A time for human compassion; and for government to stop regarding grants as one great joke because it controls the ‘bank’.
The poor thing was under his thumb, he was the boss and he made her say it. Secret loves can remain no secret anymore for anyone elected to public office or indeed in the public service.
The other problem is that governments have regarded the granting of money as one big joke – pork the barrel and pork the public. No more. Granting of money to electorates must be done by joint party parliamentary committees, openly. And, decisions by cabinet must cease to be cabinet-in-confidence and indeed commercial-in-confidence: if business wants to do business with government in any state or territory in Australia, in any tier, there mustn’t be any mirrors or smoke or fugazis. Australia must play it straight. And, watch out for that wildcard called love.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
