I’ve received a letter from a uni’ lecturer mate about a staff meeting during the lockdown. The discussion centred on working at home. One of the group asked whether they thought the university would compensate her for, “having to use her own teabags, milk and toilet paper.” She was deadly serious.

Perchance, I’ve just discovered there’s such a thing as a British Toilet Association. I’m not taking the piss. Google it. Its logo is “For Your Convenience,” it has an Honorary President, a Managing Director, a Chairman and five committee members on its Management Advisory Committee.

Recently there was a Federal by-election in Australia in the Labour-held marginal seat of Eden-Monaro. In a tight race Labour scraped back, thanks to the Greens preferential votes going their way.

But note this.

For the last half dozen years Wellington property developer Ian Cassels has engaged in a heavily publicised war of attrition over his proposed 400 apartment development in Shelly Bay.

Judith’s first act has been to promote Dr Shane Reti and punish Michael Woodhouse by making him the Pike River Recovery shadow minister.

Given that the government has wisely abandoned recovery attempts, the message is clear. Michael must go into the mine personally and single-handedly pull out the bodies.