High court smash

The Hulk is coming to the High Court! Well, a Hulk-in-law. Hollywood star Eric bana’s sister-in-law Jacqueline Gleeson has been appointed.

Robyn Gleeson, former Chief Justice Murray Gleeson and son-in-law Eric Bana.

The Hulk is coming to the High Court! Well, a Hulk-in-law.

Actor Eric Bana’s sister-in-law Jacqueline Gleeson was appointed to the High Court alongside Simon Steward by Attorney-General Christian Porter on Wednesday.

The appealing pair will fill the vacancies caused by the retirements of Geoffrey Nettle and Virginia Bell. Gleeson is the eldest child of former High Court chief justice Murray Gleeson.

Her sister, former Channel 7 publicist turned photographer Rebecca Gleeson, has been married to Bana since 1997.

Gleeson Sr — nicknamed “Smiler” because he never does (one judge said he likes flowers because “he stares at them to make them wilt”) — and Bana have been known to trade impersonations of Chopper Read and the Incredible Hulk over Christmas dinner.

From left to right: Gabrielle Gleeson, Nicholas Gleeson, Jacqueline Gleeson, Rebecca Bana and Eric Bana. In front: Sophia Bana, Jasmine Taylor, Robyn Gleeson, former Chief Justice Murray Gleeson, Xavier Taylor, Clare Taylor and Klaus Bana.

Does this mean there be some real star power at Gleeson’s swearing-in on her first day in the job, March 1, 2021? An event sources say is a punishingly sedate affair.

That’s pandemic-pending. Bana (born Banadinovic) is currently locked down at home in Danistan, but could be back on set by next year.

Still under stage 4 restrictions here in Melbourne and unable to travel more than 5k from home. So I will fantasize and take a virtual ride today, and give a shout out to the wonderful Golden Age Motel, Omeo. I miss the bush in rural Vic like crazy! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JG1FA6yeSi

— Eric Bana (@EricBana67) September 13, 2020

Fringe benefits

The Hollywood star isn’t unfamiliar with the corridors of power.

In February 2007, a few months before Kevin07 unseated John Howard, Bana was in the Canberra Bubble™ for a screening of his flick Romulus, My Father.

The federal politicians (including Peter Garrett) patiently lined up at Parliament House in the hope some of that movie magic would rub off and Lake Burley Griffin would turn into Sunset Boulevard.

Then arts minister George Brandis landed a supporting role, in a three-pose photo shoot with the star of Chopper — back to back, arms crossed; seated, learning forward; seated, arms and legs crossed.

Tragically, no Charlie’s Angels air guns for the double act.

Brandis and Bana ... now that’s a double act.

Gladi-ATAR

Rebekha Sharkie is advertising for an adviser, paid up to $125,000 pa.

Under “highly desirable qualifications”, the member for Mayo’s job listing cites, drum roll please, a “law, political science or economic degree”.

Three of the university degrees set to increase, thanks to Sharkie!

Future law and economic students will pay $3145 more for their degrees, while political sciences have been hiked by $7696, after Centre Alliance provided the government with the crucial swing vote they needed to pass legislation in the Senate.

Parliament House is also JobSeeking for not one but two apprentice patisserie chefs to service the political sweet tooth.

Adelaide power

Speaking of South Australians … two of the City of Churches’ pollies are set to debut new parties — Rex Patrick and Bob Day.

Newly indie Senator Patrick has applied to register his crossbench political outfit, called The Rex Patrick Team. Jacqui Lambie’s got a network, Pauline Hanson has One Nation and now Patrick’s filled the team void created when Centre Alliance ditched the Nick Xenophon Team name shortly after Nick Xenophon ditched the Senate for a failed stint at state parliament.

Patrick told Strewth he’s currently a team of one — “there’s no division or undermining like other parties” — but has plans to run a second candidate on the RPT upper house ticket at the next election.

His new logo is a black map of South Australia with the letters REX in white.

.@DeptDefence has confirmed @ScottMorrisonMP is still considering shifting Collins sub deep maintenance from SA to WA. >$1B to fix something that ain’t broke. No matter how tempting the pork barrelling might be, the move would waste your money and harm national security #auspol pic.twitter.com/izLqc9KoJ7

— Rex Patrick (@Senator_Patrick) October 27, 2020

Former Family First senator Day (booted for bankruptcy) is back with the Australian Family Party, formed to “counter the insidious influence of the Greens”.

Still bitter they voted with the Turnbull government to scrap group voting tickets (which made it harder for micro parties to get elected)?

Also pending approval with the Australian Electoral Commission is the Tasmanian-based No5G Party. Will they get anti-vaxxer actor Isabel Lucas on board as a celebrity candidate, we wonder?

Tragically, attempts to sign up “Donkey Vote” as a new political party failed.

On the flip side

Keep an eye out for the new $100 banknotes that hit ATMs on Thursday.

It’s taken a year to get the new Granny Smiths ready for registers with supremo soprano Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell) on one side and soldier Sir John Monash on the other.

New safety features for each face include a photograph of Melba in costume as Rosina in Rossini’s Barber of Seville from 1896, a musical score from Puccini’s La Bohème, an excerpt from Melba’s autobiography, and a monogram from the cover of a homecoming concert tour in 1902.

In honour of his time in the army, on the flip side there is the War Memorial’s Shrine of Remembrance, an artist’s rendition of Monash surveying the Outer Circle railway line in 1889 and the Fyansford Bridge he designed, which opened in 1900.

The polymer notes will be slowly pumped into circulation to replace the 400m old bills.

The Australian $100 note was designed by Bruce Stewart. It features world-renowned soprano Dame Nellie Melba (1861–1931), and engineer and First World War general Sir John Monash (1865–1931). #DidYouKnow #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/6dHcTJGpYL

— SecureCash (@SecureCash) September 16, 2020

Sinking feeling

Liberal senator Dean Smith offered this analogy about Victoria: “Isn’t it a bit akin to jumping out of a life raft because you think the seas are flat and then the seas pick up a swell? And get very rough?”

Hints of George Costanza’s “the sea was angry that day my friends — like an old man trying to send back soup at a deli”.

Health boss Brendan Murphy diplomatically replied: “I’d prefer not to pass judgment on them.”

But Murphy did bite on a COVID State of Origin.

Smith: “If we were to rate jurisdictions by their level of ill-preparedness, Victoria would be No 1. Who would be No 2?”

Murphy: “I don’t know that I could …”

Smith: “Let’s put it another way, in terms of preparedness … you said that NSW was a standout. So if we do it the other way.”

Murphy: “NSW is clearly a standout. And I think probably, in my assessment, Queensland is probably the second-most sophisticated.”

Smith: “Out of curiosity, as a senator for Western Australia, where would you rank Western Australia? I’m deadly serious.”

Murphy: “Probably No 3.”

Smith: “Middle ranking.”

Gladys the weekend

The state v state, mate v mate continued …

“It think it’s rather cute that it’s happening the day before her election,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared on the impending announcement of border plans. “I’m just so upset and frustrated that the border has been in place for so long.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk retorted: “Unfortunately, it is disappointing to see the NSW Premier try to be political at this time, when she has enough of her own issues to deal with — this is simply a diversion from what is happening with herself down in NSW.” Ouch!

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