With the biggest reality TV event of the year playing out before us with the US Election, some of Australia's biggest - and most controversial - corporations appear to be using the opportunity to "take out the trash".
It is a term used in political circles, describing the practice of dropping out unpopular or contentious news under the cover of a major event that would hopefully soak up the news cycle.
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Dreamworld to demolish Thunder River ...
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'The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action', Ardent Leisure says in a statement. Vision courtesy Nine Network.
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Dreamworld to demolish Thunder River Rapids
'The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action', Ardent Leisure says in a statement. Vision courtesy Nine Network.
Mining giant Rio Tinto has picked a great day to announce that it has suspended one of its most senior executives.
Rio explained its energy and minerals chief, Alan Davies, had been suspended "with immediate effect" after the discovery of $13.5 million worth of payments to a consultant who worked on the Simandou iron ore project in West Africa.
"The company launched an investigation into the matter led by external counsel," has notified relevant authorities in the UK and the US and was about to tell authorities in the Australia, it said.
Meanwhile, the embattled Ardent Leisure boss Deborah Thomas can rest assured that the Dreamworld tragedy will not be the news of the day.
She announced that the theme park operator will demolish the Thunder River Rapids ride out of respect for the families of those who lost their lives.
"The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action," she said.
"No ride at Dreamworld will operate until the Workplace Health and Safety Audit has been completed and unless it passes the multi-level internal and external review process."
Given the election theme, it is appropriate that Ardent's behaviour to date calls to mind a quote by another famous politician, Winston Churchill: "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they've tried everything else."
CBD wonders if it is also a coincidence that the Commonwealth Bank is holding what might be its most contentious shareholder meeting on the same day as the US election.
The bank is facing the potential embarrassment of a first strike against its remuneration report.
This is what happens when more than 25 per cent of shares are voted against its pay report.
Hours before the meeting, the bank has already withdrawn a controversial resolution asking shareholders to approve changes to its bonus scheme for chief executive, Ian Narev, to award him a 'culture bonus'.
According to its critics, the changes would have rewarded executives for simply doing their job at a time when bank returns are falling.
It also follows a string of scandals at the Commonwealth Bank at its insurance and wealth management businesses - which got a mention from its departing chairman, David Turner.
This included the recent fiasco of the Commonwealth Bank charging customers more than $100 million for advice they had not received.
"It is a large number of refunds," commented Turner. "Which reflects the large number of customers we are looking at and the time period which goes back to 2007."
It was such a large number that it led Ownership Matters, an adviser to large superannuation funds, to change its recommendation on the remuneration report to a "no" vote late last month.
And should we even mention that Westpac dropped its annual report, which revealed that its boss, Brian Hartzer, got a $1 million pay raise last year.
His remuneration reached $6.75 million last year, but he was not the only executive bringing home the bacon. Of his 11 direct reports at Westpac, the lowest paid member of this exclusive group received $2.12 million.
Got a tip? ckruger@fairfaxmedia.com.au