Guest Report

High Noonan for the Kelty

By Peter Lewis

Elder statesman Gerard 'High' Noonan capped a glorious return to the industrial relations round by snaring the White Golliwog for Lifetime Achievement at the annual hacks and flaks piss-up in Sydney.

	Gerard Noonan surrounded by admirers

More than 40 journalists and spin doctors from the career cul-de-sac voted overwhelmingly to confer the honour on the Herald's oldest cub education reporter. The former Financial Review editor was overwhelmed by the award and said it was his biggest industrial moment "since the twenties".

Other awards presented were:

The Golden Thong: The Financial Review's Stephen 'the Sitar Player' Long carried off the thong for the second year running - literally. Sitar won after being spotted jogging outside Fairfax in lycra bike shorts and a fluro crop-top. Judges said Long had set a new standard for the round's near legendary poor fashion sense. The SMH's Mark Robinson was commended for bringing the dress sense of the NSW ALP Right to the round.

The Sour Lemon Award: The best/worst spin doctor award went to the ACTU's Clare Curran in a canter. Reasons were not provided. 1998 Lemon winner Ian Hanke from Peter Reith's office caused a furore by failing to return the trophy. In a live telephone cross Hanke undertook to ensure the Lemon got to Trades Hall, Melbourne.

The Egg-Beater: ABC radio's answer to Jimmy Olsen, Nino Tesoriero, snared the prestigious egg-beater for his unique style of reporting known as the "El Nino Effect". This is where a reporter creates a story by placing themself at the centre of a controversy and then reporting on it. For Nino, the vehicle was the NSW Industrial Relations Commission's decision not to give him access to papers linked to an unfair dismissal case against a former Carr Minister. Nino called in the ABC lawyers, jumped into the witness box and still managed to file for midday. Go get 'em scoop.

Special thanks to multiple Golliwog winner Brad Norington for underwriting the night and preparing the programs and Kelty board games that added that special hue to an already colourful evening. As the fluffy Kelty wigs were handed out, we looked at life from under a white mop and it all made sense.

Like Scout on Boo Radley's porch, we stumbled into the night (or collapsed in Michael "The Oyster Man" Bachelard's case), feeling we understood the great man that little bit better.

   Click here for more photos of the big night

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  Issue 42 contents

»	What Price Aussie Jobs as Olympics Loom
»	TWU Activist Named Organiser of the Year
»	Unions Lock in New Years Eve Deals
»	'Scrooge' Destroys Staff Christmas
»	Rule Changes to Restructure Council
»	The Great Salary Rip-Off
»	George to Kick Start NSW IR Reforms?
»	Shaw Loses Key Advisers
»	More New Faces at the New ACTU
»	Reith Second Wave Not Beached Yet
»	Peace in the Gong
»	Workers Support Register Gathers Steam
»	Pay Equity Enters Campaign Mode
»	Union Aid Agency to Establish Dili Office
»	Job Vacancies at the LHMU

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	Aquilina's Insult
»	Well Done 1999
»	US Union Site Worth a Look

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