Katter country

IT seems Bob Katter has been hiding his light under a bushel, or at least under a very large hat.

IT seems Bob Katter has been hiding his light under a bushel, or at least under a very large hat. In footage shown on ABC's Lateline on Monday night, His Bobness (pictured) is shown in full-throated song urging his colleagues to do whatever it takes to get noticed in the lead-up to the next Queensland election, due by March next year. The lyrics, accompanied by some thigh-slappin'-shin-diggin' hat waving, included: "You can all be very sure Bob'll work an eight-day week. I know and I hope you know it too . . . I know and I hope you know it's true, I can assure you Bob Katter Jr'll do the best for you." Pity poor Katter's son Robbie, who is standing in his father's party for the state seat of Mount Isa and who yesterday felt compelled to issue an embarrassed apology for his father's enthusiastic endorsement. We feel your pain, Robbie. And a word in the ear of the federal MP: Don't quit your day job, Bob.

More Kattiness

AND it seems hell hath no fury like a political party scorned, especially in the dog-eat-dog world of third-party politics. After the Queensland Party and its one MP, Aidan McLindon, merged with Katter's Australia Party last month, disgruntled Queensland Party members, determined to carry on as a political force, have been levelling some particularly Katty claims of thievin' and cussin' against their former members. In a press release issued by QP spokesman Jason Somerville yesterday, perceived defector Bernard Gaynor is accused of swearing at his former colleague, QP state secretary Ruth Bonnett, whom he allegedly told to "f%^@ off"' (Somerville's hieroglyphics, we presume). Gaynor was responding to an email demanding he return the key to the QP's post box, the minutes of executive meetings and "other important party records". Other accusations include his failure "to cancel the diversion of mail from the post box to his home address" and the fact he moved into the house next door to McLindon, which "raises further serious questions about McLindon's involvement in this obstructionist and antagonistic behaviour". Pauline Hanson, by comparison, is looking positively kitten-ish.

A little white lie

HOW to look like you're telling the truth without ever actually doing so, lesson #101. Julia Gillard and ABC Illawarra NSW mornings host Nick Rheinberger yesterday: Rheinberger: "Can you confirm that the NBN is coming to the Illawarra and we're going to be the first major metropolitan area to be wired with fibre-optic cable?" PM: "Yes, I can confirm that I'm here today to make an announcement about the NBN and that the NBN will be coming to you, to Dapto and the Wollongong areas. This is great news for the region. The NBN is about transforming our economy because it will literally bring the world to your door, as well as about transforming the way we provide health and education services." In other words, er, no. A quick check on the National Broadband Network website reveals that Wollongong and Dapto will be sharing that honour with other newly announced rollout locations such as Penrith and Gosford in NSW, Darwin and Perth's Victoria Park. Still, with manufacturing job cuts announced in the Illawarra recently, Strewth awards full marks for strategy and presentation to the PM for selecting Wollongong for the announcement.

The pies have it

AND still on communications, never underestimate the power of the party pie. Telstra executives appeared to have found a magic way to speed up proceedings at their annual general meeting in Sydney yesterday. With debate over whether the company should work with the government on the NBN threatening to drag long into the afternoon, the aroma of pies and curry puffs began wafting through the room. One by one, then en masse, shareholders were drawn towards the pies. A canny shareholder moved that the item be closed, much to the relief of those who had held fast to accepting the $11 billion broadband deal.

A chef's delight

IF quinces are your thing, and you like the idea of being master (chef) of your own domain, then you may be interested in purchasing a nice little parcel of real estate up for sale in Whitings Road, McLaren Flat, south of Adelaide. The property, with professional-standard kitchen, belongs to legendary restaurateur Gay Bilson, who is selling up to move closer to her children. But before you get carried away with daydreams of dinner parties, there's more to imagine . . . the property comes with a kitchen garden featuring standard potatoes, tomatoes and sugar snap peas, plus nine varieties of quinces espaliered under the veranda, all ripening at different times.