Take money, run

WHEN we approached Fairfax columnist and trenchant critic of The Age, Gerard Henderson, about relocating to Melbourne and editing the broadsheet (Strewth, yesterday), one of the reasons he cited for staying in Sydney was to collect $500 that Bob Ellis owes him for "failed punditry".

Ellis has been in touch to elaborate. "The 'failed punditry' Gerard speaks of was my bet with him that John Howard would lose his seat in 2001," Ellis tells Strewth. "I lost, and sent him a $500 cheque. He didn't cash it for a year. When he did, at Christmas, it bounced. I'm sending another this week so he can, if he wishes, leave town and edit The Age. And debate me, as he's now promised, after refusing to for 17 years, on any subject at any time." Strewth feels honoured to have facilitated such a happy outcome. We gather the $500 will be going to Anne Henderson's lower north shore Sanctuary Movement, which provides airfares for those entitled to be admitted to Australia under the refugee and humanitarian program but whose airfares are not covered by the government. Also, the door at The Age now looks that little bit more open.

Stale news

GIVEN how much fun we have with The Australian Financial Review and its parent company, Fairfax Media, it's gratifying to know we can be a source of joy in return. Here's a snippet from the Rear Window column in yesterday's Fin: "Tongues are wagging about the future of the boss of News Corp in Australia, John Hartigan, after a report in The Sydney Morning Herald last weekend that Wall Street Journal editor Robert Thomson has splashed out $3.8 million on a newly built Paddington town house." Intrigue with a bonus real estate angle - a proper Sydney yarn! At the risk of being a party pooper, the house in question was bought nearly a year ago. And while Thomson is Australian and apparently misses the joint, he is in the process of getting a green card and is heavily involved in sorting out Dow Jones. All in all, it doesn't sound like he's leaving New York anytime soon. For the Fin, it's the very least we could do.

Who needs it

HERE'S one cunning method for avoiding sticky questions in the future, as revealed yesterday in the federal opposition's list of suggested cuts to the budget: "Discontinuing the Helping Our Kids Understand Finance program".

Bridge over 'hood

TOM Kenyon and Bernard Finnigan, the two 38-year-old Labor backbenchers elevated to Mike Rann's new-look ministry in South Australia yesterday, have given an insight into their divergent musical tastes. The intense interest followed The Australian's report that Kenyon had arrived at caucus for his ascent to the frontbench plugged into his iPod and listening to Adelaide hip-hop outfit the Hilltop Hoods. ABC local radio presenters Matt Abraham and David Bevan took up Kenyon's challenge to play the music on their program, while suggesting that Finnigan's iPod would no doubt be playing only Gregorian chants. We were rather hoping this was true but, quizzed later at a press conference, Finnigan confessed to not even owning an iPod. His musical interests? Top 40 hits and Simon and Garfunkel. "The Hilltop Hoods are probably not my style," said Finnigan.

Stand by your man

STILL in SA, state Education Minister Jay Weatherill was no doubt thrilled by this clarification crowning an amended story issued yesterday by the Australian Associated Press: "Corrects the spelling of [Opposition Leader] Isobel Redmond's name and clarifies that Jay Weatherill is a man." And while we're here, the splendid news that Kevin Foley has been made Police Minister means we can retract the W. H. Auden (Strewth, Monday) and turn to Lewis Carroll: "O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay."

Felicitations

AND speaking of frabjous days, a very happy birthday to Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who turned 102 yesterday.

Gone in 60 seconds

THE latest announcement in the compelling NSW Labor Can't Take a Trick series: "NSW ALP general secretary Sam Dastyari has announced that ALP candidate for Albury, Nico Mathews, has withdrawn from the election. NSW ALP said the selection of the new candidate, Darren Cameron, will be formalised next week. Mr Mathews was charged with drink driving as reported in The Border Mail. Mr Dastyari said it was a court matter and he would not be commenting further." Much more of this and Strewth is going to have to get down to the Labor bunker in Sussex Street and start dispensing hugs, though we fear such a gesture may not end well for us. Incidentally, the latest piece of Labor election literature to land in our letterbox just happened to be tucked inside a Scientology flyer declaring: "Getting along with each other, ironing out disagreements, living up to another person's expectations - these factors can make it all but impossible to live a happy life." True, true. And then the giant alien lizards turn up.

James Jeffrey