Some highly paid Canberra lobbyists whose claim to prominence is
due in large part to their supposedly past intimate relationship with
the PM and his office are thought to be more than mildly embarrassed,
having briefed blue-chip clients that the PM would follow his head –
not his heart – and leave before Christmas and hand over to Treasurer
Costello so to ensure an orderly transition and his place in history.

Systems isn’t the only area of the ATO in crisis.
Things are not too rosy at Australian Valuation Office (AVO) either.
AVO undertakes the politically sensitive valuations of pensioner
assets. AVO Management have been a leader in WorkChoices bandwagon
(you might recall it was revealed in parliament that in the first week
of WorkChoices an AVO employee was offered an AWA which would cut his
base pay by almost $18,000, reported in parliament on 30 March). Morale
is at rock bottom levels.

Large offshore merchant bank
about to have a chip at asset stripping the RACV behemoth. Lots of
value in the dividend tax benefits – unusable to mutuals. May return
loads of money to members.

This morning, we happy band of employees at BHP received the following via a regular electronic newsletter: Congratulations
To … all at Escondida, BHP Billiton’s copper mine in Chile. The first
private mining company to be listed among the top ten most admired
companies in Chile. Quite ironic, since all the workers there have just decided to walk off the job!!