Today, the Liberal Party’s Waite branch demonstrates more interesting variations on the theme of loyalty, French farce at the Astra AGM, and the Zoolanders in our community face traffic chaos.

Pratt-fall

The Liberal Party branch in Martin Hamilton-Smith’s electorate of Waite can’t take a trick in the loyalty stakes.

In the aftermath of the Hamilton-Smith decision to go independent and back the Weatherill Labor Government, the branch has a new president and vice-president – and has been downsized.

The two sub-branches of Mitcham and Urrbrae were merged into one at the June 26 AGM of the Waite branch, meaning the Mitcham sub-branch presidency position vacated by Martin’s wife Stavroula didn’t have to be filled.

Urrbrae sub-branch president Michael Dilletoso became Waite president and will be ably supported by one Michael Pratt.

The Outsider’s readers will remember Mr Pratt for his fine display of party loyalty back in July last year.

The one-time MP and alarm installation businessman was spotted at a business function at the Hackney Hotel handing out flyers for independent Senator Nick Xenophon in the lead up to the last federal election.

At the time, Liberal MPs told The Outsider they had lodged complaints about Pratt’s act of disloyalty.

Either all has been forgiven or the Waite branch is a very open church.

French farce

This upright online organ’s unflappable business reporter Kevin Naughton wandered along to the Hilton Hotel this week to cover the annual general meeting of “interesting” Adelaide company Astra Resources.

Astra was on to his attendance – given that Naughton had in his hand a proxy for an aggrieved Queensland shareholder who couldn’t make it.

Unusually for an AGM, Astra had seen it necessary to put on some hired muscle – a rather large fellow who used his muscular, but somewhat protuberant, belly to push Naughton around the corridor outside the meeting. The Astra argument was that Naughton’s attendance was illegal – for reasons that made about as much sense as Astra’s business case.

But no matter, to his excessive amusement, Naughton managed to give the heavy the slip and enter the meeting – not once, not twice, but three times, leading him on a merry chase around the corridors of the Hilton. All that was missing was the Benny Hill music.

Meanwhile, InDaily had also dispatched reporter Bension Siebert to photograph any action. However, he was nabbed quickly and escorted from the hotel as soon as the security detail realised what he was up to.

Hilariously, a man purporting to represent Astra ordered his ejection on the basis that Siebert was in breach of the UK Corporations Act.

We know it’s an exhausting job running a company as “interesting” as Astra, but one would expect them to know which country they’re in (if not the day of the week).

We’re not ambiturners

The State Government has unleashed shockwaves across Adelaide after releasing yet another “fly through” – this time of the latest designs for the Torrens-to-Torrens upgrade of South Road.

What were they thinking?

Instead of turning directly right on to Port Road from the upgraded super-road, motorists will first need to turn left!

Only after turning left – get this – will you be able to turn right.

It’s a problem that has always troubled us on the South-Eastern Freeway.

You’re trying to get to Stirling for your weekend fix of organic chai, and there’s the town, nestled on your right, but you actually need to turn left off the freeway first!

It defies logic.

Plus, it’s discriminatory against the non-ambiturners in the community.