There are at least two other relationships pursued in the same vein — young women — plucked from lowly public sector jobs then pushed on and upwards. In both cases state supplied vehicles and drivers were used to pick up and ferry the women about. This is serial behaviour.

Lazy Lundy challenges Ellis the Trellis for the title of Sports Minister.

Thank the lord I decided against buying shares. Following on from the discussions last week about discounting and offers at Myer, I put the store to the test. Armed with my viral “Family and Friends” discount voucher (I am neither Myer family and only vaguely know people working there), I went to Myer Sydney to get my 20% discount.

Someone joked that Myer was almost paying customers to shop, and here’s what happened: Arrived at store to buy shoes (already discounted). Myer having a footwear sale (get another 30% off); Myer Sydney having a special one day sale just for the store (get another 15% off) and then get my Family and Friends discount (another 20% off).

The lady in shoes said it was a good day to shop at Myer and she was right. Not so sure whether it was a good day to buy shares in Myer though.

A private hospital is planned for Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital,  within the new public hospital which is being built now. space intended for the public hospital and staff, will be allocated to the new private hospital. Medical staff will not have individual offices,  but will share desks and will not be allowed storage space.

Why is Murray Goulburn Water in Victoria allowing the conversion of unused irrigation licences on certain farms in the Murrindindi Shire to become commercial licences for the removal of water for sale in Melbourne?  Doesn’t this make a mockery of our Federal Government’s attempts to restore the environmental flow to the Murray System.  South Australia be very aware of this unethical practice by your neighbour.

Sadly for those here at Nine that have a passing interest in quality journalism, your mention of 60 Mins disastrous ratings on Sunday night was the final straw. Crikey was spot on in its comment that Seven’s Sunday Night left 60 Mins for dead with its inspirational story on Paralympian Kurt Fearnley. The bitter pill for Nine is that Fearnley approached 60 Mins 3 months ago and was quickly told thanks but no thanks. Instead 60 Mins went with a clip show for its last episode of the year, and the ratings showed just what viewers thought of that!! In a year of low-lights, surely 60 Mins reached an all time low when it promoted Ray Martin’s new book last month, and in the process included Charles Wooley asking Martin’s daughter if she loved her father!!! Or perhaps it was the piece on poker machines when Tara Brown flew a reformed pokies addict to QLD so he could be filmed playing a machine. Several of my colleagues asked why the story was done at all, Richard Carleton did virtually the same story in April 2000! We live in hope of being poached by Seven. I don’t hold my breath given the stories we are forced to work on.

Woolworths have started using aggressive “ambush” price comparison tickets in some of their stores, directing customers away from regular independent brands and to Woolworths’ own in-house brands.   In one shop, right next to the La Gina tinned tomatoes price ticket there was a comparison ticket, replete with full colour photos, pointing out that the immediately adjacent in-house brand was much cheaper.  Ditto for the Edgell corn.  Too much market power is never enough, it seems.