It's A Right Royal Fight To Get A Payout

The Age

Wednesday August 13, 2008

Edited today by Lawrence Money

LITTLE wonder people complain about cabs. This is the Royal Taxis depot (below) in Clive Street, Springvale, base for taxi M7423, which ploughed through a red light and hit the Toyota of motorist Sue Watkins two months ago. The cab driver, who gave his name as Bipanjit Saggu, was charged by police. Royal Taxis' insurance agent, Claims Made Easy, told Diary last week the firm admitted liability and offered $3400 - but so far no payment has been forthcoming.

The problem: cabbie Saggu seems to have transcribed the name of "S. Watkins" as "Swat King" on to the accident form (Diary, August 8) and Claims Made Easy executive Frank Cottonaro says this casts doubt on the ownership of the vehicle. "Because we deal with fleet vehicles," said Cottonaro, "that would indicate to us that it is probably not an individual's car, it's probably a company car." But the Insurance Ombudsman's office says this is hogwash: "The driver of the car is irrelevant. If the registration papers are in order, there should be no problem." Diary has a copy of the papers - Watkins is the owner of the car. Why won't they cough up?

Company records show the owner of Royal Taxis is Jim Hristeas, of Oakleigh South, but Diary was told the manager is Andrew Panayi. We could not lure Mr Panayi to the phone but his surly sidekick, Jana (surname "none of your business"), snapped: "Get your facts correct!"

Meanwhile, a check with the Taxi Directorate shows that Saggu is an "accredited cab driver". Ms Watkins has headed off to the lawyers. We'll keep you posted.

Not horsing around

JUST like the good ol' days of the fourth estate when celebrated trainer Lee Freedman took a bus full of media hacks to a winery for lunch last week, then to his training stables on the Mornington Peninsula, a spread that includes the Dead Horse vineyard for domestic consumption (it's a drop that will never be flogged). Hopping back on the bus for the joyous return home, we hear one Murdoch happy-snapper went to the rear and attempted to crown a Sydney TV chappy on the scone with a stubby. Sydney hack came back with haymaker that snapped the snapper's beak, sending blood cascading. Said a po-faced Freedman spokesman: "We were entertaining some guests and it was a most enjoyable day." More, please.

Start your engines

"WHERE have you gone, Jane Austin?" queries Melbourne Grammar chaplain Ron Noone in the latest school newsletter. Perhaps she went motoring with Frankie J. Holden.

Super double dip

LUNCHING in Hardware Lane used to be a comfy ritual for superannuation companies but, since the bourse caught influenza, life is not so breezy. One not-for-profit industry super fund received a nasty surprise at a recent staff farewell when the bill included an extra $200 for the 10 (from a party of more than 30) who hadn't turned up. All would have been forgiven back in the boom times, when the boss simply threw down the corporate credit card, but not any more: hapless diners were asked to cough for their "no show" colleagues. That will make for icicles in the office.

Paw performance

THOSE "Cat work boots" are Caterpillar safety boots, says a caller about Diary's report last week on a sudden burst of local felinisation. News of the Cat boots for sale in Sunshine came the same day as an invitation to see Meow Meow singing in Vamp at the CUB Malthouse next month. And guess what the Melbourne Theatre Company opens at the Playhouse tonight: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Bob's on the job

STARTLING news from No Idea magazine: "Baby Bob" Irwin, son of the late croc hunter, has "inherited his late father's insatiable love of adventure and zest for life". To prove it, No Idea has "exclusive pictures" of Bob "ignoring his mum's pleas to stay inside the family's warm cabin, opting instead to scour the rocky outcrop of marine life". Crikey, how unusual for a four-year-old!

What a cheek

"I WANT an editor, I want a shop assistant, a street sweeper, a doctor, an accountant, a barrister," says former Footy Show pink person Roland Rocka-whatnot, Ballarat's art supremo, who is urging Ballaratians to pose naked for a photo, their modesty covered only by a Eureka flag. As inspiration, or perhaps a warning, Roly has shed his raiment for a shot that will surely earn a celebrated place in dark corners of the web.

Forgot her broom

"WHAT'S your name?" one of the cast of Altar Boyz asked the lady they plucked from the opening-night audience at the Athenaeum on Monday. "Lucy," she replied, but she could also have answered "Glinda". That was no lady - that was Lucy Durack (below), the good witch from Wicked, on her night off from the Regent just across the road.

CONTACT

LAWRENCE MONEY 9601 2116 lmoney@theage.com.auhttp://blogs.theage.com.au/moderntimes/

SUZANNE CARBONE 9601 3192 scarbone@theage.com.auhttp://blogs.theage.com.au/limelight/

Fax: 9601 2327

© 2008 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home