However, DTM has recently noted a new source of news-ish stuff: the queue in the bottle shop. 

People seem to love regaling their fellow consumers and the staff with amusing, if not entirely true, facts.

Here’s a couple we harvested this week. One bloke was reporting how un-Australian it was that authorities at certain AFL grounds took a hard line on what could be taken into matches. It seems his mate had bought a six-pack of beer and had it confiscated at the grounds.

“He was dead unlucky. He didn’t know he had tickets for the dry area. What’s worse, Collingwood lost.”

DTM did a bit of backgrounding on this and he’s right, there are some very clear rules.

For example, at Etihad Stadium, among the extensive list of things you are banned from taking into designated areas are radioactive material, biological hazards, small aircraft.

It became clear this is an issue. One chap put out a plea to an online forum, asking for advice: “The things I am looking at possibly bringing in are sandwiches, salads, drinks (unopened plastic bottles, like 600ml Coke or bottle of water), Thermos with coffee or tea, snacks (like pizza Shapes or chips or nuts etc) and possibly hot food (although this would be hard, as most foods would go soggy/cold by the time I arrive) – I guess an exception would be bringing in a sausage in a Thermos with hot water inside to keep it warm and make it myself at the game (hot dog).”

One reply was: “Mate, you should be right with all of that stuff. But the question remains, are you going to the footy or a picnic?”

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Next in line was a complaint about how (again) un-Australian fines for fishing without a recreational fishing licence were.

The claim was made than an unnamed mate had been sprung on the Murray without a licence. He was told he faced fines of thousands of dollars and would have his boat, trailer and fishing tackle confiscated.

Again, it’s true-ish. You’ll probably be more likely to face a $200 on-the-spot fine, but the penalties leap dramatically if you fail to pay or are a repeat offender.

There have been cases where illegal fisher folk were fined up to $20 and had all their gear seized. But, as one NSW report said, mainly those caught were “fined, tagged and released”.

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Another crusty old bloke in the queue was moaning about the fascinating article in the Addy this week about new moves to end the Sandhurst Club’s 160-year-old men-only rule. (Err, that’s the rule that’s 160-year-old, not the men.)

That sparked a story about a woman who walked into the club and was told: “We’re very sorry, madam, but we only serve men in this establishment.”

“Good,” she said. “I’ll have two.”