ANY REDDER HE’D RUST: Ted Baillieu reckons out-flanking Brumby to the left on aboriginal reconciliation will win him the next election

Everytime you think Ted Baillieu couldn’t get any stranger, he proves you wrong. Liberal patriots are highly amused that his latest frolic appears to be to win over Age readers by proving he’s sounder on Aboriginal reconciliation than Labor Premier John Brumby. Embedded correspondent Herman Waterhouse reports on the rising tide of despair engulfing the Victorian Liberals under the most left-wing leader in their history.

HOT OR NOT: Glenn Milne right on Monday, wrong on Saturday night

It’s very hard to love The Australian’s hard-living Glenn Milne but he was on fire this morning, writing of the Age’s Catherine Deveny:

You all know Catherine Deveny. Then again maybe not.

She’s a comedian and therefore a social commentator …

BUNGLES: The Age’s phone lines down

Age insiders are complaining their telephone lines are kaput today, making something of a joke of their move to lavish new multi-million dollar premises.

Internet connection is also painfully slow apparently, forcing Age journalists to look for stories from contacts …

RATTY: Former Trades Hall boss Leigh Hubbard competing for Greens preselection in Wills

Former Socialist Left leading light and ex Trades Hall boss Leigh Hubbard is said to be running for Greens party preselection for the federal seat of Wills.

WON’T HAPPEN: Federal intervention very unlikely for NSW

Speculation that the ALP National Executive is likely to impose a federal takeover of the NSW branch is unlikely, principally because all it would do is remove state Labor’s Administrative Committee and the party state secretary.