It’s over a year since the Independent Commission Against Crime moved into Wollongong and investigated certain goings-on in our council and the local building development environment, and we are still awaiting an official outcome.

This delay is unfair both to the image of the city itself and to those named by ICAC as being party to further judgment, who should have well and truly known their plight or otherwise by now.

I personally would be seething if I’d been accused of this or that and was still waiting over a year’s later to go to court to prove my innocence or otherwise.

Unfortunately, however, the justice system in NSW has become somewhat of a shambles and the ICAC delays further point to the mess it’s in.

Oh, and by the way, I haven’t heard back from the local “pollie” re my question whether or not one of those awaiting an ICAC decision was still being paid by the NSW government or not!!

Hawks future still in balance   

There are those in the community that believe the latest bid to save the Illawarra Hawks and maintain their place in national basketball will work, but equally so there are others who think much differently.

The latest Save the Hawks campaign has great support from stalwart player for many seasons Mat Campbell and those backing him have already put together nearly $700,000 and are quietly confident the club will stay alive.

It was good to see that another Hawks champion Glen Saville has said he will give some of his own money to help in the fight for survival, and that he wants to play with the team in the best competition the nation can offer.

Other key supporters I have spoken with in the last week just shrug their shoulders and give you the impression it’s all a waste of time.

But despite the fact that the recent Save the Hawks drive has brought in loads of cash there are still those doubters who don’t believe the recent momentum will continue.

Only time will tell.

Naturally upset

Just about everywhere I went last week people were talking about the decision to close our local Bond’s and King Gee factories, with a loss of jobs for some 300 people.

Old timers were recalling the days when they wore Chesty Bond singlets and loved the comic strip.

One group I sat with also threw in the loss of Victa Motor Mowers and said they would keep their fingers crossed that we don’t lose Holden, too.

Come on Aussie, come on!

Goodbye and good riddance  

The decision by Telstra boss Sol Trujillo to call it a day and take with him a
$3 million package for services rendered will be welcomed by most people.

Trujillo has warned that more job cuts are likely at Telstra, but how much will the victims of this exercise leave with?

I’ve said it before, I just don’t know how our many overpaid-to-blazes directors and executives can wake up each day with a clear conscience when they must realise that their obvious dilly-dallying at the top level has plunged many a major company into financial crisis.

Our Hugh was a hit   

Forget what some of those Yankee critics might have said, there was no doubt that Aussie Hugh Jackman was a big hit as compere of the recent Logies.

As time elapses and the viewing statistics are released it shows that “The Boy from Oz” laid them in the aisles, and I thought that opening number was out of this world.

And that award for best supporting actor to the late Heath Ledger was another key feature of the night. Wasn’t it great to see the packed venue rise en masse to applaud the award.

Where to from here?   

The news that the Corrimal Leagues Club is in financial pain may just be another hit on the head for the many such clubs we have in the Illawarra.

To date it seems that the northern suburban based clubs have been hit the hardest, but we already know that Western Suburbs struggled last financial year, the Illawarra Yacht Club has had to tighten its belt and Dapto appears to be much in the same boat.

I know for a fact that down Dapto way there is a fierce battle for memberships between the Leagues Club, the Citizens’ Club and the Bowling Club, with the latter’s food and grog prices winning over many friends.

Another crisis for NRL   

It’s bad enough that most NRL clubs are battling to keep sponsors but the latest dilemma for the league management, which concerns a possible player exodus because there’s more money overseas, doesn’t help the situation.

While most of the attention centres on Benji Marshall, who wants to play NRL and then go to Japan to get involved with rugby union, I’m told there is considerable player unrest out there and matters could get worse before they get better. If they do get better!

And I’m not sure the attitude of the NRL’s senior paid servant David Gallop really helps in such matters.

Still of concern   

I’ve mentioned before the troubles that have arisen between a contractor and their employees working at BlueScope, particularly in regard to pay, but I believe the situation reached the ridiculous when around Christmas workers each received only $5.50 in their pay on one occasion, which was a great Chrissie present.

Seems the unions are on standby and are following the matter closely, but what a far cry from the good old days where any such actions would have bought the unions down like a load of bricks on the employers responsible in this matter.

Starting them young   

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw about 20 students from a local high school being ushered into one of our leagues clubs armed with all the gear needed to play either snooker or billiards, or maybe both.

It’s the last sport one would expect to see on any school’s agenda and, if it must be included, why don’t the schools have their own billiard tables so the kids don’t get this young exposure to grog and gambling houses?