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Since October 1995

Tuesday 26th December 1995

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International:

The mysterious theft of Au$5 million of gold from the high security offices of media tycoon Kerry Packer earlier this year has taken another turn with the investigations now being moved to the UK. Surely likened to a modern day Goldfinger, Packer had won Au$52 million at the Las Vegas gambling tables shortly before the theft.

Political:

The Carmen Lawrence Defence Fund has nearly reached Au$100,000 according to trustee and former Labor Victorian Premier, Joan Kirner. After all the shock-horror expressed by her Labor colleagues against the findings when Health Minister Carmen Lawrence was found guilty of lying by the Royal Commission and left with a Au$243,000 bill it is surprising that the tin hasn't been passed around her parliamentary mates more forcibly. Instead Kirner has been badgering womens movements for the money to pay Carmen Lawrence's legal bills. One would think that the extremely well paid "pillars of our society" the Labor Federal MPs would have been able to rattle up the money out of their tax payer paid away from home expenses - but no, seems like the sentiment of outrage is only skin deep.

Business:

Superannuation giant AMP's coal division will lead a new Au$485 million coal operation with a Korean partner in New South Wales Hunter Valley.

Sport:

Thumbnail of Murdoch and Ellison at the wheel of Sayonara.
Two big ones today. The first, the Sydney to Hobart race starts. Here's a quick link to live pictures taken directly from the fastest boat Sayonara which is expected to win in near record time. With media tycoon Rupert Murdoch on board - it will probably walk on water!
The Australian cricket team take on Sri Lanka in a one day match. For the selector's sake I hope that David Boon performs well as Stuart Law was not dumped to let him in because of lack of form.

Social:

Telstra and Optus are under fire as they charged full telephone rates yesterday. Business rates for international calls because Christmas happened on a Monday. There was no collusion, no discussion between the monoliths just a dirty great bill for those who phoned family and friends overseas. It was a strictly business decision - of course. What a shame then that Telstra's advertising on television strongly promotes the phone as the best medium for communicating with family and friends overseas.
Actually, the latest Telstra ad is a Lulu, we have batchelor boy, lolling in a chair in a darkened room somewhere in Australia, phoning up his long lost school sweetheart in the UK. Opening gambit "Hi Mary (not her real name for reasons of confidentiality ) this is Mike (likewise) - Tom (stet) gave me your phone number" ... images float on the screen of the deliriously happy couple together when they were young... "You got married to John"... images of Mary getting married accompanied by soulful music.... "Children?" (a batchelor's greatest nightmare!!) ... you can see the fellow thinking this was a dumb move... BUT WAIT... She said "No children".. and she lets it slip she is now divorced... The music lifts a pace to "Bollero" style and at last we get to see Mary lying alone in a beautiful white dress on a large double bed... it would not be right for me to describe the images that could float across the screen next and Telstra modestly save us the embarrassment by floating their logo onto the screen... as the happy, chatty voices fade away and rampant batchelors are left with the urge to go and find and phone their long lost loves overseas...
That move certainly becomes dumb when the next phone bill arrives!

Personal trivia:

Today I listen to my new Enya "The memory of trees" - my fourth Enya CD... my favourite artist alongside Loreena McKennitt. It is another beautiful day and my family had a lovely Christmas. We hope that you did too. There is not a cloud in the sky outside... the trees are moving very gently in the wind and the birds are at play while a sulphur crested Cockatoo feeds its young outside my window. Another perfect day in paradise.

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