Basil Zempilas: Commonwealth Bank’s $3 withdrawal fee shows corporate greed amid ongoing cost-of-living crisis

1 Next time a Commonwealth Bank ad comes on TV, take a moment to consider this: not only did some insensitive genius at the CBA (or group of aforementioned genii) come up with the idea to slug customers $3 to withdraw their own money, they actually progressed it from idea to announcement. That’s right, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis where a Prime Minister can work hard and buy a house and get whacked for doing it, someone at the bank not only dreamt up this hideous example of corporate greed, no internal check or balance stopped it before it was announced.

2 Speaking of the Prime Minister, he’ll be here this weekend (is it his 25th visit? I’ve lost count) to help open the Ellenbrook train line. Do photo opportunities come any more glorious? You can see it now, Roger, Rita, Albo, WA-based Federal ministers, other State ministers, Federal MPs you’ve never heard of, State MPs you’ve never heard of, Labor candidates for seats the train line runs through, Labor candidates for seats the train line doesn’t run through. They’re going to need to turn the iPhone sideways to fit everyone in.

3 As the ribbon is cut on a project which blew out by $10 billion, it’s worth remembering that in nearly eight years under WA Labor, only 500 social homes have been delivered and 36,000 people are now on the public housing waitlist. The Government will tell you it’s COVID’s fault, but somehow the pandemic had no impact on the pre-election scramble to finish Metronet. Funny that.

4 More front than Myer those NicheLiving blokes. Where’s Geof Parry?

5 If CCTV footage shows someone being punched in the head twice, how the victim later behaves in court should have no bearing when it comes to determining the perpetrator’s guilt or innocence. Attitude matters, but surely in court nothing overrides the facts.

6 Any chance the Business Council of Australia’s regulation report will make the Premier take a fresh look at WA’s archaic trading hours? It ranked States and Territories in respect to retail trading hours — and we came dead last.

7 Can you believe neither the Federal or State Government can (or will) come up with $750,000 to keep Sculptures By The Sea going in Cottesloe?

8 Between now and Australia Day there are family fireworks in the City of Perth every Saturday night. This weekend the fireworks light up near Council House to coincide with Santa’s arrival at the Alinta Energy Christmas Pageant. See you there.

9 To my great mate Steve Mills, congratulations on 20 years not out at 6PR. What a great innings.

10 Who else thinks the gap between first and second Tests was too long?

Basil Zempilas is Lord Mayor of the City of Perth and the Liberal candidate for Churchlands