Tips and rumours: Having a Westpac of a day

Ah, the old running two profiles at once gage has tripped up someone again, with Westpac accidentally tweeting "oh so very over it today" from their company account. Plus, how the ABC addresses pollies.

A TweetDeck multi-account fail from @westpac…

“Oh so very over it today.”

… and while the original tweet might be gone by the time you receive this … the screenshot won’t be…

… nor will the torrent of amusing replies…

Why has no one mentioned that the truck that almost pulverised Tony Abbott was carrying insulation batts? Many people at the scene commented on it.

Rumour has it that the team working on the design of the Sydney Metro has been told to finalise its work so that they finish up at the end of next week.

They are known as the Princess and Prince in Adelaide — the CEO of the Adelaide Festival and CEO of Adelaide Symphony Orchestra — partners in life and soul mates. What a coincidence that letters from each of them dropped into the letter boxes of Adelaide’s arts lovers on the same day this week.

The festival is sponsored by the Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank, so the Princess writes urging festival supporters to “visit your local Bendigo branch and talk with one of their friendly branch staff”. In my experience it’s a going way too far to use a private database to spruik for a sponsor in this way.

On the same day, the Prince is clearly pitching for the Wankley Award when spruiking a performance by ASO of Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand: “Take three deep breaths as the lights dim … still your mind … and prepare to drink slowly from the quiet depths of this musical well”.

Pass the sick bag, Gladys.

The post-Altona ripples continue to spread, my CoS advised us, at our staff meeting, that he’d be happy to be a referee for any of us — what is he suggesting? Comrades in another minister’s office, at their staff meeting, were advised not to turn down any outside job offers.

Which former state member on the bayside of Brisbane is grumbling about not being the Left preselected candidate for the federal seat of Bowman, claiming no one told him about nominations opening or closing? Is this the same former member who lost his bayside seat after one term in 2009 and who backed by the Bligh Left, overwhelmingly lost a Left plebiscite in late 2009 to contest Bowman?

Now, it’s looking increasingly like the same person is set to be trounced again by a relative unknown outsider in a forthcoming ALP plebiscite — at the same time automatically expelling himself from the Left for running against an endorsed Left candidate. Rumours are the Bligh Left are still trying to get the ALP national executive to parachute him into the seat even though he has no local support and no dollars to campaign with.

But senior Labor strategists, along with local branch members, are keen for a woman to run against the incumbent smooth LNP member and don’t want to have to push a “failed” candidate to win what is now one of Australia’s most marginal seats.

Locals have even reported that after he attended a recent ALP branch meeting that the former state member was looking “gaunt, old and tired” at the same time as sporting a ragged, bushy beard — and combined with a bad case of “forgetfulness” in putting a nomination form in, surely this is not the stuff of candidates.

From up the ABC food chain … somewhere …. told you so:

Dear All,

Recently, Mary raised the issue about how we refer to politicians on air being particularly timely with elections imminent in TAS, SA and others due later in the year. This was discussed this week on the Local Radio managers hook-up. However, it’s relevant for all Radio networks that feature politicians on air.

Our Recommendation — for all layers of government — Federal/State/Local:

NEVER refer to politicians by first name only. At any time, this can be perceived as favouring, or favourably treating, individual pollies or parties over others. At election times such perceptions are heightened.

USE – first name and surname e.g. “Julia Gillard….”, “Mike Rann….”

USE – title e.g. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister, Acting Treasurer, Premier, Mayor, Councillor …

USE – Mr or Ms Rudd e.g. Ms Kenneally, Mr Hockey, Mr Rudd….