Strewth: Christopher Pyne peerless and fearless

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has been at it again — demonstrating his abiding love for his portfolio.

Highway to the danger zone: Christopher Pyne in the line of duty at Avalon 2019. Source: Twitter

Never one to shy away from donning a helmet, leaping into a cockpit or tenderly cradling a weapon, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne was out again yesterday demonstrating his abiding love for his portfolio.

Behold the first photo (above), in which a helmeted Pyne tackles some sort of military gizmo at the Defence SA stand at Avalon 2019, or to give it its full due, the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition. It is a compelling photograph that really draws in the eyes. So much so it got us thinking about what might be our favourite snap of the minister in the company of something hazardous and possibly explosive.

Fully-weaponised ... Defence Minister Christopher Pyne.

To complement yesterday’s effort, we have assembled a small but — we’re sure you’ll agree — perfectly formed gallery of Pyne posing with various weapons, among them: a mortar shell (perhaps), what looks vaguely like a blunderbuss, and Labor senator Kim Carr.

Kim Carr and Christopher Pyne. Picture: File

It is hard to pick a favourite, though we think we could hazard a guess which would be loudest. Clue: has beard.

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Then, and not before

Scott Morrison made use of some of his press conference to lay down a sort of poetic circularity.

Journo: “Has the cabinet decided that Ita Buttrose should be the chair of the ABC?”

ScoMo: “When I’m in a position to make an announcement about the chair of the ABC, I will do that.”

Journo: “When will that be?”

ScoMo: “When I do it.”

On a different note, the Prime Minister said of the disability royal commission: “I don’t agree with the Leader of the Opposition that it can be done without the states and territories.” So it was surely to a collective phew Aunty reported yesterday morning: “Bill Shorten also wrote to the states and territories, asking for their backing for the royal commission.”

Scott Morrison: “I’ll make an announcement ... when I make an announcement.” Picture: AAP

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Quiz time

Meanwhile, a sliver of Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor on the wireless with Steve Austin.

Austin: “This is ABC Radio Brisbane … We have a Labor state government. We’ve had Labor governments since 1989 except for two little glitches where for a couple of years where we had …”

O’Connor: “Campbell Newman!”

Austin: “ … conservative experiments.”

A conservative experiment? There’s nothing conservative about Campbell Newman’s fitness regime. Picture: Jack Tran

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Seven-word slogan

Yesterday we mentioned the Deen Brothers, Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s crew of choice when he wanted to sidestep those pesky courts and get something demolished during the night. Thanks to Strewth reader Mike Flanigan, we now know the Deens’ slogan was: “All we leave behind are the memories.”

And you do, too.

Memories light the corners of my mind / Misty water-colored memories of the way we were / Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind / Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were... Picture: File

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