An open letter has been sent to Julia Gillard which has almost 200 prominent names attached, appealing for the protection of Julian Assange.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/41914.html

Well if I'm in the mood for a bit of "Spank Banky" I'll certainly tell her exactly what I thought of the cute little secretary at work :)

Yabby, if you have an employee that's fiddling the till, wouldn't you want me to tell you?

These pollies are supposed to be our employees and if they're fiddling the till, I wanna know about it :)

It's a really simple matter balancing personal privacy with public policy being actually public.

If Kevin Rudd visits a prostitute, it really isn't anyone's business.
If Kevin Rudd visits a prostitute, but had used his parliamentary expense coverage allowance in a way it wasn't supposed to be (eg to buy her flashy jewelry, then it's the public business.

In other words, it becomes a matter when you start deviating from your JOB, that the boss (eg voters) deserve a right to know what their employees and representatives are doing with their money- more important in a democracy where this employee is making decisions on the company in our name but potentially against our wishes.

*what you probably mean is that from your point of view the "perception" of your integrity by those who know you is important to you.*

Nope Poirot, it matters to me. If I didn't have principlies by
which I live, I'd have nothing. I never care too much what others
think, but those who know me well, know my values.

*They are paid by us and are, therefore, in our service. We have every right to expect transparency.*

The same applies to your boss at work. So if I forwarded that
confidential email on to him, where you wrote what you really
thought of him, you would seemingly not have a problem.

Just heard some breaking news on BBC that Assange has been arrested by British police.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/07/3086417.htm

"Ms Robinson says Mr Assange will approach Australia's High Commission in London for consular assistance."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201012115849036