Double check the papers yourself, but … how is it that not one major Australian business media or political media outlet reported on the meeting of central bank governors that began in Sydney yesterday and continues today? Which financial regulators with major clout are in Australia, for once, and being left unnoticed by The Australian, the Financial Review and so on?

Bloomberg is on the case; there’s a string of articles and interviews, admittedly with what could be termed the second tier of attendees. Some progress must be being made on hammering out new regulations governing banks — the same regulations that Australian banks are hell bent on making sure either never get implemented in Australia or, if they do, will be substantially watered down.

Faced with increasing industrial disruption, part-time “when is he ever here ?” Age managing director Don Churchill  has been forced into a humiliating backdown over his plans to strip four days annual leave from clerical and administrative employees.

The misguided strategy of stripping away employee entitlements while management gives itself pay rises and bonuses has backfired with the increasing likelihood of editorial employees joining an MEAA campaign against the changes.

Journalists were recently stunned by the rare sighting of Churchill lunching with another senior manager in The Age‘s cafe while a union picket raged against the punitive changes outside the building.

Behind the gleaming facade of The Age‘s $110 million new building lies a simmering cesspit of resentment and jealousy. Last year’s poaching of prominent business columnist Adele Ferguson from The Australian for a ridiculous $250,000 a year has resulted in an internal wages blowout at the paper, with the stressed newsroom irate that that just two new trainees will start this year.

David Bradbury is trying to line up a shift to Chifley from his current seat of Lindsay, but incumbent Roger Price doesn’t want to move.  Bradbury may face a preselection challenge from Adam Serle, who is unlikely to win preselection in Macquarie, or Mark Ptolemy or May Hayek — from Bradbury’s own Right faction. Branch members are lukewarm towards Bradbury and he is not a Rudd favourite, having not exactly turned out to be the star performer in Canberra that some predicted he would be.

Lindsay is also on the “danger” list — meaning a possible loss at the next election — given the poor performance of the state Government, although the Penrith state member is well liked, and the fact that at the last election, Bradbury’s large swing was largely due to three factors: WorkChoices (now gone), the rise in the vote from the Latham disaster in 2004 (now gone) and the scandal over the fake leaflet about Muslims (now gone).  He will need to work hard to get re-elected.

Rudd hasn’t visited the seat for ages.  No wonder he wants to move to Chifley.

Senator Conroy, among other speakers, was due to attend the IQ2 debate on internet censorship.  However he and, it appears, all other members of the “pro” side have bailed.

What does a minor shadow minister with a big majority, an agreeable seat and a lot of time on his hands do with his taxpayer subsidised printing and mail allowance? He sends out a pseudo-questionnaire to his constituents, which comes close to mild push-polling.

The Gold Coast’s BIGGEST SURVEY (his emphasis) is a glossy six pages featuring  the smiling face of Steven Ciobo helping out policemen, builders, doctors, etc. He is clearly desperate to know what the people of Moncrieff really think about national security, law and order, government debt and so on (as if he is in a position to do anything about them) but all the questions clearly have a political bent to them.

My favourites: “Do you think that the Federal Government borrowing and going into massive debt will …

  • Slow Australia’s economic  recovery? (Yes; No ; Don’t know)
  • Put pressure for increases to interest rates? [his grammar] (Yes; No ; Don’t know)
  • Mean that taxes will have to increase to pay off the debt? (Yes; No ; Don’t know)

And: “Do you think the government is doing enough to promote other solutions to reduce carbon emissions or is it too focused on introducing a new tax?

  • Yes, it is doing enough;
  • No, it is too focused on introducing an emissions trading scheme;
  • Don’t know

Is there a nation-wide roll-out of this transparent nonsense, or is this waste of carbon confined to the Gold Coast?