Baillieu wants VMIA inquiry. The Victorian Baillieu government will proceed with an inquiry into the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, following Crikey’s revelations of alleged bullying inside the organisation last month. The issue was high on the agenda at the organisation’s monthly board meeting, held last Thursday, and chaired by former Victorian ALP powerbroker Robert Ray. Board members reported that the government had told them the formal probe would be rolled out in coming weeks.

On the clock at NewsCentral sub hub. Further to your piece about Uncle Rupert’s sub-hub model … I’m a casual sub in Melbourne (a former Herald Sun specialist sub relegated to re-writing mind-numbing Leader real estate copy and Weekly Times stories about butchers) and I can confirm that the “machine” — as it has  been dubbed by the powers; and no, I’m not kidding — is much worse than any imagined horror.

Already, one senior person has been overheard talking about X sub “getting through” X stories in a shift. No one is under illusion that there’s not reports generated at the end of each shift, reflecting subs’ performance. God help us all and, most importantly, God help the readers.

Journo union goes after late fees. I work as a journalist and decided I wanted to renew my MEAA membership, which I hadn’t used since I was a student several years ago. Rather than being welcomed back with open arms, I was told I owed hundreds of dollars in membership fees for all the years I hadn’t paid. I was then told if I signed up for a direct debit membership, the hundreds of dollars I owed would be waived. I declined the offer.