Georgina Downer has fun with other people’s money

Georgina Downer is having fun with other people’s money.

A cheeky wee drop as Georgina Downer hands over a large novelty wallet-stuffer. Source: Facebook

One quote conservative pollies are so fond of they sound like they might elope with it is this from Margaret Thatcher: “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” (It’s actually a paraphrase of Thatcher in a 1976 TV chat: “Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money.” It’s best if you imagine it in tones of purest Thatcher, part scorn, part pity.) Of course, it overlooks how much fun you can have with other people’s money, as Georgina Downer has reminded the nation. Look at her face here as she hands over a cheque to the good folks at a bowlo in the Adelaide electorate of Mayo. (“Pretty obviously what they would call a novelty cheque,” reflected Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Sky News yesterday.) As Downer put it on Facebook: “It was a great pleasure to celebrate with the Yankalilla Bowling Club Inc tonight on their successful Community Sports Infrastructure Grant to fund the replacement of their third bowling green. Such a great outcome for the Yankalilla Community!!” A pile of dough like that — $127,373 — is worth a pair of exclamation marks. But despite her photo and Liberal Party logo on the cheque, it’s neither her money nor the party’s. It’s public dough. Nor is Downer the elected MP — that would be Rebekha Sharkie, who said she assisted the club with a letter of support. But unlike the “Georinga (sic) Downer” flyers last week, they spelled her name right this time.

Come in, Bonner

Georgina Downer’s campaign is certainly delivering the goods. She has also raised eyebrows with an advertisement in which she appears with a dignified yet clearly cross gentleman identified only as “Jim, 72, south coast retiree”. In it he opines: “Bill Shorten’s retirement tax is hopeless for us people living in South Australia and a lot of people, my friends included.” Anyway, press gallery veterans were cheered to recognise the face of Jim Bonner, whose many roles for the Liberal Party through the decades have included press secretary to Malcolm Fraser, press secretary to South Australian premier Dean Brown, state director of the Libs in SA, and even a stint on Simon Birmingham’s staff. There was some huffing over his CV not being hinted at it in any way in the ad, but the description is accurate: Bonner is retired.

Coast analysis

“I’ll give you a tip,” a ship-talking Shorten said yesterday: “Switzerland is landlocked.” Not so Christmas Island, which has seen his morphing position on medical treatment for refugees girt by uncertainty. Meanwhile a special Strewth field agent has spotted an apt ad in an arcade near Brisbane’s Central Station: “Outstanding deal for alterations! Shorten jeans for only $10.”

Pass the bucket

Scott Morrison is quietly working through his bucket list. Last week he accused Labor of grabbing its chum bucket. Yesterday he said Labor had nothing but an empty bucket, the chum presumably having been thrown. And the bucket would stay empty unless Labor puts its hand in your pocket. Which leaves some imagery for you to play with.

Mind the Pyne gap

Absent friends were remembered when Kelly O’Dwyer and Anthony Albanese went on the Today show the other day.

Deborah Knight: “I’m loving … seeing you two standing together and being very polite. This is kind of fun actually. We might try and replicate this again.”

Albo: “We like each other. She’s nicer than Christopher (Pyne).”

O’Dwyer: “Well, that’s not hard.”

Knight: “The last time we saw Mathias Cormann and Joe Hockey get together they were sharing their love of cigars — that famous photo …”

O’Dwyer: “We won’t be doing that.”

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