My commiserations to our sandgroper posters on the death of one Western Australia's most famous citizens - Alan Bond. I think he's as famous an Aussie as Warnie and Mick Dundee. In terms of fame or infamy he's top shelf.

I really enjoyed reading Paul Barry's book about Bond decades ago.

I can't believe there's talk of a state funeral for him ....

Where has there been talk of a state funeral...reputable source that is ??

Alan ....... Alan .......... Alan who do you say .............. Alan Bond ............ sorry, can't remember.

Bell Resources ............... $1.2 billion stolen ......... ah! now I remember.

If this criminal gets a state funeral, may the WA government be cursed with a pox on their house.

i thought he only stole from the banks, indirectly? just like ned kelly but maybe im wrong here so can someone refresh my mind, cheers

Here's Barry putting the boot in again:

http://www.watoday.com.au/business/alan ... 605-ghgzxm

"But there are worse examples. In 1985, Bond Corp bought Tooheys, the beer company, in the biggest takeover Australia had ever seen. And one of his first acts in the aftermath was to tell the landlords who sold his beer that they no longer had an interest in their pubs – so when their leases expired they would be out on their ear. These were battlers like Bond had once been, people who had put their all into buying their pubs and building them up, and who were relying on a decent sale for their retirement years. And Bond was prepared to throw them out with nothing to show for all their money and hard work.

"Burn the bastards," Bond told one of his managers when asked what he should do. And a huge legal fight then ensued.

By the time it ended in victory for the leaseholders, one publican had taken his own life, others had suffered nervous breakdowns, and families had split apart under the strain. Bond believed he had the letter of the law on his side – even though commitments had been given to the leaseholders that their investment was safe – but he had no compassion for the people whose lives he was planning to ruin."

GT: Not very gentlemanly behaviour ... He was a ruthless crook with excellent acting skills!

I read that it's Bondy's funeral today. I wonder what public figures might turn up. I think he was a very important and prominent Western Australian. Figuratively he helped put Freemantle and Western Australia on world maps.

For anyone who's remotely interested .... http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western ... 7395185791

I wouldn't say Paul Barry is putting the boot in, he is just saying it how Bond acted, he didn't care about anyone except for himself and money, greedy ***** with plenty of dirt on his hands.

GT93 wrote:I read that it's Bondy's funeral today. I wonder what public figures might turn up. I think he was a very important and prominent Western Australian. Figuratively he helped put Freemantle and Western Australia on world maps.

Alan Bond (22 April 1938 – 5 June 2015) was an Australian businessman noted for his high-profile business dealings, including his central role in the WA Inc scandals of the 1980s, and what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history; for his bankrolling the successful bid for the 1983 America's Cup, the first time the New York Yacht Club had ever lost it in its 132-year history; and also for a criminal conviction that saw him serve four years in prison.

Born in London and raised in Australia from the age of 12, Bond began his career as a signwriter and formed what became the Bond Corporation in 1959. He became a public hero in his adopted country after bankrolling challenges for the America's Cup, which resulted in his selection in 1978 as Australian of the Year[1] (awarded jointly with Galarrwuy Yunupingu). His Australia II syndicate won the 1983 America's Cup, which had been held by the New York Yacht Club since 1851, thus breaking the longest winning streak in the history of sport.

In 1992, Bond was declared bankrupt with personal debts totalling A$1.8 billion. He was subsequently convicted of fraud and imprisoned after pleading guilty to using his controlling interest in Bell Resources to deceptively siphon off A$1.2 billion into the coffers of Bond Corporation. The funds were used to shore up the cash resources of the ailing Bond Corporation, which spectacularly collapsed, leaving Bell Resources in a precarious situation. Following release, he became active in various mining investments, predominately in Africa, including Madagascar Oil PLC and Global Diamond Resources, and was included in Business Review Weekly's "Rich 200 List" in 2008.

Yes, winning the America's Cup to stealing $1.2 billion is a rather wild ride. I understand by the time of his death he was again appearing on Aussie rich lists.

42 year old sandgroper resident dies:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/6962 ... art-attack

OK, he was just a sandgroper by residence but he wasn't appearing before the sandgroper courts facing serious criminal charges as seems to almost becoming the norm for former sandgroper footballers. This one had 6 kids. That would make most blokes grow up.

Another posting from the boofhead who has never been to Perth. I hope none of you older lads have been surfing. You'd need to know what you were blimin' doing.

And yes I have noticed the AFL ladder this season. Count yourselves lucky that Malthouse wasn't in charge of one of the sandgroper sides this year - it'd be in the bottom eight and Mick would be the story.

I would one day like to visit Perth. The isolation of Perth interests me. In that respect it's similar to NZ although I'm envious how close it is to Thailand.

I have just read on The Guardian, Australia that Western Australia doe not have pokies outside its casino. Does this conclusively prove sandgropers are the brainiest Aussies? I think it makes the state parliament look good.

The Sandgroper state parliament isn't looking too flash this week as the deputy premier makes an obscene hand gesture in Parliament:

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western ... 8de3b63c76