An effect of the Global Financial Crisis has been to make the issues around executive pay packages headline news, provoking strong reactions from a variety of voices. President Obama has released his proposals to correct excesses in executive pay. The Administration has taken the view that executive remuneration structures contributed to the crisis by encouraging excessive risk-taking. While much public outrage has focussed on the size of pay, Mr. Obama has attempted to focus his analysis on how the structure of remuneration packages affect the company's performance. Analysis focussed on size has resulted in proposals to cap pay, while a focus on structure has produced a package aimed at linking pay to long term performance.

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Shine Lawyers confirmed that 10 residents of Yarloop in WA have filed a class action against aluminium giant ALCOA charging that the company's Wangerup Refinery has caused respiratory problems, skin irritations, sore throats and eyes, extreme fatigue, mental dysfunction, stomach upset, blood noses, cancers and organ failure over more than a decade. The case has attracted high profile environmentalist Erin Brockovich (played by Julia Roberts in the film of the same name).

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The Federal Government has announced its National Consumer Credit Protection Bill. As it attempts to respond to the Financial Crisis, some fear that knee-jerk reactions that beef up regulation may not be the answer. If you are a user of credit, you might think differently.

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There's a lot of talk about footballers and sex. Often, comments and commentators provide more heat than light and as a result make it more difficult to ensure that footballers, fans and society together learn anything from these serious events.
John Sweeney

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