Joh & Flo Bjelke-Petersen fire sale

How much would you pay for a rare 1982 white Jaguar Sovereign that once belonged to Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen?

2 teaspoons from the collection. Picture: Lloyds Auctions

How much would you pay for a rare 1982 white Jaguar Sovereign that once belonged to Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen? It’s one of over 700 items from the longest serving (19 years and 115 days from August 1968 to December 1987) Queensland premier’s estate being auctioned by Lloyd’s Auctioneers and Valuers on August 11.

Other items up for grabs include the Hillybilly Dictator’s desk (current bid $1500); a Sir William Dargie oil painting that was a finalist in the 1981 Archibald portrait prize ($2050); Lady Florence’s personal bicentenary diary; (used) baking tins; recipes (including pumpkin scones); a hand-carved statue of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith ($120); VHS tapes; family photos; a “good” condition vinyl record of Helen Zerefos and the NSW Police Concert band; Christmas cards; a 1981 Qld rugby league jersey ($245); leather briefcase with original Ansett bag tags still attached ($570); and Joh and Flo salt and pepper shakers.

Fair shake of the salt and pepper shakers.

Our tip — a 1969 moon landing world tour schedule signed by Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Gough Whitlam, John Gorton and more, currently listed at a very reasonable $1700. But back to the white Jag, which is expected to go for more than $6000.

It served as Sir Joh’s staff car in the 1980s and was tracked down by the couple’s grandson Sam in 2016 at the Qld Auto Museum in Hampton, north of Toowoomba. He paid $5375 to return it to the family estate. Due to social-distancing rules, viewing is only available by appointment or via live video inspection.

Goodness gracious!

Sir Joh’s Jag.

About face

When it comes to COVID-19 press conferences, there’s one clear fan favourite — Daniel Andrews’s navy North Face jacket (which according to our closest snooping, retails for around $350).

Typically worn on the weekend, with an open, crisp-white or light-blue collared shirt and mask, the Victorian Premier’s casual attire is so popular it has spawned a Twitter and Facebook account (with more followers than some backbench pollies).

The face of COVID fashion.

Satirical news site Double Bay Today parodied the sartorial choice: “‘The North Face’ Ask Premier Daniel Andrews: ‘Can You Please Stop Wearing Our Jackets?’” DBT theorised the Chairman was trying to appeal to his Labor support base by dressing like a relatable man of action and not a suit-wearing bureaucrat.

Strewth asked US-owned The North Face how they felt about Dandemic’s fashion (and whether it has affected their sales). They “politely declined” to comment … but we suspect they may have a vested interest.

I snuck into the Daniel Andrews press conference to ask him the tough questions: pic.twitter.com/TFarUN2DwH

— Ash Williams (@ashwilliams1) July 24, 2020

Simon says

With Mathias Cormann on his way out as Finance Minister, the question on everybody’s lips in the ministerial wing is — who will replace him in the upcoming reshuffle?

Senior Liberals suspect they may have the answer, after seeing Q+A’s Monday line-up.

Labor’s finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher is facing off against Trade Minister Simon Birmingham to debate the government’s $850 billion debt bill.

Birmingham is the most senior South Australian in the federal government and has also been tapped to replace Cormann as leader of the government in the Senate.

On Monday we’ll cross live to Trade Minister Simon Birmingham and Shadow Finance Minister Katy Gallagher to discuss the Government’s budget update and income support changes. Submit your question for them via the #QandA website: https://t.co/Ho4FHpRkYC pic.twitter.com/MXt2sByY9O

— QandA (@QandA) July 24, 2020

Past tents

Labor has a new nickname for Josh Frydenberg — “mini Maggie” — after the Treasurer confessed he’s looking to Magaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan (plus Howard and Costello) for economic reform inspiration.

“Thatcher and Reagan are figures of hate for the Left because they were so successful. One got two terms, which was the maximum that you can get in the US… Thatcher got 11.5 years,” JoFro said.

“If you look at Thatcher after Labour’s Winter of Discontent she came in, she reduced the number of days lost to industrial disputation from 30 million down to 2 million, she cut taxes.”

You know what they say, now is the winter of our discount tent (apologies to Shakespeare).

Reagan and Thatcher in 1985.

Friend-chips

Cancel culture may have hit the Canberra Bubble™ in the form of the literal cancelling of two sitting weeks, but here at Strewth we’re happy to hear the “Parliamentary Friends Of” knees ups are evolving … online.

Co-chairs Labor senator Deborah O’Neill and Liberal MP Dr Katie Allen emailed the Parliamentary Friends of Cancer Care and Cure last week, inviting them to a virtual launch of the State of the Nation report on ovarian cancer.

Think of how much taxpayers will save without the ample aperitifs and amuse bouches.

Let’s get wasted

Strewth correspondent Warwick spotted this sign on a green garbage bin in Yass — “In 2020 this bin has been out more than I have.”

During these tough times it’s important to ask your friends and family how they’ve bin doing. Just don’t be surprised if they reply, “rubbish”.

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