An interesting poll. Galaxy are currently conducting a poll in Bennelong, for publication early next week (I was called last night). The two key questions relate to how much the PM’s age and (dis)honesty will influence votes.

Job cuts. Telstra sacks 250 Brisbane ‘back of house’ problem fixers this month. Over 1000 Brisbane jobs and hundreds of other jobs at other centres will be lost before Christmas. Most jobs are going to the Philippines. Telstra is losing huge amounts of expertise and experience. Many customer complaints will now NEVER be actioned.

Striking political gold. Jacqui Burke, Shadow Minister for Health in the ACT, has struck gold in her quest for dirt on the local government’s mishandling of Canberra’s Hospitals. Despite a recent sacking of one Canberra Hospital employee for whistle blowing, many others have come forth with stories of chronic understaffing, staff stress and break downs and general organisational chaos in the wards and theatres. Even the Canberra media has overcome its Labor bias and turned the blowtorch on Health Minister Galagher following Burke’s revelations. Hospital insiders say there is still much more to come out yet and to stay tuned. Industry analysts wonder how much longer the Government can keep the lid on the debacle, especially when Canberra recently achieved the dubious honour of topping the list of the Australia’s worst performing hospitals.

APEC transport logistics. Canberra Airport is frantically modifying its fuel handling facility to enable it to re-fuel 747 planes that may be re-directed out of Sydney during the APEC conference. Apparently this is part of a contingency plan to deal with a potential strike by Transport Unions. Afterall, you couldn’t rely on the State of NSW to look after transport logistics, could you?

NSW Libs factional wars continue. Clarkette for Cook and Macca off Libs reserve bench for Legislative Council. Marie Ficarra the firebrand NSW MLC has put up her hand to be the Liberals candidate for the southern Sydney seat of Cook and Scott McDonald NSW Rural Vice President, is keen to take her place in the NSW Legislative Council. “Clarkette” as she has been christened by “The Phantom” (NSW Treasurer Michael Costa) will gain more than the 74 votes of the available 152 votes that the unendorsed Michael Towke achieved in his first round ballot when he won Cook. Meanwhile Towke is briefing his legal team to take action against those who ruined his business and personal reputation and that of his family. In his sights are those who failed continually to disclose to the media that he had satisfied accusations made against him and forbade him from publicly defending himself. The damage to the Liberal Party continues unabated and the responsibility for this unholy mess lies squarely with the NSW President Geoff Selig who has exhibited a total lack of leadership with his unwillingness to address the longstanding factional war in the electorates of Cronulla, Miranda, and Cook and within Sutherland Shire Council.