It's customary to introduce a topic by actually identifying what you want discussed. What are we supposed to be talking about here? A few public servants moved to Armidale? Or is it something so EastCoast-centric that those of us West of the Great Divide wouldn't know about it? I had to Google 'Joyce moves government department' to find out anything. I watch two news services every night - ABC and 7, plus radio through the day, and I haven't heard a thing about it. No big deal, it seems. And why should people paid by the the public not be moved about if it is in the interest of the country?

Dear doog,

Fully agree it is rank political corruption any anyone with half an interest in ordinary Australians who recognise it for what it is, nasty 'born to rule' elitism which thinks the public service is a plaything to be shunted around for their own gain.

But the issue is the ABC. At least we could always count on them being free from advertiser influence and this kind of thing was where they use to shine, but to me they are squimping it big time.

In many ways our bulwark against venial politicians and a Murdoch press was a fearless Aunty. The place has just got a whole lot worse if she is going soft.

//And why should people paid by the the public not be moved about if it is in the interest of the country?//

Why should people paid by the public be moved about if it is not in the interest of the country?

I thought we had a debt crisis. Why piss money up against a wall for no good reason?

Dear Toni Lavis,

It is a little bit more than that I feel. Joyce is the minister in charge of the department and he moved it to his own electorate. It stinks to high heaven but no one seems to be smelling it.

I would have thought that bodies like the pesticides
authority need central services, access to decision
makers or access to the very best in the way of
expertise and equipment. I imagine that such centres
would struggle to attract the best people and retain
them and influence the decision makers vital for their
function in the bush. The biggest losers will be
the people involved in agriculture.

Poor old SR. The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia didn't consult him on the business of running the country, and even his beloved ABC is not very interested in his ho hum bleating. No media interest: nothing to talk about. End of story.