Move over three star general, Air Marshal Binskin is in charge

Speaking alongside Mr Morrison during the second of what are slated to be weekly briefings on asylum seeker matters today, Operation Sovereign Borders Acting Commander Air Marshal Mark Binskin gave a blow-by-blow account of how Australian authorities handled the operation. ABC

Tony Abbott has a very frank discussion about sovereignty

I wonder if he can pronounce Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's name?

At a joint press conference after the leaders' meeting, Mr Abbott described the talks as "very warm and constructive".
"We had a very frank discussion about issues of sovereignty ... and about issues of people smugglers," he said.
"We are determined to end this scourge which is not just an affront to our two countries but which has so often become a humanitarian disaster in the seas between our two countries.
"We are resolved, together united, to tackle this problem and to beat it." ABC

Abbott diplomacy makes world headlines

Everyone loves a good dustup.

BBC
CNN
Times of India
Jakarta Post

Scott Morrison absolutely and totally wrong

No he wasn't talking about himself or his boss.

A spokesman for Mr Morrison said suggestions Australian authorities were slow to act were "absolutely and totally wrong".
"The government completely rejects allegations of a 26-hour delay in response to this tragic incident by Australian agencies," Mr Morrison's office said in a statement issued on Sunday.
"Australian agencies acted on the information provided on this tragic incident."
Mr Morrison said initial searches failed to find the boat, which was reported to be about 25 nautical miles off the Indonesian coast. SBS

Abbott diplomacy: Bring fat cats

Its becoming clear Tony prefers the company of rich white people, when he goes cycling, when he goes overseas, in cabinet, and so on.

TONY Abbott has recruited 20 of the biggest names in business including Visy chief Anthony Pratt and Telstra chair Catherine Livingstone to travel with him on hi high-stakes visit to Jakarta starting today.
Three bank bosses including ANZ’s Mike Smith, the Commonwealth’s Ian Narev and Nicholas Moore from Macquarie and top mining, construction, agriculture and health care company leaders will also be on the trip. News

Abbott Government: Week 2 in review

Building on achievements of Week 1 and since the midweek review

• The Nats struggle for relevance, break ranks over uni services fees
• Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane wants Barry O'Farrell's gas
• Abbott promises not to violate Indonesia
• Australia declared open for business...
• ..but Ministers' doors remain closed to journalists, unless they have Tony's blessing.
• The Indonesian Navy disagrees with Tony.
• The Indonesian Foreign Minister accidentally on purpose leaks what he thinks of Julie Bishop.
• Are you a business person? The Indigenous Council wants you!
• Diplomatic dream team faces dilemma over West Papuan arrivals
• All this hubbub is just a 'passing irritant' though.
• The Navy sends asylum seekers back to Indonesia.
• An asylum boat sinks, after radioing Australia for help. People drown. 
• Joe Hockey talks down the Budget, which is in better shape than expected.
• Asylum Boat 2: Returned to Indonesia Boogaloo.
• The three star general in charge of stopping boats chooses a great time to go on holidays.
• Tony Abbott turns his back and walks away from questions about boats.
• Brandis and Barnaby practice austerity, Coalition style. Thanks for the perks, suckers.

until next time!

More austerity from Brandis and Barnaby

Two of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's most high-profile ministers claimed thousands of dollars in taxpayer entitlements for attending the wedding of close friend and Sydney shock jock Michael Smith. Fairfax

Tony Abbott ignores questions about drowning deaths

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has ignored reporters seeking information on up to 90 deaths after an asylum boat sank off the coast of Indonesia last night.

News

The boat stopping general is on holidays

He can't stop the boats because he's gone on leave.

News ltd

Second boatload to be returned

shit keeps happening

The Australian Customs ship, ACV Triton, is attempting to get permission to enter Indonesian waters to offload 31 asylum seekers rescued overnight.
If permission is granted it will be the second time since yesterday that Australian rescue authorities have returned asylum seekers to Indonesia. ABC

Joe talks down the budget

The budget is in better shape than projected, but Joe Hockey is all gloomy gus

The 2012-13 budget deficit has ended up slightly smaller than Labor forecast in the May budget – but Treasurer Joe Hockey says prospects for 2013-14 are looking even worse now than when the election was called. Mr Hockey said confidence is returning to the economy, but the government will face a challenge to sustain growth as the mining investment boom deflates – and hinted that it is looking at ways to stimulate infrastructure spending. Fairfax

Asylum boat sinks, Morrison keeps mum

Due to the cone of silence around boats, the only way we know about this is from the Indonesians.

About 20 people, mostly children under 15 years old, died when an asylum seeker vessel sank off the southern coast of Java on its way to Australia.
Adjunct Commissioner Warsono from the Agrabinta Police has confirmed that 25 people were rescued before the search was called off at nightfall.
He could not say how many more may still be missing, but some reports suggest it might be up to 80 people. Fairfax

Navy sends asylum seekers back to Indonesia

The Australian Navy intercepted the vessel and then advised Basarnas that it would drop the asylum seekers off.
In the early hours of this morning an Indonesian rescue crew met a Navy ship off the coast of Java and the asylum seekers were handed over.
It is understood the handover took place just outside the 12 nautical mile limit of Indonesian territorial waters. ABC

Merely a passing irritant

Mr Abbott says Australia's relationship with Indonesia is strong and close and he wants it to be more so in the months ahead."The last thing that anyone should want is to have Australia's relationship with Indonesia defined by this boats issue which I am sure will be but a passing irritant," he told Fairfax Radio in Melbourne on Friday. News

West Papua dilemma for diplomatic dream team

THE Abbott Government is facing a diplomatic dilemma after it emerged on Thursday the six West Papuans who cruised across the Torres Strait to Australia are believed to be activists. news ltd

Business people wanted for Indigenous Council

The Federal Government is calling for expressions of interest from people wanting to be on the council.
Mr Mundine says he is keen to get people with business experience on board, and wants the council to consult widely.

Prior to the federal election, the Coalition announced it would slash $42 million from Indigenous legal support. 

ABC

Indonesian foreign minister talks about Julie Bishop

Indonesia's foreign minister has divulged the contents of his private discussions with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop, warning the Government's asylum seeker policies could damage relations.
Marty Natalegawa met the new Foreign Affairs Minister in New York this week and the two spoke at length about a range of issues.
In an unusual step, Dr Natalegawa's department has issued a press release revealing details of the discussion, which included Australia's plan to turn boats back to Indonesia. ABC

Indonesian Navy says no to boats plan

In the latest of a string of objections coming out of Jakarta, a senior navy official says Prime Minister Tony Abbott's plan to force boats back would also unfairly shift the burden of dealing with the asylum seeker problem back on Indonesia.Major Andy Apriyanto, the head of policy for the Indonesian Maritime Security Coordinating Board, said Mr Abbott needed to drop the plan or he would be responsible for risking lives.
News ltd

Abbot's Australia "open for business", Ministers doors closed

Mr Abbott told reporters Australia was "open for business" and confidence was returning to the economy.

"We are not rushing things, but we are getting things done."

Mr Abbott confirmed reports he had asked ministers to clear all their media appearances with his office - an arrangement which he said worked well in opposition. Fairfax

Abbott won't violate Indonesia

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government's policy to turn back asylum seeker boats to Indonesia will respect the country's sovereignty.

Indonesian foreign minister Dr Marty Natalegawa has warned Australia his country won't accept violations of its borders in relation to the boat turnback plan. Fairfax

Liberals want more gas

Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane says he has spoken to Premier Barry O'Farrell and will be forming a committee of various stakeholders to find a real solution to the state's "gas challenge".

"We've got to get the drill rigs going, where the farmers want them going, where the geology's safe, where the water's safe, where the environment's safe, we've got to get them going by Christmas if we can." ABC

Nats break ranks with Pyne over fees

This post could also read "nats struggle to maintain relevance on country issues"

Nationals MP Michael McCormack says his party is likely to oppose any move from the Coalition to abolish the fees, after reports today Education Minister Christopher Pyne plans to abolish them. ABC

Midweek roundup: Week 2

What zany antics have Abbott and co been up to now?

• Commonwealth departments being scrapped.
• Scott Morrison isn't telling anyone about boats
• Joe Hockey cleans up after Barnaby Joyce craps on Indonesia.
• Julie Bishop talks to the Tele about clothes, bitchiness, babies, all that girly stuff
• We think eight boats have come but who knows
• Malcolm Turnbull speaks highly of the man who ruined Telstra
• People are being mean and boycotting big business, never fear uncle Eric is on the case
• Christmas Islanders gagged as part of Don't Ask Abbott about Boats
• Naturally we are not to be told if a boat is turned around
• Julie Bishop went to the UN. Did she slum it in business class?
• While there, she received a loud and clear message from Indonesia.
• A people smuggler in jail points out the gaping hole in the boat cone of silence.
• Malcolm Turnbull says bar lease on NBNCo while he comes up with reasons to can it.
• In the meantime they're working on innovative ways to use copper, which isn't outdated at all.
• Christopher Pyne gets in on the action by scrapping uni targets for the disadvantaged and service fees.
• He also decides to that not capping uni places is a non core promise.
• Palmer United in blocking Abbott, but divisions already emerge between Jacquie and Clive.
• Doctors are concerned about rushing asylum seekers through before they can be properly treated.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans. 

Medically unsafe

Australia's peak physician and paediatrician body has raised "serious" and "significant" medical concerns over the government'stargeted 48-hour turnaround target for screening asylum seekers for offshore transfer. Guardian

Winning hearts and minds with Julie Bishop

We have reiterated that Indonesia cannot accept any Australian policy that would, in nature, violate Indonesia's sovereignty," Dr Natalegawa told Indonesia news agency Antara News following the New York meeting.

''I think, the message has been conveyed loud and clear and has been understood well," Dr Natalegawa added. Fairfax

Chris Pyne, continued

Hot on the heels of yesterday's skullduggery comes news of a reneged promise not to cap uni places.

Palmer united already divided

PUP wins the Tasmanian Senate spot.  Jacquie Lambie has already flagged disagreement with Palmer over the carbon tax, but has vowed to be a thorn in Abbott's side.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne

Yes, Christopher Pyne is really in charge of Education. Unsurprisingly, he's starting with some cuts.

The Abbott government plans a drastic overhaul of the higher education system, including axeing the compulsory fee collected by universities to support student services and scrapping Labor's targets to lift participation by disadvantaged students. SMH

Nbnco ordered to investigate copper technology

Also horseless carriages. Fairfax

Nbn "under review", postponing inevitable

Turnbull announces a 60 day bar lease before presumably killing the nbn entirely.

People smugglers don't rely on press releases

In today's "well duh" news, a people smuggler ridicules Morrison's plan to keep boat arrivals under wraps.

Julie Bishop at the UN

She's there for the General Assembly meeting.  But did she fly business class?

Clarification: they were pushed

NBNCo board resignations were requested by Turnbull

You turn if you want to

This government's not for telling.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says the Government does not plan to publicly reveal when or if any asylum seeker boats are turned around - a measure that is a key plank of the Coalition's border protection policy. ABC

Boats? What boats? Shhh.

Christmas islanders being gagged in line with 'don't ask, don't tell' on boat arrivals.

The Coalition is basically creating space for a cottage industry of 'boat spotting'.

Protecting business from boycotts

Those poor corporations need help, when nasty activists threaten to not buy their  products

A looming review of consumer and competition law could provide the catalyst for the new Abbott government to ban secondary boycott exemptions for environmental groups – a move that could allow activists to be prosecuted. Guardian

NBNCo board out; Ziggy in

Remember that time he ran Telstra?

All members of NBN Co board have submitted their resignations to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to media reports.

Earlier this month, Mr Turnbull said former Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski would be "highly qualified" and "eminently suitable" to be appointed head of NBN Co. ABC

Boats status: still not Stopped

It's suspected eight boats have arrived but Scott Morrison and the three star general are playing their cards close.

The three-star general in charge of Operation Sovereign Borders, Lieutenant-General Angus Campbell  will hold the first in a series of weekly media briefings on Monday, ending a blackout that has withheld confirmation of the arrival of the eighth asylum seeker boat since the election. The boat reached Christmas Island on Sunday carrying about 30 people. Fairfax

Living the dream: Julie Bishop

Taking turns to get a Murdoch puff piece, next up is JB,

Bishop wears Giorgio Armani suits, Kailis pearls and her hair looks immaculate all the time.

"I don't think I am posh,'' Bishop says. "But I have always been interested in fashion. Clothes are a part of who I am. Having two older sisters probably has a lot to do with it.

But as a vagina owner, what are your thoughts on kids?

 "You can't have it all at the same time,'' she says. "I am the last person to talk about balance - my work is my life. I didn't choose not to have children. When I married I just assumed I would. But it didn't turn out that way. I didn't reflect on that until I hit my 40s. There is no point lamenting over it. You make the most of your life.''

Tele 

Hockey/Joyce foreign relations dream team

Barnaby makes a mess and Joe cleans up.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation finance ministers meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Mr Hockey insisted questions of foreign investment in Australia would be worked through in a methodical fashion. 

The comments come after Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce last week slammed a proposal by Indonesia to buy a million hectares of Australian cattle land as part of its efforts to reduce its reliance on imported beef. Yahoo

Starve people smugglers (of information)

Why use a scalpel when a shotgun will do. Stop everyone from knowing about boats, so that people smugglers won't know either.

"Taking control of how that information is released denies people smugglers the opportunity to exploit such information," Mr Morrison told AAP in a statement on Sunday. Fairfax

Abbott Government: Week 1 in review

Things that happened in Abbott's Australia this week.

• Sophie Mirabella, a person so horrible even other Liberals dislike her, lost her seat.
• Julie Bishop taught us how to win friends and influence (brown) people
• Some people in Indonesia found this offensive.
• AusAID cut, aligned with Abbott diplomacy
• Eric Abetz takes on his new role as Minister for Cutting Public Services
• Eric starts by firing three senior public servants.
• Eric also goes after union thugs.
• Tony Abbott announces his manly cabinet...
• ...in which there is no place for science
• This turns out to be a bit embarrassing.
• But never mind, because Tony Abbott himself will be Minister for Women.
• They all brought their own Bibles to swear on.
• Half of the cabinet is Catholic.
• A general was promoted to three stars, so that he can stop the boats.
• Operation Sovereign Borders consists mostly of Scott Morrison keeping boat arrivals under wraps.
• Climate changed was stopped by abolishing any mention of it.
• No gays marrying in the ACT on Tony's watch.
• Let's keep things clean and fair, says Abbott. Several Liberals consider resigning
• Joe Hockey gets in a slapfight with Colin Barnett. 
• Tony has decided too much money is being spent on family law. 
• Some old white male people go for a bike ride with Tony.

Tony Abbott rides a bike

The ground-breaking news that Tony Abbott's friends are white brought to you by Herald Sun

Liberal family values

Kick them while they're down.

The Coalition unveiled a substantial list of extra savings in the lead-up to the federal election, including $30 million to be gained by a so-called "streamlining" of processes in the Family Court. Mr O'Brien says it is critical the resources for the Family Court are increased, not reduced. "The courts administering family law deal with the high-conflict families in our society and it's the children of those families who are most at risk," he said. ABC

because family law just isn't traumatic enough already

Imagine a Joe Hockey/Colin Barnett slapfight irl

from AFR:

Hockey slaps Barnett over GST

Mr Hockey’s refusal to countenance raising or widening the GST came as Liberal Party elder statesmen Alexander Downer and Jeff Kennett urged the new Coalition government to tackle reform of the tax, and as cabinet minister Bruce Billson admitted the government understood “there is a need to consider the tax framework that supports our nation”. 

No one knows if the Boats have Stopped

Because Scott Morrison isn't telling.

The ABC asked both Customs and the Immigration Department whether any boats have arrived in recent days, but the questions were referred back to the Minister's office.

A spokesman for the Immigration Minister Scott Morrison would not say if any boats had arrived, and said further details about the Government's Operation Sovereign Borders policy would be provided next week. ABC

Twice as pious

Tony Abbott isn't the only Catholic in Cabinet. But in some ways Abbott manages to be even more regressive.

Those with a Catholic background account for nearly half of Mr Abbott's cabinet, roughly double the 25 per cent of Australians who described themselves as Catholics at the last census.

Author Roy Williams, who has written about religion in Australian politics, says this marks an extraordinary departure, especially for the Liberal Party, which has traditionally "been a party of mainstream Protestantism". The Age

Ratings for the ratings god

There is an obsession with AAA credit rating, much like there is with national debt.

Mr Barnett, whose state lost its AAA credit rating on Wednesday, says revenue from the GST is not growing fast enough to fund basic services like health and education.

He says while Mr Abbott made a political promise not to lift the GST, he thinks the Prime Minister will have little choice but to address the issue. ABC

Abbott Government: Clean and fair

another fair and balanced headline from the fine folk at the Tele.

"I know that all coalition governments right around Australia are determined to try to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest, real or apparent," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney.

"I'm determined to ensure that as far as the new coalition government in Canberra is concerned, not only is it clean and fair but it's seen to be clean and fair." DT

Setting a bad example on carbon

"Abbott's win seen stoking anti-carbon price sentiment elsewhere"

The failure of Australia, the biggest emitter per capita among the world’s richest nations, to entrench its carbon price is emboldening opponents of fledgling emissions markets from South Africa to California and dimming prospects for a new global climate treaty. About 200 negotiators are set to meet in Warsaw this year to discuss how to ratify promises from the US and China, the world’s largest economies, to reduce greenhouse gases linked to climate change.

“People who want a reason not to implement some form of emissions reduction would be able to point to Australia and say: they haven’t, why should we?” Fairfax

Gay marriage in the ACT? Not on Tony's watch

Time to lawyer up

The ACT Government says same-sex couples will be able to get married in Canberra before the end of the year, with the introduction of the Marriage Equality Bill into the ACT Legislative Assembly.

But Mr Abbott wants to see the legal details. ABC

Reliable and authoritative information? No thanks

Climate change commission - gone.

Professor Flannery, who is also a former Australian of the Year, has defended the commission's role. 

"We've stayed out of the politics and stuck to the facts," he said. "As a result we've developed a reputation as a reliable apolitical source of facts on all aspects of climate change.

"I believe that Australians have a right to know - a right to authoritative, independent and accurate information on climate change. ABC

"Abbott gets to work on stopping the boats"

Thanks, news.com.au sub editor. Abbott scores a diplomatic victory by proclaiming we don't hate browns, just people smugglers (who are brown).

"I have no argument with anyone in the Indonesian establishment or parliament," Mr Abbott said in Sydney on Thursday.

"My argument is with people smugglers and my point to the people smugglers is 'the game is up'."

Mr Abbott said he is confident his coalition government will be able to work effectively with Indonesia, as former coalition governments had done. news ltd

Winning friends home and abroad

It's not just Australians who are offended by Abbott.

Another senior Indonesian politician has described Tony Abbott’s asylum seeker policies as “very offensive” and an attack on his country’s sovereignty, adding that if they were not changed they would damage the bilateral relationship. WAToday

Thicker than a stack of Bibles

Abbott ministry sworn in.

Forty-one frontbenchers took the oath, the overwhelming majority coming with their own bibles.

New parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister Josh Frydenberg brought the Bible that his mentor Zelman Cowen used when he was sworn in as governor-general in 1977, while Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce (who arrived at Government House in a maxi taxi) came with not one, but two tomes.

Arguably, they were upstaged by parliamentary secretary for education, Scott Ryan, who brought along a humungus family heirloom for his swear-in moment. The Age

Tony Abbott, Minister for Women.

Father knows best. Guardian

Tony Abbott, diplomatic superstar

Aus AID moving to DFAT so that "aid more closely aligns with diplomacy."  No word yet on how this affects the boat buyback scheme. ABC

Start by firing someone

Or in this case,  three people

"The ceremony had barely finished when the Prime Minister's office issued a press release, announcing three departmental secretaries had had their contracts terminated and the Treasury Secretary would stand down next year."

Abc

Make it go away

Abbott is being sworn in today.

Mr Abbott says he will immediately instruct the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to prepare legislation to repeal the carbon tax.

He also says incoming treasurer Joe Hockey will instruct the board of the Clean Energy Corporation to cease operations.

It is also expected that the Climate Change Authority and the Climate Commission will be abolished. ABC

Good corporate citizens and evil unions

Senator Eric Abetz is a man with his priorities in order.

Senator Abetz says the Coalition's policy to raise penalties for union corruption, to put them in line with the corporate sector, has been welcomed by union leaders including Australian Workers' Union boss Paul Howes. "This is not an attack on the trade union movement, it is an attack on corruption in the trade union movement." ABC

Not in any way implying that all unions are corrupt. No sir.

An international embarrassment

Abbott cops a little friendly fire from people who are retired or retiring. How brave.

"I think it's shocking and I think it's embarrassing, and it's not just embarrassing nationally but I think it's embarrassing internationally," Senator Sue Boyce, who will retire next July, said.

Former Liberal senator Judith Troeth says the line-up sends a bad signal that the party cannot have more professional women active in the upper reaches of Parliament.

"I mean this is running the country, now why aren't women equally as good at that as men are?" she said.

ABC

A modern Major General

Tony Abbott is promoting a guy to three stars, so that he can put a three star general in charge of stopping the boats.

Major General Campbell will be promoted to a three-star general and will coordinate the 16 departments and agencies that will come under the Operation Sovereign Borders policy.
He will have the powers to bypass normal Defence Force command structures and will report directly to incoming Immigration Minister Scott Morrison. ABC 

The science of Government

A scientist within the Liberal ranks bemoans the lack of a science Minister.

Mild surprise that there is a scientist within the Liberal ranks.

Tony Abbott, man's man, has manly Cabinet

Comment is being made far and wide on Abbott's Cabinet containing less women than it's Afghan counterpart.

Boats update: still not Stopped

''Do I think that the boats will stop dead on day one of an incoming government? I wish, but it may not happen,'' Mr Abbott said.
''But from day one the people smugglers and their customers will start to notice a very significant difference. Interdiction operations in the seas to our north will change and become more forthright.''

because getting boarded by armed naval personnel has been too subtle.

Cleaning house with Eric

Abbott turns his attention to the public service:

The incoming prime minister has appointed industrial relations hardliner Eric Abetz as his “Minister assisting the Prime Minister on the Public Service...Asked about the fate of public service departmental bosses under the new government, the incoming prime minister simply said there would be changes.

Erica Betz, Minister for the APS. Heads will roll

Julie Bishop, diplomatic superstar

The Member for Curtin on how to win friends and influence people: "We're not asking for Indonesia's permission, we're asking for their understanding."

Election Promise Abbotometer #1

Promise: stop the boats.

Hours after Tony Abbott was elected prime minister promising hardline policy and immediate action on asylum seekers arriving by boat, authorities found a suspected people-smuggling vessel off Australia's north coast

Boats status: not currently stopped, but give it time. The Coalition need to implement their policies to make Australia worse before deterrence can be shown effective.

Fairfax.

Tony Abbott's Cabinet is for manly men, and Julie Bishop.

Having wheeled out his female progeny for the cameras, Tony's unveiling the new Cabinet.

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has indicated she is likely to be the only woman in Cabinet.

"In time I expect to see many more women promoted," she told Channel Ten.

Ian McDonald's delicious tears.

Senator Ian Macdonald, who was the shadow parliamentary secretary for Northern Australia and the defence force, expressed his disappointment at being dumped in a post on Facebook

"What should have been one of the proudest days of my life has turned into one of the worst," he said last night. 

"The ecstasy of a new government and success in the North has turned a little sad with a phone call from Tony Abbott saying he has no room for me in the new ministry."

ABC

Sophie Mirabella is a terrible person

You know you're horrible when even other Liberals don't like you.

"It has been reported that an Aboriginal-led taskforce on the 'stolen generation' in Victoria could not identify one truly 'stolen' child." - Mrs Mirabella, reported in The Australian, in February 2008. She did not attend former prime minister Kevin Rudd's apology.

Full list news.com.au 

Palmersaurus

Clive Palmer's lead in Fairfax is down to 502 votes according to the AEC.  For the sake of hilarity I sincerely hope he holds on.

AFR has more on why Palmer is Abbott's nightmare.

Austerity now, insanity later

The Daily Telegraph tells us

TONY Abbott has decided to bunk with Australian Federal Police recruits in a $120-a-night flat while renovations are conducted at the possum-infested prime ministerial residence The Lodge.

Meanwhile from the Courier-Mail

 DEPUTY Liberal Leader Julie Bishop says she and bureaucrats will travel in business and not first class on overseas trips

'the suppository of wisdom'

“No one,” Tony Abbott told a Melbourne gathering of Liberal Party faithful, “however smart, however well-educated, however experienced … is the suppository of all wisdom”.