Strewth: red ribbon event for both Liberal and Labor

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the University of Tasmania was far from a bipartisan affair.

Rathjen, Hart and Polley.

It was the other day at the University of Tasmania that Liberal MP Andrew Nikolic joined Veterans’ Affairs Minister Dan Tehan and scissor-wielding vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen. The occasion was the cutting of the crimson ribbon on some new apartments at the university and a fetching photo of the moment duly appeared in the local organ, The Examiner. Showing either an inspiring dedication to recycling or an understandable desire to catch some of the buzz, Labor senator Helen Polley and Ross Hart (Nikolic’s ALP competitor for Bass) moved in straight after. With Polley appearing to hold the cut ribbon together, they posed with Rathjen for this photo that Polley posted on Facebook. “The official launch of the new Inveresk University of Tasmania apartments today,” she captioned it carefully. “What an exciting day!” It surely counts as a worthy contribution to the tradition of political re-enactment; surely Sam Dastyari didn’t expect to have the field to himself forever.

As you were

Playing it with a straight bat, starring Malcolm Turnbull.

Journo: “PM, can you confirm that your Communications Minister (Mitch Fifield) knew about the possible investigation into the NBN links some months ago and didn’t tell you about it?”

Turnbull: “I can yes, that’s right.”

Journo: “He didn’t tell you about it but he knew about it?”

Turnbull: “That’s correct.”

Journo: “And you think that’s suitable, for (Fifield) to know that and not tell you?”

Turnbull: “I think it’s entirely appropriate.”

One for the road

Turnbull dealt with questions about Sherry Sufi even more coolly. In honour of the departed candidate for Fremantle, Strewth’s Campaign Cocktail of the Day: the Sherry Splash. According to Chowhound.com, you’ll want: manzanilla sherry (one shot), gin (half shot), St Germain elderflower liqueur (half shot), and a lemon twist. With your glass already in the freezer, put the sherry, gin, and liqueur in a cocktail shaker, then add ice to the halfway mark. Stir briskly with a barspoon for half a minute, strain into the chilled glass, garnish with the lemon twist. Lift to your lips, libate, and lament.

Flight of fancy

Non-sequitur of the day, as faithfully captured in Bill Shorten’s transcript yesterday.

Shorten: “I did not hear the first part of your question, sorry. Do you just want to repeat it?”

Journalist: “Sure. Your spending already, so far in this campaign, is into the billions of dollars.”

(Plane flies overhead.)

Shorten: “The good news is that plane is on time. But anyway ...”

O Captain!

While his daughter auditioned for a part in The Sound of Music yesterday, Christopher Pyne let it be known on Twitter he was hoping to be asked to try out for the role of Captain von Trapp. Pyne would surely bring a frisson to the role. Just imagine.

Nuns: “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”

Von Trapp: “I’m a Fixer.”

The end!

Alas, ’twas not to be. As Pyne lamented to Strewth, “I was not asked to audition. Cameron Daddo allegedly pulled some strings to block me — it’s a cutthroat business.”

A colt’s regret

Andrew Peacock lives in Texas these days, but the Colt from Kooyong was in Adelaide on Friday night to receive a racing honour. With eldest daughter Caroline Cordeaux, Peacock attended the Australian Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremony as Leilani, his super mare from the 1970s, joined the class of 2016. Prepared for them by Hall of Fame legend Bart Cummings, Leilani was owned by Peacock in partnership with friend and later Carlton Football Club chairman Ian Rice. Winner of the AJC Oaks in 1973, Leilani then won the Caulfield Cup in 1974 and was favourite for the Melbourne Cup. Grabbing the lead inside the final 200m, Leilani was run down as the winning post loomed by Cummings’s other runner, Think Big. “I still have nightmares about her getting beaten,” Peacock said.

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