Christmas party watch #1: Who was the banking CEO who wanted to ride into the Bollywood-themed staff Christmas party on an elephant? Apparently logistical concerns prevented the grand entrance.

Christmas party watch #2: Fear and lothing in Las Vegas? The Age‘s staff Christmas party on December 2 looks like being a quiet affair with only a handful of acceptances. Age CEO Don Churchill’s  tacky theme ‘a touch of Vegas’ hasn’t gone down well with scribes with editorial planning its own party.

CRIKEY: What stunts and scandals are planned or went down at your corporate Christmas party? Crikey wants to know — email your on or off-the-record tips here or at boss@crikey.com.au.

Money’s still going out… Curiously, NAB’s “issues” with crediting salary payments today hasn’t affected their ability to continue to deduct direct debits from their client’s accounts. Too bad if you were counting on your salary to be in your account today to cover a mortgage repayment, or any other regular deductions.

…and a lot more going in? Adding on from the NAB woes yesterday, it appears that extra amounts have been popping up in people’s accounts. Quite substantial amounts of $10,000+. A NAB customer service representative said this has been happening to a number of people around the country, the bank will be recovering the money and I am not allowed to touch it.

DVD battle over AFL. Rumours that the AFL’s new internal media production company will gazoot Eddie McGuire’s private DVD distribution company. Visual Entertainment Group Pty Ltd currently has non-exclusive licence for distributing AFL games on DVD. VEG’s $5 million turnover of the Collingwood 2010 premiership DVDs has got the green eyes going at AFL HQ. AFL DVDs make up to 60% of VEG’s turnover. AFL media is closely following the NFL which manages its own digital media and produces and markets its own DVDs.

Prepare for Kiwi TV invasion. And so the TV ratings season ends, roll out the quality Australia drama — from New Zealand. Watch one or more networks subtly cram in as much Kiwi drama as they can now that ratings don’t matter. And while we are at it, have a look at how well the networks can keep to scheduled times when something as valuable as drama quota depends upon it.  No more 8:43pm starts for 8:30pm shows — that would push the late-night NZ dramas beyond the allowable time to claim quota.

Back in 2002 the networks all made formal submissions promising not to exploit the Project Blue Sky victory that allowed NZ programming to count as Australian under the content rules. Indeed they openly invited the ABA to rewrite the rules should there be any evidence of exploitation of that loophole. Maybe it’s time?

Art and drama at RMIT. RMIT’s fine art management needs to start listening to their students concerns and treating dedicated teachers with the respect they deserve. The wider art community is horrified at the course of recent events after a loved artist/dedicated teacher was threatened with the sack for supporting student concerns.