Treasury chief on 'wombat leave' (BBC) {Oz ... where else}

[eppur_se_muova]

Australia's top treasury official is taking five weeks leave to look after endangered wombats.

Ken Henry, treasury secretary and animal conservationist, has warned that hairy-nosed wombats are "on death row".

But opposition politicians - and even wombat lovers - question if now is the time to be thinking about wombats.

Inflation is at a 16-year high, interest rates are up and fuel prices are rising. Mr Henry will also miss a central bank meeting.

For the love of wombats

Mr Henry will be looking after 115 hairy-nosed wombats in an isolated spot in northern Queensland, with no mobile phone coverage and two-and-a-half hours on a rough track from the nearest town.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7477083.stm

OK, I just have to post any news item with "wombat" in the title.

[Enrique]

1. funny name for a funny animal

[Lorien]

2. The economy is going to take a tumble nearly everywhere anyhow

Saving the wombats is as noble a cause as any. Humanity has done so much harm to every other life form on earth; it's good that someone is trying to undo some of the damage now (besides, most Aussies get two months leave anyway, according to two I met a week ago).

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Personally, I thought it interesting that a gov't minister should be a concerned conservationist ...

Of course, I remember the days of Watt, Gorsuch, et al (at whose shrines the current gang of pillagers worship), so my view on such matters is irreversibly warped.

[Lorien]

4. A concept that would be unheard of here

being compromised completely by corporate interests seems to be a requirement for any government post.