Strewth: Mark, get set, go!

There’s probably nothing quite as poisonous in politics as the vitriol some reserve for their own colleagues — past and present.

Mark, get set, go!

There’s probably nothing quite as poisonous in politics as the vitriol some reserve for their own colleagues — past and present. Behold this line about Braddon candidate (and former MP) Brett Whiteley, as told to our colleague Ben Packham by an anonymous Lib: “When Malcolm Turnbull’s there he’s buzzing around like a blowfly at a long drop, but other than that, you barely see him.” At least it was imbued with a touch of bush poetry. No such lyricism was offered by Laborites queuing up to bucket Mark Latham, who’s doing anti-Bill Shorten robocalls for One Nation. It got under way in earnest on Sky News on Monday night, with an apoplectic shoutfest between Latham and Graham Richardson during which Richo anointed him “king rat”. Latham returned serve with “old rotten shyster”. Watching it, we hoped Sky had defibrillators on set. Still, things can seem crazier at night — surely morning would bring cooler heads?

Former friendly fire

As it transpired, no. “Mark Latham is playing footsie with Pauline Hanson,” Chris Bowen said, and we kind of wish he hadn’t. “Those two charlatans deserve each other. So they can go off and do whatever they want to do together, they deserve each other.” (One can almost hear the Reverend Obadiah Slope in Anthony Trollope’s Barchester Chronicles, spitting out his poisonous farewell to the bishop and Mrs Proudie: “May you both live forever.”) Brendan O’Connor took a droller approach: “I’d be worried if he was giving me a good character reference.” Tanya Plibersek made use of history: “If Mark Latham does to Pauline Hanson’s vote what he did to Labor’s vote, I am not at all worried.” Joel Fitzgibbon went for dry: “I believe Mark Latham is being inconsistent with his policy approach.” Wayne Swan showed clean hands: “I was never a supporter of Mark Latham at any stage, and certainly never voted for him for anything.” Step up, Jim Chalmers: “A pretty sad and pathetic figure searching in vain for relevance.” As for Anthony Albanese: “Mark Latham moved on from the Labor Party a while ago. That’s a good thing.” And Shorten? “Mark Latham used to be someone, he’s not any more.”

Fruit fight

Small Business Minister Craig Laundy has jumped on a photo of Mayo candidate Rebekha Sharkie posing with the Bananas in Pyjamas and Labor and Greens candidates as evidence of a left-wing alliance. Here’s a freshfaced Tony Abbott and friends in 1999, campaigning against the republic. B1 and B2 are a broad church.

NOVEMBER 3, 1999 : Federal Employment Minister Tony Abbott flanked by ABC-TV Banana in Pyjamas characters in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall 03/11/99 as he seeks to promote "No" vote in Republic referendum. Pic Shaney Balcombe.

But to add ‘r’ is divine

Earlier this year, the response to a Sketch (by yours truly) of Russian ambassador Grigory Logvinov’s extraordinary press conference was encapsulated by this organ’s subsequent headline: “Russians would prosecute our James Jeffrey.” (Concern or wishful thinking? You decide!) At the risk of further displeasure we invite you to enjoy this perfect typo in a Russian embassy tweet yesterday: “English fans played a fiendly (sic) match vs Russian fans in the Red Square, Moscow. Listen what they tell about real Russia! It is not the distorted image, painted by some western media.”

Behind the aura

Following the death of former Nine Network supremo Sam Chisholm, we leave you with this tweet from 2GB’s Ben Fordham: “Many years ago, I was collecting donations for diabetes research when I ran into him at Channel 9. He offered me $10,000 but only if I agreed not to tell anyone about it. ‘Everyone thinks I’m a prick and I plan on keeping that reputation.’ ”

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