This was published 15 years ago
Lunch is still on the menu
Michael Evans prefers to pack a cucumber sandwich each day.
By Michael Evans:
WHAT was that line from Gordon Gecko? Lunch is for wimps.
What would he know? After all, a bloke's gotta eat. And despite these straitened times, there seems to be no sign of a slackening off in some quarters when it comes to doing a deal over a meal.
One of our spies was doing just that the other day, grabbing a quick bite at Alfredo's Italian noshery tucked away in Bulletin Place when, peeking over the top of the nosebag, he spotted Rocket Rodney Adler chowing down with a couple of suits.
Next thing, Phil Green walked in the door and took a table by himself. Then Grant Jagelman walked in and took a table. Then GPG, er, bigwig Gary Weiss walked in and sat down with fabulous Phil.
The Rocket left with his companions as Weiss and Green got down to some serious discussions. Both are deal-doers and with the former Babcock kahuna now in free-wheeling mode, the pair may be on the hunt for a few cheap assets. Let's face it, there are plenty on the market. Then again, maybe they just like Italian food.
Jages appeared to be dining solo or at least waiting for someone who'd been held up on a conference call somewhere.
Love thy neighbour
There's nothing terribly pleasant about a long, drawn-out dispute with the neighbours.
After all, you've still got to live next to the guy who plays his Robbie Williams CDs a bit loud, keeps his rowboats on the front lawn or who, heaven forbid, sunbakes nude in the backyard.
So we were taken by Rob Murray from Lion Nathan coming out with his ambitions for Terry Davis's Coke.
Particularly given Murray and Davis are, in fact, neighbours, living just a few doors apart for the past three years in the Mosman dress circle address, The Grove.
While it's advisable for neighbours who aren't seeing eye-to-eye on such issues as, say, a merger to head to local council for mediation, we'd hate to see any ill-feeling creep into the street.
And, heaven forbid, it should go hostile. Still, it might make for an interesting conversation starter at the next street party. Feel like a Hahn? How about a Coke? Still, no chance of a Hahn and a Coke?
Perhaps the pair can get together this weekend to celebrate the final of Australian Idol, given the karaoke stars have also been holed up in former AMP boss Paul Batchelor's spare pad in The Grove in recent months.
And spare a thought for Davis. As much as he tries to love thy neighbour, he'll get a reminder of Murray's ambitions every time he takes out the rubbish.
Night of the vampires
It's important to keep a sense of humour in these trying times. Take the chaps at Macquarie's Banking & Financial Services Group.
Sure, the MacGroup bonus pool has taken a bit of a hit. And yes, the BFS division has taken a substantial hit in its headcount, about 9 per cent, down from more than 3000 employees in March to 2779 now.
So what's this we hear about the Banking & Financial Services Group holding its Christmas party at a secret location on the harbour? Word is the theme is a Vampire Ball. Did someone say bloodsuckers?
Meanwhile, it's good to see MacGroupie boss Nicholas Moore is still hiring somewhere.
His publishing plaything, Australian Financial Publications, is on the hunt for a new banking and finance editor to run their little industry rag and look after its modest "blue chip client base".
And elsewhere in the MacGroup accounts, details about just how hard the bank's employees have been burning the midnight oil. MacGroup's provision for annual leave has surged to $20 million in September from $7 million in March. Not much time for holidays when you're saving your skin.
Meanwhile, travel and entertainment expenses fell over the past six months from $111 million to $102 million. We can only wonder why.
Not happy, John
Legal bod John Atanaskovic continues to make waves in the unfamiliar terrain of the local courts.
Was it only last month we noted magistrate David Heilpern had read the riot act to Antagonistic over his behaviour in a dispute over an amended statement of claim lodged by his former Atanaskovic Hartnell partners?
The magistrate's concerns had something to do with the size of Antagonistic's ego and how he was "treading on very thin ice" by sending an email to the lawyers acting for the other side.
Well, having allowed the amended statement of claim, Heilpern has now awarded costs in the preliminary dispute to the breakaway chaps at Chang Pistilli & Simmons.
And the magistrate used the opportunity to pass comment on Antagonistic one more time.
"I agree that the conduct of Mr Atanaskovic was beyond the pale," Heilpern said in a written decision on costs. "To write to a partner in his own firm, requesting that he 'have another conversation with Henry Herron (of Clayton Utz), and convey to him that he is ruining a fine reputation associating himself with such fantasy and foolish claims' is one thing.
"To then 'cc' that letter to Henry Herron is quite another and can only be interpreted as an attempt to lean on Clayton Utz to stop acting for his ex-partners. Such conduct is reminiscent of bitter family law correspondence after a particularly acrimonious separation."
Having already criticised the Antagonistic team for blowing $100,000 in preliminary skirmishes, Heilpern added: "Litigation by point scoring, prolixity and intimidation is unlikely to facilitate the quick, just and cheap resolution of this matter."
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