Herd on the Terrace: Satterley’s latest love letter and Domino’s boss Kerri Hayman chews the fat

The Bull was seeing red this week after a recent Linkedin love note penned by property baron Nigel Satterley dedicated to the Cook Government. The big Labor donor took a short break from relentlessly expanding Perth’s sprawl to spruik his enthusiasm for the Government’s budgeting skills, following news the wonks at S&P Global had locked in WA’s AAA credit rating. We can only assume the bulldozer from Cunderdin was not thinking about free zoo passes and swimming lessons when he observed “such robust financial management places the State in an excellent position to be able to assist its population through this cost-of-living crisis”. We’re sorry to “burst the bubble” but a cursory look at the State’s finances shows cash deficits will total more than $10 billion over the next four years. The operating balance — a headline number preferred by political types — is in surplus, but only so long as the iron ore price stays above about $US50 a tonne. Just ask Mike Nahan what that’s like. Treasurer Rita Saffioti then demonstrated her financial “aptitude” in the Sunday Times by demanding the Reserve Bank cut interest rates, even as Perth suffers the nation’s highest inflation. Rent out of control? Can’t find workers because Rita has requisitioned them all to extend rail lines into swing electorates? Too bad! Pump in the stimulus! We’re sure RBA Governor Michele Bullock was quaking in her cowboy boots. Something to chew on There was plenty of chat this week about cute pets and their culinary potential after controversial debate comments by United States presidential candidate Donald Trump, who declared illegal immigrants in Ohio were chowing down on cats. But it was dogs on the mind — and in the gullet — of Domino’s chief cook (and bottle washer) Kerri Hayman as she pitched the fast food purveyor’s latest “innovation”; pizza dogs. A strong appetite for the $3 fare has apparently had customers lining up outside the company’s restaurants. And yet, Ms Harman’s appetite for the hot dog-pizza hybrid is a little lacking. The chief was last month challenged by competitive eater Nick Wehry to a five-minute battle for the ultimate glory of rapidly scoffing down sausages, a HOTT operative has discovered. Wehry — among the pinnacle of his craft as a top 10-speed eater globally — smashed five of the “mind-boggling” dogs in the allotted time frame. Harman could barely finish one, we’re reliably told, observing the meal was “doughy”. Wash that down with a Mountain Dew! Full credit to the newly minted boss for putting her dough where her mouth is. That Gucci stuff Speaking of pizza, we move from one Italian delicacy to another. Luxury brand Gucci was eager to score free media coverage for the opening of their new Murray Street store on Friday morning. But the famed fashion outfit was a little less keen to be cooperative — knocking back questions about business strategy and giving some very particular instructions about how a photo shoot ought to run. It’s all about the “approved look and feel”, you see, and has to fit brand guidelines. That means no people in the photos, despite the fact that they are presumably the target market for Gucci’s products. Here’s a brand guideline from The Bull to help the century-old rag trader: if you want to control the message, pay for an advertisement. Contractor’s coup Hats off to the team at Decmil who snared a major award at the Turnaround Management Association’s local gongs. The Bull suspects no one was more relieved than the contractor’s executives when they finally secured a $127 million sale to Macmahon Holdings earlier this year. Let’s just say it was touch and go for a very long while for the team at Parkland Road. Decmil is best remembered for their finest achievement: successfully securing auditor sign-off on accounts which promised to sell a major asset within 12 months for four consecutive years. We hope the lads at Macmahon are familiar with the term working capital buffer.