By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
It was a Canberra event about as rare as a dignified evening at Mooseheads. Last week, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton actually fronted up and held a press conference in Parliament House – only his second there in about eight months. Way to go, big fella!
Perhaps in response to the months of (justified) grumbling from the press gallery, Team Dutts got a bit cute with the media after Thursday’s outing.
Peter Dutton and opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson address the media.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
When the official transcript of his presser was released, the summary referred to “Mr Massola’s iconic Canberra bubble question on the forthcoming election campaign”, a reference to this masthead’s national affairs editor, James Massola, asking Dutton about whether his team would have a campaign plane for journalists.
Dutton’s surprise media appearance during the first sitting week of the year drew plenty of taunts from Labor, who have accused the opposition leader of dodging the media and not giving a single National Press Club address this term (Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done two).
We think this is a little unfair because it’s not like Dutton hasn’t been to the Press Club at all. In fact, he was there just last Wednesday. And no, it wasn’t to attend Goldstein teal MP Zoe Daniel’s midday address that day on “the era of independence”.
Instead, Dutton was hosted in one of the club’s private rooms at a fundraiser organised by bipartisan lobbying shop Precision Public Affairs. Dutton was joined by about a dozen people at the event and the club provided catering and a room.
Sadly, there wasn’t a microphone in sight so we will still have to wait to see if Dutton will actually front up to the club – and observe the time-honoured tradition of a National Press Club address – before Australians vote.
Meanwhile, visitors at the club can console themselves over the opposition leader’s absence by getting their photo taken with the life-size cutouts of Dutton and Albanese in the main lounge.
Grounded
Ah, Melbourne Airport, where the renovations never end and suitcases take so long to reach the baggage carousel they seem to be rerouted via the Bermuda Triangle.
And did we mention there’s still no train? We just did.
But congrats to Melbourne Airport, which has just had its busiest month on record, welcoming 1.1 million inbound passengers in December, and is planning a $4.5 billion expansion, according to chief executive Lorie Argus. World-class, you might say.
So The Age couldn’t believe it during a recent visit when we spotted its outdoor prayer area for taxi and rideshare drivers, located next to a toilet beneath an underpass and near the long-term parking.
“The current ramshackle prayer space used by taxi drivers, sometimes queueing for hours waiting to service travellers arriving at Melbourne Airport, is not fit for service,” said Adel Salman, president of the Islamic Council of Victoria.
The new prayer area at Melbourne Airport.Credit: Wayne Taylor
“The Islamic Council of Victoria urges the Melbourne Airport authorities to establish an appropriate prayer space with ablution facilities as a matter of priority.”
A spokesman said the airport “respects the beliefs and cultural practices of our diverse community” and had prayer rooms inside the terminals, as well as a prayer room for drivers in the primary taxi holding area. “We are now working with taxi and Uber drivers on a more permanent prayer facility for the secondary holding area,” he said.
Fly Eagles Fly
What the Super Bowl lacked in excitement, it made up for with the immensely satisfying sight of the Kansas City Chiefs getting curb-stomped by a ruthless Philadelphia Eagles defence. And Kendrick Lamar committing a murder during the half-time show.
Jordan Mailata after his team’s victory in New Orleans.Credit: AP
And of course, Bankstown’s very own Jordan Mailata becoming the first Australian to play in a Super Bowl victory.
And yet, Mailata wasn’t the most important Aussie in the New Orleans Superdome on Monday.
That would probably be nonagenarian News Corp patriarch Rupert Murdoch, spotted during the fourth quarter alongside his new-ish wife, Elena Zhukova.
Meanwhile, during the debaucherous pre-game weekend in the Big Easy, Melbourne DJ Dom Dolla was seen revving up the crowd from a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street at a set organised by Don Julio tequila.
Rupert Murdoch walks on the sidelines before the game.Credit: AP
Alongside him was Apple chief executive Tim Cook, completing a crossover we truly did not see coming.
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