Obvious Error

April 5, 2017

Glen Norris | The Courier Mail                                 

Property boss Warren Ebert has an “obvious” pet hate.

The Sentinel Property Group chief executive has implemented a fine system among his 70-strong team where anyone caught using the words “obvious” or “obviously” in any discussion in the office, or with clients, is slapped with a $2 fine. We hear more than $300 has been collected from those foolish enough to mention the O words, with all funds donated to the Salvation Army.

So why so much “obvious” hate? The former taxi driver turned property tycoon says the word obvious has become a scourge in the modern language and has little or no connection to its intended meaning. “You are saying the other person is an idiot because it may be obvious to you but not to the other person,” Ebert tells your diarist. “We have one young fellow who cannot help himself and was fined six times in 30 minutes.”

We hear Ebert is getting pretty fanatical about the word – even fining employees he took on a barramundi fishing trip to Darwin last week. Are other words likely to be banned? “Not at this stage,” he says. “I don’t want a palace revolt.” Obviously.

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