PM's no believer

AUSTRALIANS are getting to know quite a bit about Julia Gillard, and some of us find the experience refreshing.

AUSTRALIANS are getting to know quite a bit about Julia Gillard, and some of us find the experience refreshing.

She doesn't believe in God, she has a Sherrin on display in her office, she exchanges text messages with footballer Jason Akermanis, she does not support gay marriage and says "I'm really kind of an 80s dag" about her musical taste. That comment came after a pair of radio broadcasters known as Kyle and Jackie O had subjected Gillard to Gettin' Over You by David Guetta "featuring" Fergie. Gillard tells everyone in sight she wants to be frank with people. Her admission about God was a good example. If she had said that in the US she'd be mincemeat by now. Bob Hawke lost his faith before he entered parliament but didn't broadcast it. We have to go back to Gough Whitlam to find a line similar to Gillard's. When asked "are you a Christian" by British politician Lord Chalfont in 1973, Whitlam replied: "No, I'm not a Christian. Let's say I'm a fellow-traveller with Christianity."

Speedo inferno!

ALL those sensitive souls who object to Tony Abbott wearing Speedos at the beach should take a shower wearing tight cotton underwear. Will surf lifesavers start wearing baggy boardies? No. Will gentlemen who have been wearing Speedos since they first came on the market feel the need to remove the offending garment lest someone sounds an alarm screeching "budgie smugglers"? Definitely not. Yet Abbott is constantly being singled out on this important issue. Yesterday he was subjected to one of the sillier stunts. On a breakfast radio show in Melbourne, Abbott was conned into a ceremonial burning of a pair of Speedos. "If I was at Davidson rural fire brigade I'd request breathing apparatus, this is awful," he said as the Speedos went up in a cloud of acrid smoke.

Toot is finally out

AT least the former NSW transport minister David Campbell got the trains running on time, most of the time. And parties of cleaners are keeping litter under control, most of the time. But Campbell missed the opportunity to do something historic: stopping trains from using their horns on departure. Instead, this heady and brave decision has been taken by his successor, John Robertson, who has ended by edict a 150-year tradition. Robertson says sounding the horn is no longer necessary. Dwell on those words: no longer necessary. Great scot, Robbo! Have you no romance in your heart? "The horn sounding has been part of everyday travel . . . but we have listened to train customers and decided it's time for a change. The end of the train horn will no doubt be welcomed by the thousands of residents that live in the vicinity of a train station." So, it's a noise abatement thing.

Toxic TV scare

TASMANIAN Premier David Bartlett is furious with the ABC's Australian Story for reporting in February that drinking water at St Helens is toxic. A Tasmanian review found that the water does not pose a health risk, prompting Bartlett to mount his high horse. The program relied on "seriously flawed scientific methods that distorted the results" causing "fear and distress" Bartlett thundered. The river is "in near pristine" condition. "Yet this poorly researched and alarmist program is still available on the ABC website. I have asked the ABC to remove the program from the website and if that is not possible to add a disclaimer to the effect that the information on which it was based has been shown to be wrong and to direct viewers to the website of the scientific report." Bartlett also wants an apology.

Heart's filthy lesson

HERE'S a good idea for the anti-smoking lobby next time they want, a) to get some publicity and, b) to make everyone gag. They could follow the initiative of Mohi Waihi who took his old, diseased heart to the New Zealand parliament in Wellington to show the Maori committee inquiring into tobacco what happened to his heart after five heart attacks caused by smoking-related disease. MPs inspected the heart and chairman Hone Harawira held up the plastic-wrapped yellowish organ so that everyone could get a good look. Martin Inkster, general manager of Philip Morris International in New Zealand apparently felt like sitting down and so he did.

Digitally challenged

PERHAPS federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was relying on the ether to pass on his digital message yesterday. Talking about the switch from analog to digital, which kicked off in Mildura and the Sunraysia region yesterday morning, Conroy offered a hotline number to those who don't have digital television. He announced the number on digital TV.

Diet Coke from here

IT looks like NSW opposition leader Barry O'Farrell will be the state's premier, assuming Kristina Keneally doesn't get rolled before March (don't hold your breath). Of course, O'Farrell dismisses the Newspoll in The Australian yesterday that shows him streets ahead. But is NSW ready to vote for a man who says "I'm the bloke who on the night of the Penrith by-election didn't have a drink stronger than Diet Coke"?