...AND ANOTHER THING

GOLF, opined Mark Twain, ruins a good walk. What type of bon mot would he have used to describe the Sydney-to-Hobart crawl? Alex Shabs, Elwood

Green's manager vows to bring on the big guns - Holyfield and Tyson

DANNY GREEN'S management believes he can revive boxing as a big-time sport in Australia by providing the public with attention-catching "events", hence their desire to line up the likes of Evander Holyfield and even Mike Tyson.

Stench revisited rivals the latest

The timing could hardly be better: as allegations of corruption continue to swirl around the NSW Parliament following the murder of Michael McGurk, the veteran former state MP and noted corruption fighter John Hatton has announced the imminent launch of his biography. Its title? The Stench in this Parliament. Penned by Ruth Richmond, the book contains a glowing forward from the Sydney Lord Mayor and state MP for Sydney, Clover Moore, who along with Hatton and Peter McDonald shared the balance of power in Parliament while Nick Greiner was premier. Hatton, who sat in Parliament for 22 years and was hated by politicians from both major parties, is credited with instigating the Wood Royal Commission into corruption in the NSW Police. The book is subtitled "The story of the Independent nobody who brought down a premier", referring to Hatton's lead role in forcing Greiner's resignation from Parliament over the Terry Metherell affair. Richmond notes: "In the minds of many, Greiner's sacking created a deep scar in Hatton's credibility." Despite the passage of time, it seems old wounds are yet to fully heal: Metherell, Greiner and his successor as premier, John Fahey, all declined to be interviewed for the book, Richmond writes. It will be launched by one of Parliament's current independents, the Speaker, Richard Torbay, on November 4.

Where the mild things are

A navel-gazing Coalition is in dire need of leadership, policies and luck.

Liberal senator crosses the floor on refugee bill

DEFIANT Opposition MPs allowed the Government yesterday to remove "a blot on our statute book" billing refugees for their detention.

Finding Dodge City in the bush

How the bush made its mark on David Sedaris; how Allan Fels stumped Morris Gleitzman; how Leanne Hall conquered her shyness; and happy birthday Readings. By Jason Steger.

The Top Ten

1 CHINA has told Australia to stay out of its affairs as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told "our Chinese friends" that the world was watching how the Stern Hu case unfolded. Rudd's view cut no ice with Beijing. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said he noticed that "some people have been making noise about this case". Hu and other Rio Tinto staff have been accused of espionage and causing economic losses to China by bribing steel industry executives. China's sensitivities were also on show when it was revealed Beijing had tried to bully the Melbourne International Film Festival into not showing a documentary next month about Rebiya Kadeer, an exiled minority leader whom they label a terrorist and blame for instigating this month's ethnic riots in Xinjiang. The riots left more than 180 people dead.

Book industry to fight lifting of restrictions

BOOKS could be cheaper in Australia if the Federal Government implements recommendations in a report issued yesterday by the Productivity Commission.

Momentum builds for new review into the banking system

In the 12 years since the Wallis review, the banking landscape has changed a lot.