“An hour ago,” she said, “in the darkened Woolies car park. I was sure to park right beneath the street-light.” I was staggered to hear she keeps her keys bunched in her fist in case of attack and even has a whistle handy to blow. I had no clue that such precautions were part of her daily life and I suspect most Australian men are the same. Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit: Lights, camera, action! Yonks back, when a crowd from Hollywood wanted the rights to my book on Nancy Wake, they were happy to do the deal via fax. No chance, I replied. Only once in my life will I be able to fly to Hollywood to sign a deal and I am not going to miss it.

We flew in, had the meeting with an American, who came complete with a big cigar, and assurances were made that the cameras would roll within 18 months — and that was only 14 years ago. Such has been my experience with selling book rights, I will only believe it is happening when I see the credits roll. Phillip Noyce during filming of Rabbit Proof Fence. Credit: Still, last Tuesday was the most promising yet. I had lunch at Machiavelli with Phillip Noyce, the famed Hollywood director responsible for such gems as Dead Calm, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and Rabbit Proof Fence, and he dinkum is going to make a film on the siege of Tobruk. It already has the serious financing locked in and the script being done. It will be shot in South Australia, focus on the experiences of his father, Bill Noyce, a Rat of Tobruk of the mighty 2/13th Battalion, who featured in my book, and they are close to signing a major-league star. This time, I am starting to believe. Beyond the country charm Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

You know how our Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack comes across as three-quarters of a Kings boarder? You know how you’re sure you’ve met about 5000 good ol’ country blokes just like him — good looking, well dressed, well educated, well connected and lost somewhere in 1958? Well, I met him briefly in Parliament House on Thursday and to my surprise he wasn’t like that at all. He was an engaging bloke, interested and interesting. And to my amazement, he didn’t reject the idea of an Australian republic out of hand. No, I don’t say he exactly embraced the idea, but he didn’t storm away at the very idea and that is a good start. Liberals' genius move Still, when it comes to politics, there is stupid, there is bone-stupid, there is electoral-suicide stupid and then there is the council of Libs passing a motion last weekend to privatise the ABC. Genius. Vote to sell off the most cherished institution in the country. Joke of the week

Sheila doesn’t come home one night. When Bruce asks her where she’s been, she says she’s spent the night at a girlfriend’s house. Bruce is a bit suspicious she’s been rooting around so rings her 10 closest friends but none of them has seen her. Next week, Bruce doesn’t come home one night. Sheila asks him where the hell he’s been. Bruce says he got a bit drunk at a mate’s place and thought it was safer to crash out there rather than trying to drive. Sheila thinks he’s been rooting around so rings his 10 best mates. Eight of them say he spent the night there and two claim he’s still there. Quotes of the week “We were talking about fans going out of their way for him and I said, ‘what’s the weirdest thing a fan has given you?’ But then I said, ‘apart from herpes’.” Amanda Keller, recalling her worst interview, when that question, and addendum, simply popped into her head while interviewing her hero, Barry Manilow. “I was very measured. I didn't raise my voice. She and Barney were smoking outside. He bolted when he saw me. I turned to her and said, ‘My husband is out of bounds, off-limits, he's a married man with four children’, and then I called her ‘a home-wrecking whore’. It was not one of my finer moments but, looking back, I'm proud I stood up to her.” Natalie Joyce, in the Australian Women’s Weekly.

“It’s a valid question and I think it’s a good thing for all of us to debate where our taxpayer money goes.” Linda Reynolds, the Liberal senator from Western Australia, asked on Q&A if privatising the ABC was a valid debate to have, refusing to toe Malcolm Turnbull’s line that it’s all nonsense and there’s nothing to see here, folks. “What we must do, as we grieve, is ensure that we change the hearts of men to respect women. We start with the youngest men — little boys, our sons and grandsons.” Malcolm Turnbull after the rape and killing of Eurydice Dixon. “Courage is one of the most rarest commodities of politics. It is very hard to find it, especially in this place [Parliament House].” Clive Palmer announcing that Brian Burston — formerly of One Nation — is joining Palmer's new party, which has the excellently totalitarian name of the United Australia Party.