Strange way to ease him out. For past two weeks the country editions for SMH have not carried the main Alan Ramsay column, only the slim side bar. Investigations prove main columns make city editions and was also in the Brisbane online paper last Saturday. Day later I found the full text online. What is going on?

Not enough stars for APEC. Canberra was originally considered as the APEC venue, but was rejected because it only has one 5-star hotel (the Hyatt), though plenty of 4.5-star hotels.

Howard knew nothing of the leak this week. It was planned by Crosby/Textor for their own benefit and implemented by a third party.

A special arrangement. Federal Minister for Agriculture Peter McGauran is seemingly having difficulty making a decision to stop the cruel unstunned killing of sheep at a Victorian abattoir (Midfield Meats in Warrnambool) – exposed by animal welfare groups last week. Could it be because one of his school chums, James Ralph III runs another abattoir in Victoria which was named by The Age newspaper last week as having “special arrangements” to use this cruel killing method?