We're feeling deja vu all over again after getting our sticky mitts on a copy of Wellington Watch, a weekly wrap of Capital events put out by Sir Geoffrey Palmer's law firm Chen Palmer & Partners. Touted as an insightful document giving real value to clients from Wellington insiders, it fails to leave one breathless. Essentially, anyone who kept themselves reasonably cognisant of daily events could write the thing - and probably a lot better. To wit: "The Prime Minister went to Ratana along with seven other Ministers. [Really?!] It rained. [You don't say!] One Kaumatua made a strong emotional statement about Closing the Gaps.
He said the policy was being sanitised." etc. As one PR boffin spat in our direction, "God knows who Sir Geoff gets to write this unremarkable newsletter. Am I being too harsh, or is it merely my envy at not being able to offer the same expensive Government lobbying capability to my clients?"
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One Biz associate this week reports news so chilling, so blood-curdling, it caused us to rush out and ensure our passports are up to date. In Remuera's rich right-wing enclaves, apparently, moves are afoot to get Michael Fay back to NZ to stand for Parliament, with the aim of eventually peddling him as a potential PM. Seriously. We might have known the shady spectre of Michelle Boag, former Fay, Richwhite PR madam, is behind the move, having returned to the wet noodles of power recently by standing for the National Party presidency.
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Lad mag Ralph labelled her a "scorcher," and now she may be set to follow Kiwi beauty luminaries Rachel Hunter and Kylie Bax to international stardom. She is blond bombshell Nicky Watson, wife of Eric, and the Biz is not surprised that following her latest photo spread and pullout poster debut she has been approached by Sports Illustrated in the States to lend her considerable assets to their array of swimsuits.
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From across the Ditch: the battle of the free commuter papers began in earnest yesterday with the launch of Melbourne Express, the Fairfax tabloid, and rival News Ltd's mx. Both papers are targeting commuters and city workers and hope to tap into the lucrative 18 to 39-year-old market. News expects to distribute about 60,000 copies a day. But Fairfax - the Sydney Morning Herald publisher - is dealing with a bigger problem right now: a suspected case of Legionnaires disease, brought innocently to its waterfront Sydney high-rise by a Melbourne Age worker.
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More from Oz: it's nice to know what a concerned lot our transtasman cousins are. Sydney-based BigPulse proudly introduced their "free floating organic polling" results this week, showing Aussies are au fait with the big issues of the day. Here were the things most vexing the Ocker mind: stop Japan killing dolphins/whales; look after environment; avoid and label GM food; end mandatory sentencing; don't dumb-down the ABC. Some other white-hot issues rating highly included: celebrate life more; enough of Marilyn Manson; take a train to work; and Government must help all families to own a PC. Not to mention, help stray dogs in Thailand.
<i>The biz:</i> Finger on the pulse, ear to the ground, eyes wide ...
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