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True cost of service has hidden extras

Posted: 28 Feb 10 | LAST year we all got quite angry when Telstra imposed a fee upon its cus tomers for simply choosing to pay a bill in person. Rightly, the carrier withdrew the fee and refunded the additional monies it had received for doing absolutely nothing. |

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Pain, sadness and memories

Posted: 06 Feb 10 | TOMORROW’S first anniversary of the Black Saturday fires will see many public memorial services held around Australia, as a nation pauses to reflect upon that day when a hell-like fury was inflicted upon so many Victorians and their families. In the lead-up to what will inevitably be a difficult day for many Victorians, it’s worth noting that for those closest to the tragedy and destruction, Sunday February 7, 2010, will be just one more day of immense pain and sorrow. |

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Shared experience - Crucibles of fire and faith unite communities

Posted: 05 Dec 09 | EARLIER this week I attended one of the most important and informative public meetings I’ve ever witnessed, namely a local community fire meeting. The CFA volunteer who spoke to the 110 or so Maiden Gully residents was simply sensational - no fuss, no fanfare, no bulldust, just an honest presentation on the real and present dangers we face. |

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Bushfire: it’s one of our hottest issues

Posted: 21 Nov 09 | WE don’t set out to make waves at The Addy, just to report the news. One of the great privileges associated with being editor of a daily newspaper is knowing the role The Advertiser plays in our community. It’s an opinion shaper, provider of daily news and the medium locals turn to when they want to know what is going on in the world. |

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Fighting fires is not just a lottery

Posted: 10 Oct 09 | A FRIEND received a rather disturbing notice in his mail box recently - one that cannot be allowed to pass without comment. The notice was from his local Country Fire Authority Brigade, and its purpose was to solicit donations towards the cost of a replacement state-of-the-art twin-cab tanker valued at $300,000. |

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Just for the record . . .

Posted: 01 Aug 09 | IT’S hard not to feel sorry for champions like Ian Thorpe, Libby Trickett and Grant Hackett who this week sat idly by as swimmers wearing new space-age racing suits obliterated world records that had stood the test of time and hundreds of would-be challengers. |

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Winds of tragedy and transition

Posted: 04 Jul 09 | IT’S been a big week of news around the world, with the sudden and unexpected death of Michael Jackson dominating the media for much of the past seven days. |

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A spirited brekkie

Posted: 06 Jun 09 | IT might have been a Bendigo Spirit breakfast function, but it was also a more than appropriate backdrop for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank managing director Rob Hunt to this week talk up our community for its willingness to challenge existing paradigms. |

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Next time I'll have the jab

Posted: 23 May 09 | IT is with a tinge of regret and embarrassment that I must confess to having had the flu this week, an experience that does not come highly recommended. |

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Community ovals have right angle

Posted: 28 Mar 09 | FOOTY’S back. It’s that time of year when Victorians celebrate the return of their favourite team, tipping competitions take off and water cooler conversations tend to drift around who is in and out and why my team will beat yours. |

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Spirit of Bendigo is shining through

Posted: 28 Feb 09 | IT’S three weeks today since the dreadful Black Saturday fires, and as I rush to complete this column before heading to the Schweppes Centre for the Fightback Fundraiser, to say that a lot has happened in the past three weeks would be the understatement of the year. |

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Disaster stimulates the good in all of us

Posted: 14 Feb 09 | THE Federal Government’s $42 billion stimulus package it seems, has everyone happy today, with unions, business and even cyclists excited and enthusiastic about what comes next. |

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Silly season fax is short on facts

Posted: 17 Jan 09 | JANUARY is the time of year when seemingly two-thirds of the population take a holiday. |

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Paris criticism was undeserved

Posted: 03 Jan 09 | EARLIER this past week, jet setting celebrity Paris Hilton and her entourage dropped into Melbourne and among other things, splurged about $5000 in just under one hour at a trendy Chapel Street boutique. |

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Year full of more highs than lows

Posted: 20 Dec 08 | AS this is my final column for 2008, we look at some the highlights and lowlights of the year that was, Scribbles style. |

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Democracy: fast, high and strong

Posted: 06 Dec 08 | NOW that some of the dust has settled on last weekend’s City of Greater Bendigo council elections, it’s worth a few timely observations. |

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Friendship cycle cruises into port

Posted: 15 Nov 08 | LAST weekend I had the opportunity to take part in the annual Port to Port fundraising bicycle ride from Mildura to Echuca. Although I was a last-minute entry, it did not take long to realise this was not going to be just another weekend ride. |

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We need sense and sensibility

Posted: 01 Nov 08 | DURING the week I spoke to a local identity who has thrown his hat into the ring for this month’s City of Greater Bendigo elections, and asked him on what platform was he standing. |

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Taking stock of the week that was . . .

Posted: 18 Oct 08 | EACH week, about midday Friday, the wire service turns out a collective of quotes from major news makers across the nation and the globe. |

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