True blue dinky die Aussie patriotism was scarcer than a soft drink at a barbie last week during a briefing organised by law firm Linklaters.
Melbourne-based political and economic consultant Alan Carroll, executive chairman of the Pacific Rim Forum, was presenting his own brand of larrikin-like analysis of the world.
Asked how he rated Australasia economically compared with North Asia, the laconic Aussie replied: 'It's an irrelevancy - it's a quarry, a farm and hotel, and a bloody nice one.'
Take note: A notice from Citibank said: 'Thank you for informing us of your new mailing address, (sic) all correspondence will be directed to the new address with immediate effect.'
Of course this was sent to the old address.
Load of old broomsticks: Is Harry Potter - boy wizard - the Devil's spawn or is he a made-up character in a children's book?