Baz no sluggo

AS we watched Victorian Liberal leader Ted Baillieu emerging from the romantically beige water of Port Phillip Bay in his Speedos yesterday, it struck us it may be time for us all to put the smirking about budgie smugglers to bed.

AS we watched Victorian Liberal leader Ted Baillieu emerging from the romantically beige water of Port Phillip Bay in his Speedos yesterday, it struck us it may be time for us all to put the smirking about budgie smugglers to bed.

Baillieu is the second sluggo-favouring Liberal leader in quick succession to have come to the cusp of power (and in Baillieu's case, quite probably into power, despite Labor spinner Bruce Hawker's touchingly denialist efforts on Twitter yesterday). So is there any temptation for NSW Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell - just a few months away from the polls - to go down the same route? After all, the memories of predecessor Peter Debnam's doomed swimwear efforts in the 2007 campaign have probably had enough time to fade. "No," O'Farrell tells Strewth firmly. "I'm a boardies bloke; my wife insists on it." Which could be O'Farrell's way of saying "Bugger a hung parliament, I'm going for a monster majority", though we suspect he is, in all probability, just talking swimwear.

Bono meets Kevin

SAY what you like about Kevin Rudd, you can't fault him for his photo opportunities and his untiring work meeting and greeting world leaders. He was at it again in Sydney yesterday when he held talks with U2 frontman Bono. Poverty and aid were the key talking points during their 45 minute meeting with Make Poverty History co-chairs Andrew Hewett and Tim Costello. Bono praised the government's support for reducing poverty. Isn't it nice when pop singers give us a pat on the back?

Fist for Foley

THE excitement in Victoria is a reminder that in most states, political thumping tends to stick to the figurative plane. Not so South Australia, where state Treasurer, karaoke enthusiast and all-round Strewth favourite Kevin Foley has joined Premier Mike Rann in the assaulted-in-public club. More specifically, he was biffed in the face outside Adelaide boozer the Marble Bar. We can only hope this sort of thing doesn't become a prerequisite for remaining on Labor's front bench.

GG gads off

EARLIER this month, we mentioned how one of our agents had received a lovingly embossed invitation for a serious knees-up for journalists at Quentin Bryce's Sydney pad, Admiralty House. With an advertised running time of 14 hours (7.30pm to 9.30am), it held the entirely unexpected promise of some serious vice-regal bacchanalia and our man began training in earnest to get match fit. So when it turned out to be a misprint and a freshly issued invitation revealed the party was to be a far more genteel two hours long, our agent suffered emotionally. Happily, he made good progress and, with the truncated but still desirable festivities just days away, appeared to have made a full recovery. Then it all fell apart. Bryce has to stand in for Julia Gillard and is rushing off to Zurich with Frank Lowy to make some representations on Australia's behalf regarding the 2022 World Cup. The party's canned and our man is devastated. On the plus side, the GG is also taking Sports Minister Mark Arbib, so the cup is as good as in the bag, though if it goes according to the Arbib playbook, we may end up having to share it with a smaller but powerful independent power, such as New Zealand.

Swanning about

BRITISH broadsheet The Guardian has been fleshing out its coverage of the Ashes by running a guide of nice places to go to in Australia when one needs a little break from the cricket (though how than can happen at the moment is beyond us, what with the prospect of more appearances on the pitch by Wayne Swan). And it does have some sensible suggestions, not least the Little Creatures brewery in Fremantle. [That only has the appearance of a product placement.] Just as helpfully, some Australians have been busy in the comments section, fleshing out the article. Here's a sample tip: "The best thing about Canberra is Fyshwick: head over there to pick up some of the 'unique' local produce."

Canberra curs

SPEAKING of our national capital and the British press, Matthew Engel has this to say in the Financial Times: "I have watched the Israeli Knesset, where one extreme would happily exterminate the other and the Dail in Dublin, the only known gathering of inarticulate Irishmen. I have seen the empty shell that constitutes the US Senate. I have done time at the [British House of ] Commons, and been appalled by the pathetic lack of individuality of the whipped curs. I thought I was unshockable. But Canberra's House of Representatives is the worst. These curs only snarl as instructed."