Government changes, funding does not.

I understand mine is a very broad brushed proposal lacking in detail.

I also understand that when one side of politics want to discredit the other the first line of attack is “we need more detail.”

But let us be bigger than that and look at the concept here.

For the past 16 years, our leaders across all parties have been unable to work together to deliver stability. Business has been screaming with frustration for a clear concise energy policy. The farming fraternity has been wanting a clear, consistent water and climate policy and industry in general wants stable and consistent tax and employment policies.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup has united a nation.

What if its bigger and more important legacy in Australia was providing the catalyst to return to some consistent policy initiatives, securely funded and prioritised for the good of the community and not for the short term goal of a politician standing for election or re-election.

And what if this were to be a new standard for doing what is best for Australia each time on every issue?

What is there to lose?

Getting The Band Back Together – Playing Since 1971

Everything has a beginning, a middle and an end.

In this story, the beginning takes place in 1971, 51 years ago. 

In 1971, Michael, Mathew and Peter are members of the Kew Hockey Club Junior Division. Les is part of the cadet sailing program at Royal Melbourne Yacht Club while Brett, Colin and Ted are in their first year at Camberwell High School.

The glue that joins these three diverse groups in 1971 is Ian as a member of the hockey club, a sailing cadet and in his first year at Camberwell High.

The weekend just past would not have occurred had Ian been a cricketer, a footballer or a private school student. There would have been a different beginning. 

We gathered at Ted’s on Friday evening for celebratory drinks, a wood fired home cooked pizza or three, many laughs, exchanges of views, much ribbing and a sharing of emotions. 

That 51 years on, this group of 8 are able to happily, easily and appreciatingly come together is remarkable.

And how much our conversation has changed.

Once we talked endlessly of the games we played, the parties we attended, the girls we dated (or who refused to date us) and the cars we drove (or crashed). In our late teens, we added talk of education, career and relationship choices to our conversations. Parenting came next and now for most of us, it is Grandparenting.      

When once our health related conversation addressed hangover cures, sleep deprivation mitigation and the odd corked muscle, now it is more about the ailments being managed, the joints being tendered and the organs being cared for.

Of our 8, one has a replaced hip, another is scheduled to acquire a new knee while two have benefitted from the miracle of cardiac surgery. There has also been a recent prostrate surgery,

Due to recent cardiac surgery Ted was unable to join us for the following 2 days.

No, that’s not correct. Ted’s physical presence was not with us, but he was most certainly there.

There is after all no band without the drummer to keep time, maintain the beat.

Back Row - from the left -Brett, Peter, Michael, Mathew. Front Row from the left Les, Ian, Colin. And short one Drummer - next time Ted

Once upon a time, 2 days away would have required (at least) 8 cartons of beer, some litres (and litres) of port and just a few bottles of Clare Valley’s finest, Taylors being our winery of choice. 

This past weekend, some fine wines were certainly consumed, but in appropriate quantities properly allowing for their appreciation. Rather than the flagons of port of past decades, the container was a bottle, sealed by way of a cork not a screw top. The count of beer cartons came to 3 plus some organic cyder, ginger beer and even, yes even, some zero alcohol beer.

How times have changed. 

And proud of these changes we all should be and we all are.

As a group we have much to be appreciative of. We all have healthy, educated and independent children. We all get on well with them too.

To varying degrees, we have all had some business success and are now in different phases of winding down our formal working lives.

We all have much to be grateful for; we all have much to look forward too.

Accordingly, we are all conscious of the choices we make and the potential impact on our future health and active lifestyles and the quality of friend and family interactions. 

We have unconditionally supported each other since 1971, and this support continues to grow, to strengthen and be ever more important and ever more valued.

One of us chose to abstain from alcohol. Once such a decision would have been mocked, all but forbidden and hardly accepted but not a negative word was spoken.

Another had meticulously planned an alternative diet, fish not red meat, salad not baked potato, and again, not a negative word was spoken.

More so, there was curiosity about what the objective is, what is to be achieved by such lifestyle choices.

It is impossible to imagine even 20 years ago, one of us being alcohol free or red meat minimal during a weekend away.

Health, longevity and active living was a recurring theme of the weekend’s conversation.

We are all committed to supporting the choices each make.

Equally, we are all selfish enough to hope, to absolutely 100% hope that our choices ensure that 51 years becomes 71 years and then some.

There is always a beginning, a middle and an end; may we be in the middle phase right now.

Old friends are the best friends and may the 8 of us become older and better, always with the drummer, in person, keeping the beat. 

We are grateful, we are appreciative and we are extremely thankful that in 1971, Ian went sailing in summer, played hockey in winter and started secondary school at Camberwell High.

 

Extreme Serenity - The scene we woke to on our final morning

 

Scotty Goes to Sydney – The trip itself is not the concern

If you are reading this, I assume you know about the Australian Prime Minister’s Fathers Day jaunt to Sydney.

To be clear, I am not too concerned about the trip itself.

I am not overly annoyed he received permissions and dispensations difficult if not impossible for others to obtain.

I am not rampaging about the cost or the use of a RAAF passenger aircraft.

I am not even all that concerned he gets to visit his children in Sydney when I cannot do the same.

I am however deeply concerned about what this simple Canberra to Sydney return may tell us about the Prime Ministers Office and our security.

For example, the Prime Minister (or his office) advised the PM intended staying in Sydney and working from there for the next few weeks. They said he only returned to Canberra on Sunday in order to Chair the Security Committee meeting on Monday.  

Is the Prime Minister’s office so shambolic, so incompetent and so disorganised that a scheduled and important meeting 2 days later was not known to them?  If so, and it appeared it must be so, we should all be concerned, as should our international partners and allies at such a high level of disorganisation and the appearance they are making it all up as they go 

And amid such chaos, how did Scott Morrison hope to prepare for such an important meeting.

Australia’s leader may well be a very clever person however even the best and brightest would prepare in advance for such a meeting. Afterall, such preparation is one of the reasons they are the best and brightest. It is a concern that no preparation would be possible or planned in advance.

However, it seems we did not originally have the full set of facts.

Following further questioning, it was revealed the Prime Minister was aware of the upcoming Security Committee meeting and planned to attend “remotely”. However, for security reasons it was decided he should head back to Canberra and perform his role in person.

So, what had transpired in the less than 48 hours between departing Canberra and deciding to return to trigger such security concerns in the communication channels between the PM’s official residence on Sydney and Government offices in Canberra?

Only a week before, several attendees at a Security Committee Meeting did so remotely so something must have changed.

What happened between Saturday morning when the PM departed Canberra and Sunday afternoon when he returned that resulted in severe security concerns for remote attendees?

Was there a cyber-attack, computer failure, security breach meaning a secure connection was impossible all of a sudden or something else more sinister.

If no secure link was possible between Sydney and Canberra a secure international communication channel would have been impossible.

Would our Government have been forced to exclude itself from conversations in the event a major international incident, a military action, major accident or disaster occurred? The only conclusion is we would have excluded ourselves potentially leaving Australian citizens unrepresented.

This communications security issue may be the real reason President Biden did not discuss the Afghanistan matter with the leader of their most loyal and trusted ally until the evacuation was complete.

Finally, I am concerned about the quality and intelligence of those supporting and advising the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister has been clear he was not being secretive about his trip.

However, all the actions of his support team clearly “misrepresent” his “lack of secrecy”. Specifically, the family photo posted to his Instagram account for Father’s Day gave every impression of creating the illusion he was away from his children on the day.

While there has been much criticism, comment and outrage about the Father’s Day trip, I contend there are far more important matters that should be exercised that come to light only because of this trip.

My final observation is, Scott Morrison gives the appearance of someone confident he is always the smartest the person in the room. Based on what appears to be the quality and competence of those who support and advise him, he will surely remain the smartest for the foreseeable future.

Vaccination Incentive and Respect Individual Decisions

Early today, a prominent broadcast journalist tweeted this                

Based on current Aust data, your chance of death here from the AZ vax is 1 in 1.9M.

For context, Australian Geographic puts your odds of being struck by lightning at 1 in 1.6M. 

You are more likely to be struck by lightning than to die of the AZ vax.

Don’t fear vaccination.

I have not verified the accuracy of the details in this tweet but ask that we assume it is true.

The data also seems to suggest, the chances of death from AstraZeneca is greater than the chances of death from catching Covid-19 in Australia.

That aside, what is holding us back from being vaccinated?

We are being encouraged to get vaccinated so we can achieve herd immunity.

That’s fine, but for many in the community, the 70 or 80 or 90% needed for herd immunity can be achieved with out “me” personally risking the vaccine. *

Besides, is it 70%, 80% or what? Either no one knows or isn’t saying.

There is another group of people who carry existing health issues making severe consequences of Covid-19 more likely. Inevitably, they have received very clear advice about this from their GP.

A friend recently shared their GP advice which was something similar to “You are not someone who would deal well with Covid. Get vaccinated now”. They did.

For many others, there is no perceived benefit to being vaccinated. They may desire herd immunity but believe this can be achieved without them.

If I am a fully vaccinated Queensland resident who was in Melbourne a week or so ago, I would have risked mandatory self-funded hotel quarantine on return.

How about fully vaccinated person on return only have to submit to a Covid-19 test and home isolation until a negative test is recorded. Would that be an incentive for people to vaccinate?

It would be an incentive for me. 

Further. many of us would at least like the option to again travel internationally.

I read that travel is opening between the European Block Countries for those who are fully vaccinated. This is the report I refer too.. The fact that the individual is vaccinated combined with community vaccination rates appears to be the basis for such a decision. 

I also read negotiations are progressing to allow travel between USA and UK based on similar conditions and vaccination rates. Click for the article .

Can we do similar?

Is it past time for the Federal Government to set some clear targets for allowing international travel to selected countries?

Would we have a greater incentive to vaccinate if there was a commitment to allow us to travel when we achieve 80% community vaccination?

Again, it would be an incentive for me.

A decision to vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a personal one and should be respected one way or the other.

Making our own personal decisions does not mean we should become evangelistic in support of or to justify our own decision. We cannot really know the reasons or the fears that contribute to another’s decision to vaccinate or not.

What I do believe is, right now there is a lack of personal incentive for many to act. I also believe the lack of clear leadership, mixed messages about the importance to vaccinate and it not being a race is confusing many.

Let’s have some clarity and lets have some incentive so fully informed decisions can be made by us all.

 

*By way of full disclosure, I have received my first AstraZeneca vaccination and will have my second as per my booking.

 

 

Honestly Answering Our Own Questions

I am often asked to talk to someone about being healthy, getting healthy, losing weight, being more active and generally being less likely to contract heart disease, diabetes, liver, kidney and other illnesses and conditions.

In recent years, I have declined or avoided doing so.

We all know smoking is terrible for you. We also know a balanced diet including little (if any) processed food, sugar, salt, saturated fats or alcohol promotes good health.

We all know losing weight involves more activity and better eating.

What do I have to offer and what can I say?

It is none of my business how you choose to live or the choices you make.

If a 35 year old obese Parent unable to fully engage and be active with his children, it’s his call. Who am I to question the life he chooses or the example he elects to provide?

It is not my place to judge.

I would never parachute jump, bungy jump or rock climb but do not judge or criticise those who do. I do not judge the lifestyle, activities pursued or way of life others choose for themselves.

Likewise, I refuse to accept the judgements of how I life my life and the choices I make.

You do you and I will do me; it’s as simple as that.

So why am I writing this today?

Over the past 6 months or so, the number of requests from a concerned brother, sister, parent, spouse or friend to speak to and help someone they love and care about have increased massively.

Of particular concern is the age of the people I am being asked to meet with is lower than ever. Very many are younger than 40, the majority even.

The case above is real and came from a 33 year old Mother of 2 asking me to meet with her 35 year old husband. She was seriously concerned his obesity would prematurely kill him or at best, cause life threatening and lifestyle limiting heart issues and/or diabetes.

My final motivation to write this was a cardiologist asking me what is the best way to motivate people to take their health seriously and for younger people to realise they are not immune to serious disease and the debilitating impact serious conditions are for the rest of their life, and they die.

Before I go on, I should address (briefly) why I am being asked to advise or help.

As a mildly overweight, 10 year reformed smoker, moderately active 49 year old, I underwent quadruple bypass surgery. I had been a heart beat away from a fatal heart attack.

I did many things correctly.

Except for being overly fond of cheese, ice cream, coke and chocolate, the rest of my diet was good.

I was not a regular drinker but when I did drink, I tended to binge.

My heart disease genetics also make me vulnerable.

After surviving surgery and rehabilitating, I transformed to the point of weighing less than I did at age 25 when I playing 1^st Division sport. Today, I am also fitter and healthier than at any time before or in fact, since surgery.

Perhaps more importantly, I have been totally consistent in the maintenance and prioritisation of my health.

My transformation for more than 12 years is why my input is requested.

Now I have this post in the public domain, instead of refusing to meet with people, I can simply refer to this. 

What I do not discuss….

I will not talk about diet or exercise as a solution. You can get this stuff on any number of websites, health magazines, influencer Instagram/Ticktock or in “guru” blogs.

If you want to know your ideal weight range for your height, click here 

If you want to know the waist circumference to reduce diabetes risk, click here

I also have zero qualifications to provide any advice what so ever. All I have is my own experience and my own ideas and what worked for me. My advice is more about a philosophy and decision-making process. It is not medical and should not be read in this light.

Further, be warned, for some, this may appear brutal and/or confronting. If you are not up to it, stop reading now. 

Still here? Let’s go……

Unhealthy people tell lies, to themselves. Two of many examples are:

The first occurred at a business function where a colleague on seeing what I had ordered for dinner commented “I would rather be dead than eat healthy food”

He was a 45 year old doting and loving husband and obsessively proud Father of two primary school aged children. 

Who thinks he was telling the truth, the real truth? 

A second lie I hear is “Fat people are happy people”. 

Consider this “has any person ever transformed from overweight to healthy weight and regretted it because they used to be happier?”

Seriously, is anyone happy to be out of breath walking up a flight of stairs at normal pace?

I have also had dozens of people tell me they cannot run or walk because their knees hurt.

Guess what? My knees would hurt too when I walked or ran while weighing 95 kilograms. I now run regularly and while many years older and having had knee problems requiring surgery 30 years ago, I have no issues at all.

Step one - STOP LIEING, just stop.

Having stopped lieing, it’s time to be honest. Ready? If not, stop reading. 

It’s not only time to be honest, it’s time to make and execute decisions based on your honesty.

Answer the following question. You don’t need to tell anyone your answer or broadcast it, just answer it HONESTLY.

The question is: 

What is most important to you, what matters most? 

Having answered this question, consider if your actions and lifestyle are aligned to what you say is most important to you.

If they are not aligned, your answer is a lie (or less than honest), or alternatively, you have some changes to make to reflect your answer.

Think back to the wife who was concerned about her 35 year husband and Father of 2 children, her concern for his health, his survival.

I would bet a substantial sum of money his answer to the question “what is most important to you” would be something like’

“My family is most important and to be there to see my children grow and prosper and help them do so”

 

This is what most people say, or a version of it.

The brutal truth is:

This is not his honest answer to the question because his lifestyle and health management in no way reflects what is important

Or

He has some decisions to make and execute.

I recall a conversation with another work colleague and new Father. He was 38 years old and talking about his high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight and what to do about it.

As a new Father, he was expressing concern about his health and while a little overawed was equally relishing the responsibility and joy that came with being a parent and seeing his daughter growing up.

It was a Friday and as the conversation was concluding I casually asked “much on for the weekend?”.

His eyes lit up as he described the large pizza he was ordering to go with the 6 pack of beers he was having while watching the football that night.

I expressed surprise given what he had been saying about his health to which he said something like “but its Friday night and the Broncos are playing”.

Taking a deep breath, I confronted him asking if his new enlarged family is really the most important or is eating a large pizza more important even if it comes with high blood pressure. I added, it is perfectly ok if the pizza and beers is more important, just be honest about it.

The conversation quickly concluded.

I didn’t care one way of the other and it is not for me to be judgemental. My only challenge was to him to be honest and act accordingly.

On the following Monday, he came and thanked me. 

I have had many similar conversations and, in all cases, they have been confronting and sometimes confrontational. 

But here is the thing, applying the idea of being honest with yourself about what matters most applies to all walks of life. It applies to the work you do, where you live and the friends you have.

If you are truly honest with yourself the decisions to execute become clear.

As part of these “what’s most important to you” conversations I almost always asked  “what is most important to me?”. 

Interestingly, this is sometimes asked aggressively, with a tone of smugness or annoyance and occasionally with genuine interest”. 

So, what is most important to me; 

I am a Father of 2 adult sons both of whom I cherish and adore. I want to see them develop, be happy and successful as measured by them, not by me or anyone else. I would love to see them become parents and to be a Grandfather myself.

But this is not what is most important to me but is a bonus outcome of what is most important.

My priority is far more selfish and also very simple.   

I love being alive and being mentally and physically active.

Therefore, what is most important to me is to be alive and mentally and physically active for as long as possible.

My objective is to be a centurion and in doing so, on each of my future birthdays, to be fitter, healthier, stronger, more inquisitive and better informed than the previous birthday.

Given this is what is most important to me, the decisions I make and execute are really simple.

But just because they are simple, doesn’t mean they are easy.

However, because I seek to be honest about what is important to me, the decisions I make and what I do are clear. 

I have a clear pathway addressing what I eat and drink and the exercise I do. I have a clear pathway to follow for the books I read, the media I consume and the travel I embark upon.

It also defines the work I do, the conversations I have, the experiences I seek and the people in my world.

It also just happens that it is also mutually beneficial for my family and interaction and support for them.

I could conclude by saying “good luck”, but I will not.

• Luck has nothing to do with it.
• I will conclude with these key points:
• Tell yourself the truth (Stop lieing)
• Be honest about what matter most to you
• Make and execute decisions that reflect what is most important to you
• Refuse to be judge or to judge others.

If what you decide and what you execute is not aligned with what you say matters most, you are either making poor decisions or are not being honest.

Over and out

A Sad Day - An Era That Changed Australia Concludes

It seems a little silly to be sad about the “passing” of an aircraft.

Today marks the final flight by a Qantas branded Boeing 747 aircraft.

For my generation, the Boeing 747 changed our lives. It’s capacity, operating efficiency and reliability reduced the cost of international air travel. Europe was 24 hours away and with a commitment to saving, affordable. Likewise, the United States.

For those just 10 years older, travel to Europe was most likely a sea journey of some weeks duration. Air travel being far too expensive.

Consider this, Qantas took delivery of its first Boeing 747 in 1971. Just 10 years prior, the Australian cricket team travelled to Britain by sea.

The world was changing and now we could more reasonably observe the change and participate in it too. The 747 literally helped educate, expand our imaginations and remove our sense of isolation. It literally changed Australian society.

My first flight on a 747 was from Melbourne to Christchurch in 1978. Back then, it would more likely have been referred to as a “Jumbo Jet”.

I was with a tour group of student teachers from Burwood Teachers College in Melbourne’s East earning my seat by way of my soon to be qualified then girlfriend.  

I have very fond memories of a wonderful 2 weeks touring the North and South Islands, wonderful sights and experiences and a little party time as well.

I have less wonderful memories of an evening in Christchurch immediately followed by a commitment to never drink Bundaberg Rum again. 42 years later, this commitment has never been further away from being broken.

I enjoyed further 747 travel experiences in the 4 decades that followed. Perhaps my most spectacular experience was the night approach too and landing at Hong Kong's Kai Tuk International Airport.

 

 

However 747 experiences were becoming rare as increasingly, it was a Boeing Aircraft with a different “7” prefix or a rival manufacturer with an “A” in its name that was taking me places.

My final 747 flight was Brisbane to New York via Las Angeles (and return) in 2015 where the prime objective was to run the New York City Marathon.

These New York and return flights were my first by 747 in perhaps 8 years. It might have been sheer coincidence that they were also the smoothest, most comfortable long-haul economy flights I can remember. I have never slept longer or more soundly in flight.

 

Such was the ease of these flight, I vowed I would return to America and New York in particular before the 747 was retired. Unfortunately, a certain virus has hasten the end of the Qantas 747 some 4 years before originally planned.

Today’s last flight left Sydney airport, circled Sydney looking one last time at the Harbour and its bridge, and at an opera house that was not completed when the first 747 touched down in Sydney.

I am not suggesting I shed a tear at the end of the Qantas 747 era, rather a nod of respect skywards.

To the Jumbo Jet, the Boeing 747, thank you for bringing the world closer and for helping make Australian Society more travelled and diverse. May this last aircraft rest in peace in the Mojave Desert, California having served us proudly.

"They who know the cost of everything, know the value of nothing”. - Talking QInvest 3rd and Final

QInvest was destined to end the day integration with QSuper was decided. Looking at it now, it was the inevitable outcome.

Culturally, operationally and philosophically, they are polar opposites.

Consider this:

QSuper is a successful, well operated Superannuation fund. Its ongoing success depends upon reliably managing high volume processes and delivering consistent standardised solutions.

QInvest was a successful, well operated Personal Financial Planning Practice. It’s ongoing success depended on reliably consulting with people face to face, getting to know and understand them and being trusted with their more confidential and personal information to then produce a unique, tailored financial plan.

The things that make QSuper great don’t apply, or largely do not apply to QInvest. Equally, the reverse applies.

Let’s look quickly at some specifics:

QSuper has a large IT division keeping about 1000 staff operational. Most of these 1000 deal directly or indirectly with the day to day transactions of more than 500000 members. Geographically, there are only 3 locations.

The necessary structure of an IT division required to look after a large number of people and members is quite different to the more tailored needs of Professional Financial Planning.

As hard as QSuper IT tried and as committed as they were, QInvest would surely have absorbed time and expense that far exceeded it overall impact on the QSuper Group. They also had to consider 9 separate geographical locations.

Human Resources and associated policy was another challenge.

The skill sets and personality needs that make for excellent QInvest recruits are quite different to those required for QSuper. Several unfortunate appointments resulted.

QInvest was much smaller and before integration had it’s own HR area. Understandably, this was able to be far more nimble and responsive than the much larger QSuper HR. This is not a criticism, but an understandable reality based on size.

I recall a mind numbing conversation with a Senior QSuper HR Leader. QInvest and QSuper had quite different maternity leave policies with one being clearly more beneficial than the other.

Many months in to integration, QInvest had been absorbed in to a more cumbersome and less flexible remuneration and reward process however addressing maternity leave was progressing at a snail pace or (I suspect) not at all.

In discussing the concerns around this, I was treated to a long rant about the difficulty involved in deciding what to do with maternity leave. This rant included citing as an example the problem presented by staff fresh fruit deliveries. QInvest had fresh fruit delivered monthly whereas QSuper received a delivery 4 weekly. (or it might have been the other way around)

The fact that these 2 issues were considered comparable staggered me and that each was equally difficult to resolve was disheartening.

Eventually, and after much damage to morale and the creation of further suspicion and dilution of trust, the maternity leave question was resolved to the benefit of all. I have no idea and like most, did not care what the resolution was to the fresh fruit dilemma.

I also believed HR lack of understanding and lack of appreciation for QInvest differences were reflected in several senior staff appointments.

In my opinion, the first unfortunate appointment was the Chief Manager in 2012.

Sure, he came credentialed and was experienced, enthusiastic, well travelled and determined. His bank background meant the focus would be on cost rather than value.

There is a wise saying:

“They who know the cost of everything, know the value of nothing”.

He set about fulfilling his mantra of delivering more with less. He preached lowering the “cost to serve” while never seeking to understand just what service was valued.

The second unfortunate appointment (in my opinion) was Head of Advice in 2017. I will refrain from sharing my opinion and the opinion of others concerning this appointment. Except to say it was a surprise to see what values seemed to be important to QSuper.     

I think I am correct in saying he departed after about 12 months. I suspect by then QSuper was losing its appetite to seek a sustainable operating model for QInvest.

There are other factors as well.

Horizon was a large project aimed at stripping cost. Many talented committed people worked incredibly hard to deliver an outcome within a time frame they said was half what was needed.

Errors were made in the costings of a key service and base figures were overestimated.

Significantly, 6 months after the start of implementation, the majority of recommendations were discontinued, re-designed or significantly diluted.

I am in no doubt at all that QSuper had totally honourable and long term intentions for QInvest. Equally, I do not believe the differences between what is a successful superannuation fund and a successful Personal Financial Advice business were ever understood, by either QSuper and QInvest.

With each successful conclusion of a piece of the integration puzzle, the end of QInvest drew closer and inevitable.

I praised the professional staff at QInvest in part one and will conclude by doing so again.

The ability of the Financial Advice, Para Planning and Client Support Teams to put aside their own concerns and pressures and to continue providing a professional, quality reliable service to clients has been exceptional.

The commitment to clients has been unparalleled and like so many things, it is perhaps only now as the days tick away to the end of QInvest, will the absence of a Personal Financial Advice service be truly and fully appreciated.

Finally, to all my former colleagues at QInvest, thank you for having me as part of your world for 7 years. It will always be a period of time I am proud of.

 
I consider you granted me a great privilege having me along for the ride.

Talking QInvest Part 2 - Integration

This part two of a 3 part series “talking QInvest”. If you haven’t read part one, here is the link

In Part two, I want to look at some of the events that perhaps led to the decisions taken.

Looking back, the script for QInvest withdrawing Personal Financial Advice services commenced being written in November 2012.

In the 3 years prior to November 2012, several key changes took place. They included:

1.    Taking difficult decisions during the GFC including some redundancies

2.    Implementing a full comprehensive service and a fee component for Personal Financial Advice

3.    Introducing a service whereby a client could contract for a fee, an ongoing Financial Advice relationship with an Adviser

4.    Established a permanent presence outside of Brisbane

5.    Having been jointly owned by QIC and QSuper, sole ownership was assumed by QSuper

6.    Functions such as Finance/Accounting, Human Resources, Property Management, Education and Marketing, Legal and later IT were taken over by QSuper

The QInvest I joined was a nimble organisation capable of having an idea, developing it, making a decision and either executing or dismissing the idea and moving on.

Just short of 50% of QSuper Members, and by definition QInvests client base, lived in regional areas. At the end of 2010, QInvest had one full time Adviser and one permanent office in Townsville and she was the only Adviser north of Chermside in Brisbane. There was an office and Adviser at Robina on the Gold Coast and another in Toowoomba operating out of a room adjacent to the food hall at Toowoomba Town Centre. Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton were serviced on an adhoc, fly in fly out basis.

18 months later, we had offices established in Cairns (2 Advisers), Townsville (2 then 3), Rockhampton (2 then 3), Sunshine Coast (2 then 3) and Toowoomba (2 then 3).

Almost from day one, demand for personal advice in these newly expanded regions exceeded capacity and it was common (and embarrassing) for clients to have to wait 4 months or more for an appointment.

The establishment of this Regional presence was an example of QInvest’s ability to make quick and important decisions and then execute the decision.

We were self contained with our own Human Resources, IT, Strategy, Property, Legal, Education and Marketing areas and had control of our actions and outcomes. We were all responsible and accountable for what we did, no excuses.

This independence was changing. Now fully owned by QSuper, it was understandable and logical that services be rolled in to existing and larger areas of QSuper. QInvest HR dissolved in to QSuper as did Finance, IT and everything else. What was left was the Personal Advice operation, Advisers, Para Planners and support professionals.

QInvest became another department of QSuper, another cost centre and challenged to operate in a world that required a far more bureaucratic approach.

More so the differences in the two entities and the very different worlds and markets each participated in was never really appreciated or understood. QSuper was by far the larger more significant business and QInvest now under it’s wing and reliant on it for all services,

QInvest was a very small piece of the QSuper puzzle.

It became evident that QSuper was focused more on the cost of QInvest and not the return or value. To be clear, there is a sound argument that the focus was correct.

QSuper had an experienced HR department, however there was little understanding of the different skills and requirements needed for Financial Planning.

QSuper had a dedicated group of IT people, however they struggled to understand, or even remember that about half our services were delivered outside of Brisbane CBD.

QInvest also needed it’s own highly tailored software platform. This was difficult for QSuper to understand or accept and absorbed an inordinate amount of time and effort for even the most simple change.

Perhaps the biggest difference was QSuper people including Executive Leaders, never really understood the value of Personal Financial Advice for a Member. I am not being critical when I suggest all but 2 executive and senior leaders could concisely articulate to a member in easy to understand language, the benefits of engaging in the Personal Financial Planning relationship with an Adviser.

In my opinion, the single biggest loss was that of the dedicated QInvest seminar and marketing team.

The seminar team comprised all former Financial Advisers. They understood the process of Personal Financial Advice and could articulate the value of the service. More importantly, their absolute belief was evident in the passion with which they spoke and presented to groups of members.

When this team dissolved in to the QSuper education team, QInvest and by definition Personal Financial Advice became another box to be ticked as one part of a full QSuper centric seminar agenda.

It was always unacceptable and often embarrassing that wait times for an appointment with an Adviser was at least 4 months and often over 6 months in every office in the QInvest network. However, it was no coincidence that in the space of 18 months and the absorption of the QInvest team in to QSuper, this demand disappeared and Advisers regularly had spare capacity to meet with clients.

Concurrent with this was the folding of the QInvest call centre in to the broader QSuper phone contact team. Again, the clear and concise understanding QInvest staff had of Personal Financial Advice became another script to use when part of the QSuper group.

I want to be clear about something.

I am in no way being critical of the QSuper Education and Seminar team or the QSuper contact centre teams or Leaders. All were dedicated and committed. Being asked to address and explain a service in Financial planning that is totally different to a superannuation fund, and have this service just one of many topics was a big ask and inevitably, the message would be diluted and distilled.

Consider this example.

A business producing and retailing a range of computer keyboards each tailored to the user’s individual hand size, finger length, typing ability and key stroke strength is highly successful because of the expertise and passion of the people. A one on one meeting is held with each client to determine what is required, the unique keyboard is designed, produced and delivered. At regular intervals, the client meets again with the business to confirm the design still meets their needs and any changes deemed necessary are executed. For example, arthritis in one hand may require larger touch keys. Supporting the service is a team of staff you understand the service and its vale. 

Now, consider what would happen if that business was taken over by JB HIFI. I’ will leave that with you.

In Part 3 I will delve in to a significant personnel appointments, the world that was HORIZON and draw some conclusions.