I'm not in the business of shattering illusions, but need to gently let down anybody who thinks that securing a column for The MJ unlocks a lucrative income stream. Columnists don't receive a fee for sharing their musings. Instead, we are thanked with an invitation to the annual contributors' lunch – a lively affair in a small restaurant in the backstreets of Victoria.

This year's lunch took place a couple of weeks ago, and as is tradition, attendees offered up predictions for the country and the sector in the coming 12 months. While respecting anonymity, it is worth sharing the overall thoughts of those in attendance.