What a Week It Was

We thought last week was busy. This week - well, I've never known a week like it for news.

Monday, I've finished reading my news updates, the day is ticking along smoothly. I'm thinking about that night's media dinner at the new Crown Metropol and taking my studio makeup off when my mobile rings. The third update needs re-doing. Why? Carl Wiliams has just been killed. What?! The architect of Melbourne's gangland wars was bashed to death by one of the two prison inmates thought safe enough to let him mix with.

Before long I'm outside Barwon Prison, recording pre-recs for Sydney and Brisbane, crossing live into our news (twice) and - ugh - hanging around until 8pm to cross live into PERTH's 6pm news. Why, I can't say. A dark background looks the same at 6pm as at 8pm. And with seconds to go, our SNG gear dies. There will be no cross. We should have pre-recorded.

I race back to town, grab a late dinner with Frances, and crash in our suite at the Metropol. Hard to sleep with a full stomach so we are up early for a swim in the 27th floor pool and spa. Remarkable.

Tuesday the alleged killer is charged. I finish shooting, writing and editing a story about a city restaurateur preparing for a legal battle with his landlords - the Arts Centre - over the proposed redevelopment there. Another live cross - put at risk by an officious security guard haranguing us over where we parked the link truck. Then on the way home, amid pelting rain and a dramatic thunderstorm, comes the extraordinary news that a man has been arrested and charged with the murder of Ringwood woman Elisabeth Membery, 15 years earlier.

Wednesday night I'm back at the Metropol to cover the official opening. James Packer is hosting, looking more like his old man every year. He is huge, about 6 feet four high and just as wide. He lumbers. Suits are draped across him like sails, fastened where possible. Quite a crowd. Brumby, Warne, Kennett, McGuire, cabinet ministers, senators, business people, sportsmen, media, entertainers. Even Gordon Ramsay.

I am about to cross live from a very crowded, very noisy red carpet when an errant photographer wanders between the camera and me. He can't hear me shouting at him so as Mitch is reading the intro, I dart forward and shove him out of the way - rather too forcefully. He reels backwards as I regain my composure and launch into my cross. I check the tape later and nothing untoward appears. I feared I may have been seen ducking out of frame to assault someone!

Thursday and Friday I am rostered off, but the news bonanza continues. The Rudd government dumps its home insulation scheme after promising it would be re-started, and reneges on a promise to build 260 new childcare centres after completing just 38. They very deliberately announce this in the shadow of a huge story which consumes much more space and airtime: the Melbourne Storm rugby league side has been caught cheating the salary cap. They are fined and penalised almost into oblivion. The CEO, who is said to have arranged the scam, has vanished.

Friday, CFA chief fire officer Russell Rees resigns, 14 months after Black Saturday and 8 months after renewing his contract for a further two years. He was flayed in the Bushfires Royal Commission for failing in his duties on the 7th of February. A nice guy, but fundamentally incompetent and without the insight to realise it. He should have resigned or been sacked a year or more ago. But it's been such an amazing week that his departure - which would have been huge at any other time - passes practically unremarked.