The plan to induce city dwellers to move to the country has been tweaked. That move must now involve a distance of at least a hundred kilometres after it was found that some people were gaining a motza by simply moving to the next suburb.
The criteria requires a worker to move house from the city to a country area and work in a regional job for at least three months to receive a grant of $ 10,000. People who rent and move to the country receive a lesser sum of $ 7,000.
The objective was to free up jobs and housing in the city and expand the rural workforce to strengthen the viability of country towns. Unfortunately, it raised the old " chicken and egg " conundrum. Which comes first ? The jobs ? Or the people to do those jobs ?
Unfortunately, two objectives are now competing at cross purposes. At the same time as we are seeking to strengthen country towns, we are also making our main highways safer by by-passing vast numbers which relied on the passing traffic for sustenance.
The Pacific highway is a case in point. It's accident black spot reputation has been reduced by a massive upgrading that has by-passed Kempsey, Bulahdelah, Karuah, Merwillingbah, Brunswick Heads, Ballina and Taree.
Travellers no longer stop in these picturesque towns to have a cup of coffee, buy petrol, visit a cafe or spend the small amounts of money that kept people employed and made business viable. It may be a safer road journey by avoiding the traffic snarls that speed reductions cause, but it comes at the cost of jobs - and the closing of many small businesses which are no longer viable.
The Hume highway is now a divided dual carriageway for it's entire length between Sydney and Melbourne. Shortly the Pacific highway will gain the same status between Sydney and Brisbane - and waiting in the wings are the country towns that line the Princes highway as it serves the coast between Sydney and Melbourne.
So far there has been no magic formulae to create jobs by way of introducing new industries to towns that previously relied on passing traffic. Many such towns try and attract the " Grey Nomads " who use their retirement years to travel Australia with a caravan behind their car. Highway signs extol new caravan parks and upgraded amenities, but these jobs are seasonal and what is required is permanent employment to sustain a stable work force.
The coming of the communications age and the era of Internet shopping is creating opportunities for those with the foresight to grasp them. It is no longer necessary to pay for an expensive city location to provide many services that meet public demand and information services are a fast growing industry that seems ever expanding.
Perhaps we need to offer grants to those who can locate these types of services to fill the employment gaps that are widening between city and country. The clever entrepreneur launching a new venture would see the benefit of a low cost start up in a country location - if the government could provide an attractive inducement.
Getting people to move from the city to the country is the first step in a wise relocation plan. Attracting the jobs that will keep them there needs to work in lockstep. That requires imagination - and the right bureaucratic thinking !
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Monday, 30 December 2013
Danger in the Ice !
A century ago, the Antarctic was still an unexplored wilderness and exploration teams were risking their lives to be the first to reach the South Pole. Today that great southern mass of ice seems to have been tamed. Half a dozen countries have base stations there and many claim this possibly mineral and oil rich area as their national territory. The aura of danger seems to have sharply receded.
Once again the frozen continent has sprung a surprise. A Russian ship carrying seventy four explorers, scientists and tourists is stuck in sea ice and requires the services of an icebreaker to set it free. The MV Akademik Shokalskiy was retracing the steps of Douglas Mawson when danger struck.
This event seems completely out of character. It is the height of summer in the southern hemisphere and usually the sea ice is retreating. Not only is this ship stuck fast, but the amount of ice surrounding the ship continues to increase and it's thickness has defeated the efforts of a Chinese icebreaker - which has been forced to retreat after also getting stuck in the ice. Rescue now awaits the arrival of a much bigger Australian ice breaking ship.
This incident underlines the need for caution when the Antarctic is considered as a possible destination for tourists. The cruise industry is building bigger ships and the lure of the deep south with it's magnificent scenery and iceberg spectacles may tempt the tour companies.
It is highly likely that the Akademik Shokalskiy will be freed and make a safe return, but if disaster strikes the rescue of seventy-four people would not be a difficult logistics exercise using helicopters to effect transfers, but what if a cruise ship with thousands of passengers suffered the same fate ? Time would be an important factor in mitigating such a disaster - and in the remote south - distance brings with it a time problem.
The Antarctic has been a tourist destination on a previous occasion. From 1977 until 1979 Air New Zealand operated tourist flights over the frozen continent and on November 28, 1979 a McDonnell Douglas DC10 with 237 passengers and 20 crew crashed into the volcanic Mount Erebus, killing all on board.
A court of enquiry determined that a number of causes were involved, including navigation errors and a " whiteout " making vision impossible, but it also noted the impossibility of rescue had that plane crash stranded the passengers on the ice. All thought of further tourist flights to the Antarctic was quickly abandoned.
When it comes to comprehending the vagaries of nature we enter unknown territory. Why there is thick packs of sea ice in high summer in the Antarctic is one of those mysteries that elude the scientists. What it does tell us is that the deep south is a mysterious and dangerous place - and is somewhere that is definitely unsuitable for any sort of mass tourism.
Once again the frozen continent has sprung a surprise. A Russian ship carrying seventy four explorers, scientists and tourists is stuck in sea ice and requires the services of an icebreaker to set it free. The MV Akademik Shokalskiy was retracing the steps of Douglas Mawson when danger struck.
This event seems completely out of character. It is the height of summer in the southern hemisphere and usually the sea ice is retreating. Not only is this ship stuck fast, but the amount of ice surrounding the ship continues to increase and it's thickness has defeated the efforts of a Chinese icebreaker - which has been forced to retreat after also getting stuck in the ice. Rescue now awaits the arrival of a much bigger Australian ice breaking ship.
This incident underlines the need for caution when the Antarctic is considered as a possible destination for tourists. The cruise industry is building bigger ships and the lure of the deep south with it's magnificent scenery and iceberg spectacles may tempt the tour companies.
It is highly likely that the Akademik Shokalskiy will be freed and make a safe return, but if disaster strikes the rescue of seventy-four people would not be a difficult logistics exercise using helicopters to effect transfers, but what if a cruise ship with thousands of passengers suffered the same fate ? Time would be an important factor in mitigating such a disaster - and in the remote south - distance brings with it a time problem.
The Antarctic has been a tourist destination on a previous occasion. From 1977 until 1979 Air New Zealand operated tourist flights over the frozen continent and on November 28, 1979 a McDonnell Douglas DC10 with 237 passengers and 20 crew crashed into the volcanic Mount Erebus, killing all on board.
A court of enquiry determined that a number of causes were involved, including navigation errors and a " whiteout " making vision impossible, but it also noted the impossibility of rescue had that plane crash stranded the passengers on the ice. All thought of further tourist flights to the Antarctic was quickly abandoned.
When it comes to comprehending the vagaries of nature we enter unknown territory. Why there is thick packs of sea ice in high summer in the Antarctic is one of those mysteries that elude the scientists. What it does tell us is that the deep south is a mysterious and dangerous place - and is somewhere that is definitely unsuitable for any sort of mass tourism.
Sunday, 29 December 2013
Winners - and Losers !
The stroke of midnight on New Year's eve will deliver very different outcomes in the lives of different people. For more than a million Sydney people it will be " party night " and they will throng the best viewing spots to watch a $ 6.8 million fireworks display light up the bridge, the harbour and the Opera House.
That fireworks display has become a world event. Due to the earth's rotation, Sydney is one of the first major cities to ring in the new year and television stations all over the world feature the Sydney fireworks because it is one of the biggest spectacles. Our fireworks are famous and the media exposure helps to bring tourists to our shores. The vast number of International visitors who enter this country use Sydney as their entry point.
The moment after the last rocket explodes and the sky returns to black, those New South Wales people with work related illnesses will face a bleaker future. A law change has moved the goal posts when it comes to the insurance industry's obligation to fund ongoing treatment for illnesses deemed to be caused by work related exposure.
The worker's compensation rules have changed - and now the ongoing cost of treatment will be entirely borne by the sufferer. Even when the matter has been processed through the courts and this has resulted in a finding that the employer was negligent and ordered to foot the medical bill for the patient's ongoing treatment - this law change makes that null and void.
The former " certainty " that financial planning can be based on insurance picking up the tab for the ongoing treatment of injuries such as Melanoma and other skin cancers no longer applies. With the stroke of a pen, benefits that have existed for decades have been swept away.
It looks like the commercial world is facing tough times and it is necessary to have a long, hard look at the costs of doing business. One of those costs is ever rising insurance premiums and it seems to be decreed that these can be lowered by cutting back on the benefits to make them more affordable.
Industry claims that the pendulum has swung too far in the workers favour and now they must share more of the expense for " natural illnesses " that may have a wide variety of causes - and are not solely work related. Skin cancer seems to be a case in point. Obviously, a job that requires a worker to remain in the open and is exposed to the sun has a direct cause on skin cancer, but it is equally evident that similar activity in leisure time has an equal effect. To blame this entirely on the work aspect is drawing a very long bow.
As one year comes to a close and another one makes a start, the rules under which we live deliver different outcomes. No doubt this change will receive further legal challenges in the law courts.
That fireworks display has become a world event. Due to the earth's rotation, Sydney is one of the first major cities to ring in the new year and television stations all over the world feature the Sydney fireworks because it is one of the biggest spectacles. Our fireworks are famous and the media exposure helps to bring tourists to our shores. The vast number of International visitors who enter this country use Sydney as their entry point.
The moment after the last rocket explodes and the sky returns to black, those New South Wales people with work related illnesses will face a bleaker future. A law change has moved the goal posts when it comes to the insurance industry's obligation to fund ongoing treatment for illnesses deemed to be caused by work related exposure.
The worker's compensation rules have changed - and now the ongoing cost of treatment will be entirely borne by the sufferer. Even when the matter has been processed through the courts and this has resulted in a finding that the employer was negligent and ordered to foot the medical bill for the patient's ongoing treatment - this law change makes that null and void.
The former " certainty " that financial planning can be based on insurance picking up the tab for the ongoing treatment of injuries such as Melanoma and other skin cancers no longer applies. With the stroke of a pen, benefits that have existed for decades have been swept away.
It looks like the commercial world is facing tough times and it is necessary to have a long, hard look at the costs of doing business. One of those costs is ever rising insurance premiums and it seems to be decreed that these can be lowered by cutting back on the benefits to make them more affordable.
Industry claims that the pendulum has swung too far in the workers favour and now they must share more of the expense for " natural illnesses " that may have a wide variety of causes - and are not solely work related. Skin cancer seems to be a case in point. Obviously, a job that requires a worker to remain in the open and is exposed to the sun has a direct cause on skin cancer, but it is equally evident that similar activity in leisure time has an equal effect. To blame this entirely on the work aspect is drawing a very long bow.
As one year comes to a close and another one makes a start, the rules under which we live deliver different outcomes. No doubt this change will receive further legal challenges in the law courts.
Saturday, 28 December 2013
Bus safety !
Driving a State Transit Authority bus in some parts of Sydney is fast becoming a dangerous occupation. Drivers report that they have been spat on, assaulted and at time robbed of their change money by groups of passengers who refuse to pay a fare and often make life uncomfortable for other passengers.
Buses are equipped with video surveillance and " mug shots " from these incidents are now being posted at bus depots to alert drivers of danger when these people board a bus that they are driving. The Rail Tram and Bus union (RTBU) is now advising drivers not to confront those who simply walk past and decline to pay a fare. Driver safety is paramount - and they are not required to engage in combat to enforce the rules.
If paying the fare becomes optional, expect the practice to be widely adopted. All forms of government transport lose money and yet they are vital services. Certainly the safety of drivers is important, but the state government has a duty to guard it's revenue sources and simply running up the white flag is not the answer.
The troublemakers are a relatively small group and they are prevalent in certain well defined suburbs. The bus system is already covered with video surveillance, hence acts of violence and the refusal to pay fares are recorded evidence to be presented in court. It is simply a matter of making that court appearance happen !
That will require a close working relationship between the police and the bus system. It will be necessary for each bus to be installed with a silent alarm which - when activated - alerts the police control room that there is trouble on a bus. The response ranking needs to be cranked up to ensure that the nearest police patrol cars intercepts the bus and pulls it over - and deals with the offender.
Making the punishment fit the crime is the key to making our bus fleet safer. These thugs are operating with impunity - because they know that they will get away with it. The moment there is real fear that a police car will miraculously appear and they will be cuffed and carted off to the charge room - a very different attitude will prevail.
It is simply a matter of treating this problem with the resources it deserves. Passengers - and their drivers - have a right to a safe journey and the government needs the revenue from bus fares to improve the service. The people who treat the bus facilities with contempt are law breakers, and applying that law with the severity it requires is the function of both the police and the courts.
As things stand, what is missing is the " fear factor " of getting caught - and facing the consequences !
Buses are equipped with video surveillance and " mug shots " from these incidents are now being posted at bus depots to alert drivers of danger when these people board a bus that they are driving. The Rail Tram and Bus union (RTBU) is now advising drivers not to confront those who simply walk past and decline to pay a fare. Driver safety is paramount - and they are not required to engage in combat to enforce the rules.
If paying the fare becomes optional, expect the practice to be widely adopted. All forms of government transport lose money and yet they are vital services. Certainly the safety of drivers is important, but the state government has a duty to guard it's revenue sources and simply running up the white flag is not the answer.
The troublemakers are a relatively small group and they are prevalent in certain well defined suburbs. The bus system is already covered with video surveillance, hence acts of violence and the refusal to pay fares are recorded evidence to be presented in court. It is simply a matter of making that court appearance happen !
That will require a close working relationship between the police and the bus system. It will be necessary for each bus to be installed with a silent alarm which - when activated - alerts the police control room that there is trouble on a bus. The response ranking needs to be cranked up to ensure that the nearest police patrol cars intercepts the bus and pulls it over - and deals with the offender.
Making the punishment fit the crime is the key to making our bus fleet safer. These thugs are operating with impunity - because they know that they will get away with it. The moment there is real fear that a police car will miraculously appear and they will be cuffed and carted off to the charge room - a very different attitude will prevail.
It is simply a matter of treating this problem with the resources it deserves. Passengers - and their drivers - have a right to a safe journey and the government needs the revenue from bus fares to improve the service. The people who treat the bus facilities with contempt are law breakers, and applying that law with the severity it requires is the function of both the police and the courts.
As things stand, what is missing is the " fear factor " of getting caught - and facing the consequences !
Friday, 27 December 2013
The lucky country !
As Christmas day fades from our memories and we head towards the new year, spare a thought for the incredible aura of good luck that hangs over this nation. The vast majority of the Australian people had a very happy Christmas, enjoyed a great meal with family and friends - and indulged in the present swapping that is a highlight of the festive season.
Some degree of sadness is inevitable. A woman attending midnight mass at a church was stabbed by a thief - who stole small change from her purse. Several days before Christmas, two families awoke to find a thief had broken in during the night and stolen the children's presents from under the Christmas tree - and complete strangers put their hand in their pockets and replaced that loss. Heavy Christmas road traffic produced the inevitable spate of road accidents that delivered death or injury to some - but spread across the twenty-three million people that call Australia home - sad events were a very small minority.
In comparison, many others in this world spent a miserable Christmas. The residents of Syria face death every day as civil war rages in their country. The people of Iraq face the prospect of a car bomb every time they venture to the shops to buy bread - and in Sudan a religious tribal fight is resulting in mass graves being discovered as whole communities face execution.
In the Philippines, the dead are still being recovered from the debris that a tropical cyclone inflicted on that country. Thousands of homes have been destroyed and the possibility of dieing from hunger can not be discounted. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, workers in clothing factories have a real fear of fire or a building collapse as they toil in unsafe surroundings - working for a pittance.
It is estimated that the slave trade is alive and well in many parts of the world today, and a vast portion of the world community exists - rather than lives - on less than two dollars a day. When we compare all that to the way we live in Australia, the term " the lucky country " - is highly applicable.
Hopefully, those twenty-three million Australian citizens have the good sense to keep it that way. We have a way of life that others envy. Australia is high on the list as the place to reach for those who wilfully risk their lives to reach our shores. This is the land of "milk and honey " - the destination at the end of the rainbow - that many perish trying to reach.
Australia will remain the best country in the world as long as we obey just a few simple rules. Those that come here from other countries need to leave the problems of those countries far behind them. This is a new start - and that means wiping the slate clean and starting again from scratch.
Religion is a difference of opinion, not a reason for war. It is not something to be forced on others at the point of a sword, and every person is entitled to follow the religion of their choice - or no religion at all. A little mutual respect can see religions exist in harmony.
This has always been a country of tolerance. That is the key to remaining " the lucky country " !
Some degree of sadness is inevitable. A woman attending midnight mass at a church was stabbed by a thief - who stole small change from her purse. Several days before Christmas, two families awoke to find a thief had broken in during the night and stolen the children's presents from under the Christmas tree - and complete strangers put their hand in their pockets and replaced that loss. Heavy Christmas road traffic produced the inevitable spate of road accidents that delivered death or injury to some - but spread across the twenty-three million people that call Australia home - sad events were a very small minority.
In comparison, many others in this world spent a miserable Christmas. The residents of Syria face death every day as civil war rages in their country. The people of Iraq face the prospect of a car bomb every time they venture to the shops to buy bread - and in Sudan a religious tribal fight is resulting in mass graves being discovered as whole communities face execution.
In the Philippines, the dead are still being recovered from the debris that a tropical cyclone inflicted on that country. Thousands of homes have been destroyed and the possibility of dieing from hunger can not be discounted. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, workers in clothing factories have a real fear of fire or a building collapse as they toil in unsafe surroundings - working for a pittance.
It is estimated that the slave trade is alive and well in many parts of the world today, and a vast portion of the world community exists - rather than lives - on less than two dollars a day. When we compare all that to the way we live in Australia, the term " the lucky country " - is highly applicable.
Hopefully, those twenty-three million Australian citizens have the good sense to keep it that way. We have a way of life that others envy. Australia is high on the list as the place to reach for those who wilfully risk their lives to reach our shores. This is the land of "milk and honey " - the destination at the end of the rainbow - that many perish trying to reach.
Australia will remain the best country in the world as long as we obey just a few simple rules. Those that come here from other countries need to leave the problems of those countries far behind them. This is a new start - and that means wiping the slate clean and starting again from scratch.
Religion is a difference of opinion, not a reason for war. It is not something to be forced on others at the point of a sword, and every person is entitled to follow the religion of their choice - or no religion at all. A little mutual respect can see religions exist in harmony.
This has always been a country of tolerance. That is the key to remaining " the lucky country " !
Thursday, 26 December 2013
Danger signals !
It seems that Australia is facing a drowning epidemic. The number of people who lose their life in water accidents is steadily climbing despite stringent fencing rules being applied to backyard swimming pools and the untiring efforts of the Surf Lifesaving movement which patrol our beaches.
Australia has changing demographics which play a big part in this phenomenon. The tide of migrants making this country home no longer comes mainly from Europe and many of the new settlers come from landlocked countries in Africa and the Middle East. As a result, they are inexperienced when it comes to the dangers of our beach culture.
One of the dangers is the seemingly safe appearance of the ocean on the average beach day. Other people are frolicking safely in the surf and to the untrained eye there is no indication that a rip can suddenly make an appearance or undertow develop. This danger is magnified if the swimmer has chosen an unpatrolled beach. The margin between safety and disaster is slim - and panic increases the risk in favour of drowning.
Religion can also have an impact on water safety. Islamic dress codes decree that both genders are covered from wrist to ankle and so both the bikini and shorts are not a comfortable choice for those who come here from an Islamic country. As a result, many such people are non swimmers and are vulnerable in boat accidents or flood situations. Leisure activities such as rock fishing are particularly dangerous for those lacking the ability to save themselves in water accidents.
This situation can only deteriorate unless we increase the education factor to ensure that the ability to swim is part of every school curriculum. We live in a country entirely surrounded by water and it is likely that every citizen will at some point in their lives face a situation when water poses danger.
Making water safety an integral part of the education system will take a degree of culture diplomacy. It will be necessary to consult with the Islamic community to arrive at a form of swimming costume that meets the criteria of religious modesty and separate gender swimming classes may be necessary to satisfy other religious principles.
Sport is part of the Australian culture, and making swimming a compulsory school sport is the logical dual objective of bestowing water safety on the entire spectrum of emerging citizens. It should be a goal that no child completes their education without achieving the ability to swim to safety in a water accident.
We can beg and plead for this to apply to the adult population, but if we are to succeed in improving future drowning figures - the key is to teach all the kids to swim !
Australia has changing demographics which play a big part in this phenomenon. The tide of migrants making this country home no longer comes mainly from Europe and many of the new settlers come from landlocked countries in Africa and the Middle East. As a result, they are inexperienced when it comes to the dangers of our beach culture.
One of the dangers is the seemingly safe appearance of the ocean on the average beach day. Other people are frolicking safely in the surf and to the untrained eye there is no indication that a rip can suddenly make an appearance or undertow develop. This danger is magnified if the swimmer has chosen an unpatrolled beach. The margin between safety and disaster is slim - and panic increases the risk in favour of drowning.
Religion can also have an impact on water safety. Islamic dress codes decree that both genders are covered from wrist to ankle and so both the bikini and shorts are not a comfortable choice for those who come here from an Islamic country. As a result, many such people are non swimmers and are vulnerable in boat accidents or flood situations. Leisure activities such as rock fishing are particularly dangerous for those lacking the ability to save themselves in water accidents.
This situation can only deteriorate unless we increase the education factor to ensure that the ability to swim is part of every school curriculum. We live in a country entirely surrounded by water and it is likely that every citizen will at some point in their lives face a situation when water poses danger.
Making water safety an integral part of the education system will take a degree of culture diplomacy. It will be necessary to consult with the Islamic community to arrive at a form of swimming costume that meets the criteria of religious modesty and separate gender swimming classes may be necessary to satisfy other religious principles.
Sport is part of the Australian culture, and making swimming a compulsory school sport is the logical dual objective of bestowing water safety on the entire spectrum of emerging citizens. It should be a goal that no child completes their education without achieving the ability to swim to safety in a water accident.
We can beg and plead for this to apply to the adult population, but if we are to succeed in improving future drowning figures - the key is to teach all the kids to swim !
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
" Tall Poppy " Syndrome !
The world has just been treated to an ongoing court case in London which had similar drama to a script from " The Bold and the Beautiful " - or perhaps " Dynasty " ! The media exposed the private life of celebrity chef Nigella Lawson in a case which revenge, theft, character assassination and titillation of the masses all had a part.
Nigella Lawson (53) is a good looking woman who has a vast following as the presenter of her cooking show on television and is wealthy in her own right. She was married to super rich advertising supremo Charles Saatchi and they lived in a $ 25 million townhouse in the better part of London. Nigella Lawson employed two personal assistants to help run her television series and these featured in the court case as the " Grillo sisters " - Francesca (35) and Elisabetta ( 41 ).
This episode of human drama started when paparazzi managed to snap pictures of a heated argument between Nigella and her husband at a top end restaurant. Saatchi appears to grab her by the throat, leading to speculation that the marriage was in trouble.
Rumour and innuendo morphed into a court case when the Grillo sisters were accused of using the credit cards with which they had been issued to make private purchases running into millions of dollars. They claimed that this was a personal arrangement with Nigella. They were permitted to use these cards at their own discretion in return from hiding the fact that their boss used drugs - and she wished this to be kept from her husband.
That claim changed the entire direction of the court case into Nigella Lawson's drug history. She freely admitted to occasional use of marijuana and claimed that marriage stress had caused her to resort to cocaine on a limited number of occasions. She was not addicted to drugs, but was a casual user - and an when circumstances permitted.
Strangely, the presiding judge allowed this court case to degenerate into a troll through the daily snacking habits of the celebrity chef, delving into the moods and idiosyncrasies of a high profile, highly stressed performer who was the darling of television audiences. It seemed to grab media attention to learn that Nigella Lawson snacked on junk food occasionally - and indulged lavishly in chocolate.
Eventually, the case ended with the Grillo sisters being cleared of any wrongdoing. They are now negotiating book rights to their story - and once again the public will probably salivate about fresh disclosures to whet their appetites for scandal.
As for Nigella - she will probably just continue to draw big audiences for her cooking show. There was speculation that this " Tall Poppy " disclosure might tear down her popularity, but in this modern day and age the suggestion of drug use no longer raises eyebrows.
In fact, the publicity might make her shows more popular. The loss of a few million dollars will hardly cause her or her ex husband any financial distress - and history shows that almost any kind of publicity can be turned into " good publicity " - with a stoic face and the right fine tuning.
Nigella Lawson (53) is a good looking woman who has a vast following as the presenter of her cooking show on television and is wealthy in her own right. She was married to super rich advertising supremo Charles Saatchi and they lived in a $ 25 million townhouse in the better part of London. Nigella Lawson employed two personal assistants to help run her television series and these featured in the court case as the " Grillo sisters " - Francesca (35) and Elisabetta ( 41 ).
This episode of human drama started when paparazzi managed to snap pictures of a heated argument between Nigella and her husband at a top end restaurant. Saatchi appears to grab her by the throat, leading to speculation that the marriage was in trouble.
Rumour and innuendo morphed into a court case when the Grillo sisters were accused of using the credit cards with which they had been issued to make private purchases running into millions of dollars. They claimed that this was a personal arrangement with Nigella. They were permitted to use these cards at their own discretion in return from hiding the fact that their boss used drugs - and she wished this to be kept from her husband.
That claim changed the entire direction of the court case into Nigella Lawson's drug history. She freely admitted to occasional use of marijuana and claimed that marriage stress had caused her to resort to cocaine on a limited number of occasions. She was not addicted to drugs, but was a casual user - and an when circumstances permitted.
Strangely, the presiding judge allowed this court case to degenerate into a troll through the daily snacking habits of the celebrity chef, delving into the moods and idiosyncrasies of a high profile, highly stressed performer who was the darling of television audiences. It seemed to grab media attention to learn that Nigella Lawson snacked on junk food occasionally - and indulged lavishly in chocolate.
Eventually, the case ended with the Grillo sisters being cleared of any wrongdoing. They are now negotiating book rights to their story - and once again the public will probably salivate about fresh disclosures to whet their appetites for scandal.
As for Nigella - she will probably just continue to draw big audiences for her cooking show. There was speculation that this " Tall Poppy " disclosure might tear down her popularity, but in this modern day and age the suggestion of drug use no longer raises eyebrows.
In fact, the publicity might make her shows more popular. The loss of a few million dollars will hardly cause her or her ex husband any financial distress - and history shows that almost any kind of publicity can be turned into " good publicity " - with a stoic face and the right fine tuning.
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