What the David Jones boss did. The recent statement by David Jones chairman Robert Savage stating no previous s-xual harassment complaints about the conduct of Mark McInnes is incorrect. During the spring racing carnival in 2004 I attended a David Jones function as a partner of an invited guest. I was introduced to Mark McInnes and throughout the function he paid me an inordinate amount of interest.

At one stage during the function McInnes took an opportunity to speak with me privately. At this time  McInnes stood very close to me and rubbed his groin against my hip. I did not respond to the proposition. I immediately left the function without the David Jones guest. I subsequently complained to various people at David Jones and was basically given the run around.

At the time I spoke with so many David Jones employees about this matter is seems fatuous that Savage would insist there had been no previous s-xual harassment complaints against McInnes.

What’s in a deal? Telstra shares jumped by nearly 9%, or 28c, this morning — the biggest one-day rise since 2000. That was after the NBN deal yesterday. It was trading about 4% higher just after 11:40am at $3.37, from Friday’s finish of $3.23. The rise extended the surge in the share price to more than 15% since the low of $2.89 was hit on May 25. Well fancy that. Telstra shares rose 11.7% from May 25 to last Friday, the overall market was up 6.7%.  It pays to be in the know, doesn’t it?

Penrith aftershocks. I was out at the Penrith Paceway on Saturday night after handing out how-to-votes for Labor’s John Thain in Penrith. The result wasn’t really a shock. Conversation quickly turned to Labor’s David Bradbury, the member for Lindsay. He looks certain to face defeat at the federal election. The problem for Bradbury is not only Kevin Rudd and federal Labor’s poor standing in Penrith — obvious to anyone who has been on the Penrith by-election hustings. Bradbury is generally well liked locally, but there are nagging feelings about the right-aligned candidate, who is tolerated and respected for his skills. The party is sinking fast and Bradbury is likely to go down with the government.

Fairfax delivering the big breakfast. Fairfax Media must be really doing it tough. Newsagents in Sydney’s inner west report that top-up supplies of the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review have been delivered by a Duffy brothers fruit truck and by a Primo small goods delivery vehicle in recent days. Now, they might be contractors to those companies, but it’s not a good look. Next Vittoria coffee and Sunblest bread and hey, it’s Fairfax Media breakfasts?

University site hacked? The website of the University of Sydney’s Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) is down this morning. Which may have something to do with an apparent hacking over the weekend. At one point the site contained the words:

HaCked By -Md_HoLiC-
Soldier of Allah – Indonesian Hacker – Devilzc0de – TeconCrew – 90º IF YOU WANT TO SAFE, DON’T EVER INSULT MY COUNTRY

Nobody panic — unlike me. A reassuring Metlink officer at Richmond station said this morning: “We are in the middle of a police operation. I can’t tell you what it is or there might be pandemonium … (in panicked whisper) there might be a bomb!” Actually, a gunman on the loose, but regardless …