Optimistic MP
IT might be simple insouciance on beleaguered Belinda Neal’s part, but Strewth is hypnotised by the federal MP for Robertson’s carefree attempt to hire a media officer within sight of an election being called.
Strewth
The new Julia
IT may be getting complicated/shambolic/WTF (delete where applicable) with East Timor, but it’s panning out a little differently with another of our northern neighbours.
Quick exit
WE were a little taken back that within hours of our only less-than-entirely-positive comments about John Faulkner (Strewth, yesterday), he resigned.
Brief encounter
AS if losing Kevin Rudd as his chief opponent in the forthcoming federal election isn’t bad enough, Tony Abbott now appears set to face off against Austen Tayshus in the battle for Warringah.
Red Keating
WRESTLING as we are with our latest parking ticket, we extend our sympathy to one Paul Keating, who is expected this morning at Sydney’s Downing Centre court over an incident involving a red traffic light.
Swan dive
WAYNE Swan may have been a man of granite during last week’s putsch (the Jules d’etat?), but after what we learned yesterday during Neil Mitchell’s interview with Julia Gillard on 3AW, we felt a real twinge for the man:
PMs in pain
HAVING spent a week nursing the emotional bruises from Kevin Rudd’s final prime ministerial press conference, it was almost too much to bear yesterday when another former PM was left to confront bitter disappointment in public.
PM’s no believer
AUSTRALIANS are getting to know quite a bit about Julia Gillard, and some of us find the experience refreshing.
One of the boys
OUR recent democratic excitement has, rightly or wrongly, brought back memories for some of the ALP’s “36 faceless men”, who, helpfully for Robert Menzies, kept then ALP leader Arthur Calwell and his deputy Gough Whitlam waiting for their instructions under a streetlight outside Canberra’s Kingston Hotel in 1963 – where they were duly photographed.
Defenceless
BARELY 24 hours after Labor’s game of swallow the leader, Greg Combet was out on duty, launching the Australian defence industry policy statement before a crowd of industry heavies.
Great big new axe
FOR the odd moment yesterday, with the help of some strategic squinting and some selective hearing, it was possible to make believe nothing had changed.
Take it as red
JUST as it is with the bewitching spectacle of deciduous trees surrendering their verdancy to autumn, there’s something entrancing about this time of year as the follicles of some of our elected representatives change hue.
PM’s big finish
IT was early last year when Kevin Rudd “accidentally” let slip the word shitstorm while talking on television about the global financial apocalypse.
Abbott by a mile
AS pleased as we are to bask in the glow of Newspoll’s glory, Strewth would like to beg your indulgence for but a few moments and draw your attention to the other poll that counts: the federal parliamentary press gallery Midwinter Ball pollie auction on eBay.
Motor mouths
A NICE bit of lateral thinking yesterday came from Canberra ABC radio’s Genevieve Jacobs.
Mal no bunny
MALCOLM Turnbull can say cheerio to those shaggy cat stories now he’s been photographed with a Playboy Bunny.
Lost to the party
TONY Abbott – reported in The Australian yesterday as worried about the calibre of candidates selected by Queensland’s Liberal National Party – should be more worried about the politicians it has rejected (one MP and two senators have become independents this year).
Not in the script
THE room in Sydney’s commonwealth parliamentary offices where prime ministers hold their press conferences isn’t a big one.
Mugs of them all
NOW we know why Barack Obama put off his visit to Australia: to give the Parliament House gift shop a chance to get his name right on their commemorative coffee mugs.
App in hand
WHEN Malcolm Turnbull was rolled last December, there was a hurt silence during which his website and dogs’ blogs were left to wither.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/page/122