The Sauce: Canberra power couple go the full Monty

Political staffers Julian and Brooke Leembruggen have an Instagram star in the family; and why one constituent was unimpressed by an MP’s fluent Punjabi-speaking skills.

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They are one of Canberra’s most intriguing couples — Julian Leembruggen, who is the long-serving communications director for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and his wife Brooke, who is a media adviser for Families and Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher.

However, the couple’s popularity is soon to be usurped by another cute member of the family — Monticello, also known as “Monty”, the “baby birman”.

Brooke Leembruggen and Monty the cat, who has become an Instagram star.

Monty has more than 400 followers.

The purebred cat, who has his own Instagram page, has already amassed more than 400 followers since his social media debut in January last year.

One of those Canberran followers, who alerted The Sauce to the account, questioned whether it was Monty’s cuteness or his mum and dad’s cameo appearances that were driving up his numbers.

We think we know the answer but are too polite to say.

DOUBLE SPEAK

The NSW Nationals has its first Punjabi-speaking chairman after the appointment of former Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser to the top job.

Mr Fraser learnt the language to better communicate with the large Sikh community in his old electorate.

Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser’s Punjabi-speaking skills are impressive … but sometimes misdirected. Picture Craig Greenhill

A Nationals source said his language skills were revealed only recently at a meeting when he approached a man he believed to be Sikh.

“He broke out in to fluent Punjabi,” the source said. “Unfortunately, the man couldn’t understand a word he said … because he was Lebanese.”

Still, big points for the effort.

ON THE TILES

Journalist and politician Derryn Hinch was in Canberra this week to pack up his office after failing to secure enough votes to sit in the senate for another six years.

Derryn Hinch cuts the ribbon on Hinch Way at Ostani Bar and Restaurant.

He will be a big loss from Parliament House, but also from the nearby Ostani Bar and Restaurant, where the former shock jock was often found after the senate adjourned.

After one late sitting, Hinch took a tumble on the path leading into the bar while taking a phone call in the dark.

He complained to management about the uneven tiles which caused him to fall. This week the good folk at Ostani asked Hinch to perform his final ribbon-cutting as a senator, unveiling the new and improved path leading to the restaurant, which will now be known as “Hinch Way”.

PHONE A FRIEND

In July our federal pollies usually head to tropical beaches or the ski slopes while parliament is in recess — but not this year. For the first time in five years, parliamentarians will be forced to visit Canberra for work this week.

The Sauce understands the recall has caused havoc to the holiday plans of many MPs and senators, including senate president Scott Ryan, who left his vacation plans a little late.

The Sauce understands Ryan wanted to take his family to Hawaii but was finding it hard to lock in accommodation. Enter Derryn Hinch.

The former senator — who will make his triumphant return to TV this week — is a regular on Kauai, one of Hawaii’s eight major islands. He and ex-wife, Hollywood actor Jackie Weaver, even owned a house in Hawaii for almost a decade.

The Sauce understands Ryan reached out to his former senate colleague and Hinch was able to give him a few contacts to lock in accommodation.

Now that’s the holiday spirit.

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