Overheard: ‘destroying the NBN’. Crikey‘s Canberra spies report former Australian business writer turned Malcolm Turnbull adviser Stephen Ellis bragging to his table at last week’s Mid-Winter Ball that he had placed current Australian business writer Anthony Klan firmly on the drip over his boss’s desire to “destroy” the National Broadband Network. The Mike Quiqley Alcatel “affair” was all Ellis’ doing, apparently. No wonder Stephen Conroy spinner Lyall Johnson is up in arms at the rough treatment.

Crooks after ‘sensitive info’ in Newcastle break-in. So what exactly were thieves after when they broke into a Newcastle health support services facility and stole a bunch of computers this week? An anonymous tipster suggested to Crikey that “highly sensitive information” may have been the target, when up to 18 hard drives went missing after two break-ins at the North Coast Area Health Service. Police were investigating the incident, said the tipster, and together with Department of Health management were asking for complete confidentially from staff: “Staff are assuming it’s an inside job as thieves accessed the building via an unsecured area where there are no alarms or video surveillance.”

But according to NSW Police, who confirmed the break-ins this morning, just three laptops were stolen — none of which contained sensitive information. A spokesperson for the Health Support Services told Crikey an investigation was underway into the thefts: “The stolen computers were quickly identified and their access to the Health Support Services network has been cancelled. Newcastle Service Centre is a transaction unit for Health Support Services where clerical staff manage invoice processing and human resource recruitment.”

The theft comes as the NSW government approaches a deadline set by auditor-general Peter Achterstraat for improved electronic information security arrangements. In a scathing report delivered in October last year, Achterstraat found that little was being done to protect people’s private information in NSW — despite a 10-year push to improve electronic security. Achterstraat gave the state government until June this year to clean up its act. The report said a possible consequence of an IT security breach inside a government department could include media records being altered.

Rattner gate: Hanson saga continues. Yesterday we reported — in a sorry saga that just won’t go away — on the eerie link between Pauline Hanson fraudster Sean Castle’s pseudonym “Michael Rattner” and the former Liberal member for Macquarie Alasdair Webster who, in the late 1990s, was linked to a fabricated “Michael Raton”. A tipster adds to the story: “Webster contested his 1993 loss to Labor’s Maggie Deahm in the Court of Disputed Returns. This might well have some bearing on his later concerns. He then identified himself as a ‘Christian’ candidate before leaving the Liberal Party for Fred Nile. Mickey Mouse was a popular write-in candidate in America, and this may have bearing on Webster’s chosen nom de guerre.”

ABC IT dramas 1: system “abysmal”. ABC spinners denied their new multimillion dollar web content management system is a dud yesterday, rejecting claims its transition into the News Online portal had been setback by delays and overruns. But another anonymous insider insists our information is “spot-on”. Implementation of the system, designed overseas, has been deferred at least four times since February, they say.

“It was introduced with very little consultation regarding the actual needs of ABC clients and internal communication around Ultimo concerning even very basic elements of this project has been abysmal,” they tell Crikey. “Most people on the client-facing end are embarrassed to have even been associated with it.” An ABC spokesperson said yesterday: “The project is progressing well, further testing and beta runs will be under way in the coming weeks.”

ABC IT dramas 2: bitcoin hunt. The Australian and Fairfax papers picked up on Crikey‘s scoop regarding the ABC staffer who apparently used virtual money platform bitcoins to profit via Aunty’s systems. The ABC says it’s investigating the “serious breach” but none of the reporting has been unable to uncover any more information on who the staffer is and just how he managed to do it. We’re still asking around, but we need your help. You can drop us a line anonymously and ABC investigators will be none the wiser …

V8 racing shunted by AFL games. Channel Seven executives say they’re willing and able to broadcast four AFL matches each weekend from next season, after Channel Ten yesterday pulled out of talks to take two games off its hands. But questions are being asked about where that leaves V8 Supercar racing, which shares Seven’s weekend schedule. The sport’s officials have already complained bitterly about some races being shunted to digital channel 7Mate to make way for AFL coverage — next year, with games on Saturday and Sunday, will be even worse.

Officially, governing body V8 Supercars Australia is unconcerned. A spokesperson told Crikey today it’s yet to lock in its 2012 calendar: “As the calendar becomes more defined we will discuss that with Seven.” But with the sport shopping around for a new broadcast rights deal for 2013 and beyond, Seven is now surely out of the running.