In other .. Other News ive decided Alston should resign, if not his seat, the ministry carnt be allowed to be kept in the hands of a man, who

Presides over the question of which digital format to use, and goes with Telstra version. When deal is done we find that he then went and :

A) Accepts a 10'000 TV from a company involved in the descision he just made.
B) Conffers to see if its the right thing to do, so talks to 1) John Laws, sponsored by tv providing company, Telstra. And 2)John Howard who also got a identical TV from them. Gee they were the coolest kids on the block we'rent they.


Remember Howard was elected in 1996 in no small part for promising a ministerial code of conduct which he said he would uphold *smirk*. Anyway the Code says thus "

Ministers should not accept any benefit where acceptance might give an
appearance that they may be subject to improper influence (eg because the giver
has or seeks to have a contractual relationship with government or has any other
special interest in government decisions.)'

(And this does a lot more than just give an "appearence" of such a conflict. Its not in a brown paper bag anymore, but legally and ethically its still the same.

Come on Honest John.

In off politics news.. well sort of, i picked up a copy of Thoughtlines by Bob Carr. Some interesting reading, if the articles he writes on others and how he pushes them, you can see his own style clearly shining through. This is how he sees himself, his government. As We wind the long road into his election and possible 12th year as premier its worth considering the man.
I think in some part he would be content surely but maybe a little disappointed at what he gave up. He could easily have had a federal seat , deputy under keating and beazley. now leader off opposition.

Instead he joined the hopelesssly outgunned NSW premiership and turned them around to having a grip on the election for a 12th year. His grasp isnt as strong as it used to be, though the fight still isnt there, and oppertunities federally could still apply , especially if he loses, but one thinks he will just retire and fade into the duskt as a man who returned good labor governments, economic and social to NSW again.