Nats push Nats on NRMA board. The Nationals are urging members to support the current board in new elections — which just so happens to include an ex-Nat as its president, Wendy Machin. As one “anonymous and disappointed Nats member” tells us: “Wendy is a smart cookie and certainly realises this is an endorsement she doesn’t need when inevitably non-Nats hear about it.” The following email was sent to 8000 NSW National Party members:

Tired controllers on plane watch. An aviation insider claims Airservices Australia management is pressuring air traffic controllers to work longer and on days off. “Fatigued controllers are prone to mistakes,” they say. “The situation is steadily worsening as the controller shortage hits home.”

Job recruiting at the AEC. More straw-in-the-wind speculation on a federal election, from a Crikey reader: “My daughter has  a friend who was recently interviewed by the Electoral Commission for an admin job in Canberra. They were recruiting large numbers of persons. No reasons were, of course, given.”

Stars out for Cup carnival. And from the 3AW Rumour File, courtesy of our friends at Media Monitors: “The host says a male international star will attend the Melbourne Cup carnival.” Right then.