Nick Kyrgios’s free hit to help bushfire communities
Nick Kyrgios has joined the ACT’s latest tourism campaign #holidayhereCBR — and he isn’t being paid a cent to do it.
Kyrgios’s free hit
Nick Kyrgios has joined the ACT’s latest tourism campaign — #holidayhereCBR — and he isn’t being paid a cent to do it. Unlike the more than half a million dollars the federal government splashed on social media influencers in 2018-19 (not to mention the $15m Kylie Minogue “mateship” ad pulled by Tourism Australia), the world No 20 is doing it purely for love. Kyrgios told his 569,000 Facebook fans: “One of the best ways to support bushfire recovery is to spend money in businesses in need, especially small business. Travel to a bushfire-affected area, stay the night and spend something in a local business. My home town, Canberra, is an example of a city that has been affected. It is a great place to visit too! Let’s rebuild together.” The tennis star is also doing his bit to promote the local night life, posting a video in the early hours of Sunday to his 1.4 million Instagram followers (we assume, the biggest social media account of anyone in das capital) from Monkey Bar. The 24-year-old has some spare time after being forced out of the New York Open by a shoulder injury.
Shortening the odds
A political moral dilemma: Is it better to be on notice (a la Nationals leader Michael McCormack) than unnoticed? Here’s former Labor leader Bill Shorten with Sky News host Laura Jayes on Friday.
Jayes: “Barnaby Joyce has apparently warned the Prime Minister that there could be a revolt. There will be a blocking of Coalition legislation in the house because supporters of Barnaby Joyce haven’t been rewarded to the frontbench. Labor wouldn’t be seeking to take political advantage of this situation at all, would it?”
Shorten: “Well, it is a bit hard to accuse Labor of the instability in the National party, but one thing Labor has learned is that not everyone in the party has to agree with each other, but it is important to power share. So, I don’t know if what Mr Joyce says about Mr McCormack is right. If Mr McCormack, because he is angry at Mr Joyce, has punished all of Mr Joyce’s supporters and rewarded all of his own, that’s not the way to run a political party. Political parties are bigger than one person, to be honest. If that is the way McCormack is running the Nationals, that’s symbolic.”
Jayes: “Well, if that’s the case, shouldn’t you be in shadow cabinet?”
Shorten: “Shouldn’t who?”
Jayes: “You – be in shadow cabinet.”
Shorten: “I am (laughs). I’ve got to lift that profile of mine.”
Jayes: (laughs) “I stand corrected.”
Canberra bubbles
“I’d never heard of a ‘Sous Vide’ machine until today,” Labor senator Kristina Keneally tweeted on Sunday, after the latest government audit report revealed Scott Morrison’s taxpayer-funded whitegoods spending at Kirribilli House and The Lodge. Keneally continued: “Frankly, ‘gently cooking vacuum-sealed food in a water bath’ sounds a bit off-putting. The price is off-putting too — $1899.” Former Courier-Mail national affairs editor Dennis Atkins agreed: “Anyone who pays $1900 for a sous vide has been seriously ripped off. My ultra dependable Anova cost me $125 & it’s been working a treat for 2 years.” As well as the fancy French machine, Quiet Australians forked out more than $3000 for four Dyson fans with high-efficiency particulate air filters. You don’t want to be bothered by toxic bushfire smoke when you’ve just stepped off a plane from Hawaii. The Prime Minister’s Department said the family of four need the fans because the ground floor of Kirribilli House is not airconditioned. Meanwhile, down in the $8300 cellar it appears the Morrisons prefer a Sauv Blanc to a Chardy and a Pinot Noir or Shiraz over a Merlot. But ironically the most stocked item is bubbles (not from Canberra) — 63 bottles of Georg Jensen’s $29.99 sparkling.
Croc and awe
When Bob Katter promised Strewth more mischief after passing the leadership reins to son Robbie, we didn’t expect this. The 74-year-old swapped his akubra for a crash helmet (but kept his trademark aviators) on Friday to zip-line over the pen of Goliath, a 4m-plus saltwater croc, at the Cairns ZOOM and Wildlife Dome. Katter loudly yelped multiple times as he clung to a pole after the three-second stunt to encourage Aussies to holiday at home. We’re told the member for Kennedy is more afraid of heights than he is of crocs (which, as we all remember from his infamous same-sex marriage segue, tear someone to pieces every three months). But Goliath seemed nonplussed and didn’t jump at the human bait. Katter claimed the croc was “frustrated” at not being able to grab him. “He just looked up, and thought ‘Katter’s beaten me again’.”
strewth@theaustralian.com.au
Libs should be-Ware what they say about JWH
Could things get any worse for the Liberals in Hughes? Well, strap in. Diary can reveal that Liberal candidate Jenny Ware once called John Winston Howard ‘out of touch’.
Believe in your selfie, Andrew
Kevin Rudd appears to have met his selfie match in Andrew Charlton.