The Source: Victorian senator Jana Stewart’s dress features passages from the Uluru Statement from the Heart

Jana Stewart, the first Aboriginal Labor senator for Victoria, is set to set to spark conversations at Canberra’s Midwinter Ball.

Jana Stewart’s dress is designed by Clothing the Gap. Picture: Supplied

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers.

Victorian Labor senator Jana Stewart is an early contender for conversation-starting dress of the federal parliament’s Midwinter Ball in Canberra on Wednesday.

Designed by Clothing the Gap, the dress features passages from the Uluru Statement from the Heart with the words “Yes” embroidered into the gaps.

It follows the Senate passing of the referendum legislation on Monday.

Labor senator Jana Stewart. Picture: AAP

Stewart is the youngest First Nations woman to be elected to federal parliament, and the first Aboriginal Labor senator for Victoria.

The move comes after Sarah Hanson-Young, boasting an outfit partly made from a handbag and a 50-year-old tablecloth, and Adam Bandt’s partner Claudia wore “protest” dresses to the Midwinter Ball last year.

Adam Bandt and Claudia Perkins at the 2022 Midwinter Ball. Picture: Martin Ollman

Dan under fire for calling female MP a ‘halfwit grub’

Two state Liberal politicians held a press conference on Tuesday.

One of them, according to Premier Daniel Andrews, needed “a little box”, apparently because he is so short.

The other, again according to Andrews, was a “halfwit”.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto was joined by shadow minister for women, Cindy McLeish.

They were angry.

Earlier, Andrews had questioned McLeish’s cognitive abilities during a rather unedifying parliamentary session.

As readers would know, politicians can say whatever they like in parliament, knowing that they cannot be sued under privilege provisions no matter how outrageous, inaccurate and unfair their claim.

Liberal MP Cindy McLeish and Opposition leader John Pesutto have demanded an apology. Picture: David Crosling

This helps to explain the everyday ratbaggery of our elected representatives.

But there are also quaint parliamentary provisions to withdraw said silly and unfair statements.

McLeish asked Andrews to withdraw his claim that she was a “halfwit grub”.

Andrews pointed out that a formal withdrawal would mean that his “halfwit” reference would now remain forever in Hansard.

Pesutto demanded an apology, to which Andrews replied “I don’t owe you anything Mr 23 Per Cent”, in reference to poor Liberal polling.

Deeply unsatisfied, McLeish and Pesutto held a rather unconventional press conference afterwards.

“I probably wasn’t surprised, because this is a pattern of behaviour we continue to see from the Premier,” McLeish said.

She was warming up.

“He is a serial bully and treats women terribly,” she said. “A woman should not have to put up with that in their workplace.”

McLeish referred to hotly disputed comments from 2014.

She said Andrews had spoken of how Liberal MP Donna Bauer, who had bowel cancer, would be “shi***Ing in a plastic bag”, which an emotional Andrews later denied ever having said.

In February, in a reference to height, Andrews certainly did say that someone should give Pesutto “a little box to stand on”.

And it seems Tuesday’s “halfwit” offering will not fade into the ether, at least if McLeish has her way.

“No namby pamby beating around,” she said. “He has to apologise to me.”

Son of Black Sorrows frontman gets dad’s car impounded

Ignorance is not excuse.

It’s something Harlan Camilleri found out after he was caught driving his old man’s car without a licence in St Kilda.

Camilleri, whose AFL friends include Dustin Martin, is the son of famed Aussie rocker Joe Camilleri, of the Black Sorrows.

The younger Camilleri initially told officers he didn’t have his licence on him.

But when pressed, Camilleri admitted he didn’t know his driving status.

That excuse was not good enough and he was fined $800 with conviction.

“You should treasure it, you should take all steps necessary to make sure you don’t lose it,” a magistrate warned him.

Camilleri, who had his licence disqualified in 2018 for drink driving but had since got it back, also had to stump up for his dad’s car, impounded for 30 days.

Martin was romantically linked to Elli Johnston — the separated wife of disgraced NRL player Brett Finch — after the pair attended Camilleri’s wedding to Edwina Greatorex

Sam Fisher, Harlan Camilleri, Dustin Martin and Dane Swan.

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Melbourne bikini queen rocks bizarre bonnet

It’s not really a party until someone puts a lampshade on their head.

Voila! Melbourne style queen and rich lister Erin Deering stuck to the good times guidelines and went with a bonkers bonnet while high-heeling it from her wedding reception at renowned restaurant Gimlet.

Deering, dressed top to toe in British brand Khyeli, married Zachary Keane at the weekend.

About a decade ago, she co-founded global powerhouse Triangl swimwear with her ex, former AFL player Craig Ellis.

They made rich lists with an estimated net worth of $35m.

But Deering’s hairy hat, reminiscent of a furry fashion statement worn by former Malibu lifesaver Pamela Anderson at a Paris runway event last year, stole the show at her own wedding.

“On my way to the after-party,” she wrote on Instagram. “I have a husband to worship (and eat chips and ice cream with).”

Such fine dining might be laborious with that lid.