Della’s still wielding power in NSW. John Della Bosca is busy trying to gain control over more of the failed Central Coast ALP branches…

Hatches and dispatches in Baillieu band. Regarding your story on Tuesday highlighting the Baillieu government’s tardiness in employing staffers and spin doctors. Mary Wooldridge’s temporary chief of staff Terry Barnes is no longer on tenterhooks, having recently stepped aside for ex-Michael Wooldridge adviser turned Australian Medical Association public affairs czar Ben Harris. Barnes will remain with the Baillieu government for a few more weeks before presumably returning to his policy advice outfit Cormorant.

Seeking donations by ambush. I am a regular monthly donor to UNICEF Australia and pay by direct deposit from my savings account. Recently I had two missed calls from an unknown number (no message left) and then a week later a call came through from the same number — the caller turned out to be from UNICEF Australia. The call centre staffer asked me point blank, and quite demandingly, if I wanted to donate more to UNICEF. No explanation or reasons given, or courtesies followed, just a straight-out rattling of the donation tin (via phone). As it happened, I politely explained, I’m unable to donate more at present, but will maintain my donation plan. If UNICEF thinks that it can extract more donations with this kind of ham-fisted importunism, they are mistaken.