Jane Prentice’s governmental pretense. A few weeks ago, Brisbane city councillor Jane Prentice announced her intention to run for preselection as the LNP candidate for the federal seat of Ryan and last Wednesday she officially became the candidate. While she was busy doing the numbers, she also found time to update her personal website and deleted this notable comment: “Local government is the first level of government where you can actually fix many of the problems. At a federal and state level it’s a lot of talk — at this level it’s a lot of work, and I enjoy getting results.” Prentice obviously had a change of heart …

Have your say on OurSay. Who’s behind the slick new website OurSay Australia, which is crowd-sourcing questions to put to the pollies? Says the website: “OurSay is an independent website where politicians, leaders and decision makers give real answers to the questions you care about.” Candidates for Lindsay Tanner’s seat of Melbourne are first in line …

Rio’s water retention issues. There’s 350 million tonnes of high-grade iron ore below the water table at the Marandoo mine site in the Pilbara. Presently at $90 profit per tonne of iron ore. Rio isn’t planning to extract the iron ore under the water table, so why have they done the drilling and geological research to map out this 350 million tonnes?

Bravo to Bravura and its lap-dancing perks. Bravura Solutions today provided yet more downward earnings guidance. How much more poor governance can be expected of this listed company? Key staff are leaving en masse and clients in all their major operating regions (A/NZ, Asia and EU) are stalling business contract sign-ons because of the perceived risk of Bravura’s financial management.

Costs are out of control as Bravura senior executives desperately try to woo new clients by entertaining them in lap-dancing bars in London, Hong Kong and Melbourne. A Bravura senior executive has photographic evidence of a lap-dancing extravaganza involving numerous Bravura executives and ‘supposed’ clients, none of whom actually attended were recorded as having attended. This company and its senior executives need to be held accountable to shareholders and the broader market.

Julie’s doggy double. I think I’ve discovered the origins of Julie Bishop’s “death stare”…

17-06-2010 12-06-39 PM

stainsbishop