27 June 2008
The round-up
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The National Interest news round-up begins with the ever-fascinating declaration of members' interests.
The latest instalment, tabled in federal parliament ahead of the winter break, reveals that the French Environment Minister thinks his Australian counterpart is a tad under-dressed - he gave Peter Garrett at $300 tie; that Deputy PM Julia Gillard is something of a petrolhead - she took her partner to the Grand Prix; that well-spoken shadow foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb prefers Opera Australia - he scored free tickets to My Fair Lady; while infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese is a family man - he took his son to an advance screening of Kung Fu Panda.
And what better indication that you've gone from front-bench to back-burner? Former Treasurer Peter Costello's declared gift was a Kreepy Krawly - one of those devices for keeping the backyard pool clean.
Members have also provided the house with undated details of their travel, revealing - according to the Financial Review - that Kevin Rudd (like John Howard before him) used the tax-payer funded prime ministerial VIP jet to travel from Canberra to Melbourne for the Boxing Day test - an exercise which cost the RAAF more than ten thousand dollars.
The Fin also reveals that former Labor prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating made much more extensive use of their taxpayer funded travel in the second half of last year than in the first... Surely it's only coincidental that there was an election campaign underway during that period.
Perhaps the federal parliament should follow the lead of the Legislative Assembly in the ACT, which has appointed an ethics and integrity adviser.
The Canberra Times tells us that former Australian government solicitor Stephen Skehill will take up the job and advise members on ethical issues such as conflicts of interest and the use of entitlements
Northern Territorians are being encouraged to retire the beer fridge.
A government list of practical tips for reducing greenhouse gas emissions suggests Top Enders could make do with a single fridge and chill their ale alongside their lettuces. The Power and Water Corporation reckons this is not only good for the planet, but could bring savings of $200 a year.
You'd expect Chief Minister Paul Henderson might show some leadership on the issue - and he has "I've got a beer fridge", he told the Northern Territory News, "and I'm keeping it". His token gesture is to see if he can upgrade the white good in energy efficiency.
Up on the Gold Coast the dog track is for the birds. Greyhounds are supposed to chase after a mechanical rabbit but twice in the past six months dogs have caught the whiff of a real live duck instead.
On the first occasion champion 'Knocka Norris' shied at a bird on the track; then last week 'On Board' was distracted by a duck that collided with the metal bunny.
According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, 'On Board' was 100 metres from home at the time and looming strongly.
The dog ended up placing third, but was disqualified for being momentarily seduced by the duck and denied any prize money - which seems just a tad unfair.
Presenter
Peter Mares
Producer
James Panichi
