The Sauce: PM Anthony Albanese sneaks into Radio Birdman gig

The PM spotted rocking out with hundreds of other sweaty punters at the back of a punk rock gig; former MP Belinda Neal on the political scene, and who’s charging $7500 a ticket for a fundraising lunch? It’s all here in The Sauce.

PM Anthony Albanese in a Radio Bo-Birdman shirt, left, and, right, the Radio Birdman gig last weekend at The Manning Bar at Sydney University. Pictures: Supplied

There was not a protester in sight when Anthony Albanese slipped into Sydney University’s Manning Bar last Saturday night.

The PM was there to see Australia’s premier punk rock band Radio Birdman, who are playing their last-ever tour.

Albo is understood to have snuck into the crowded venue under the cover of darkness when support act The Hard-Ons were playing and all eyes were on the band’s new frontman, Tim Rogers from You Am I.

The Sauce later spotted Albo rocking out with hundreds of other sweaty punters at the back of the dancefloor — presumably with undercover security detail close by.

NEAL LOOKS FOR CAREER REBOOT

Former Labor MP Belinda Neal is attempting to re-boot her political career.

The Sauce has been told the former Robertson MP is vying to become a councillor, recently lodging her nomination ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

The move comes 16 years after the infamous Iguanas affair, where Neal and her then-Labor powerbroker husband John Della Bosca became involved in an altercation with staff at a nightclub — although both denied any wrongdoing.

Police investigations followed, with the DPP at the time ruling there was nothing that had occurred that constituted a crime.

Neal would later lose party preselection to recontest the seat to Deborah O’Neill, who subsequently lost the seat at the following election.

Former federal MP Belinda Neal will be running for a seat on her local council. Picture: Peter Clark

Neal and Della Bosca — whose work in the disability sector led to his recent appointment as member of the Order of Australia (AM) — were dubbed “the Clintons of The Central Coast” at the height of their respective political careers.

Should Neal be elected to council, she will have come full circle, having served on the then-Gosford City Council from 1992 to 1994.

PARTY SEASON

With talk of an election later this year, the party fundraisers are in full swing.

Among the big-ticket items to catch our eye is a $7500-per-person lunch with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns.

We are told the gathering will be an “intimate” affair held on July 27 as part of the NSW ALP state conference.

GLOVES ON

Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson looked far from homeless last week when she turned up to a social and affordable housing announcement wearing a pair of designer gloves from UK luxury fashion house Burberry.

Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson wearing a pair of $750 Burberry gloves while out launching social housing.

According to the Burberry online shop, the gloves with black leather inners retail for around $750.

We note, of course, that it took a Liberal source to recognise the unmistakeable black, brown and red plaid made famous by the fashion house.

The minister’s spokeswoman confirmed they were the real deal, and were a gift from Jackson’s husband Sam Crosby to celebrate the couple’s 10th anniversary.

LAST WORD

Spies say NZ PM Christopher Luxon has scheduled a visit to Australia for August 15-16.

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