EASY BEATS: Press Gallery thinks 2010 federal election battle is over before it’s fought

A superficially attractive personality analysis of the next federal poll by a respected and mostly sensible Canberra Press Gallery leading light has come under question by a seasoned political practitioner.

EXPORT BOOM: North Korean socialist realist statues all the rage with African regimes

North Korea has developed a whole new export market: big, simple and cheap socialist realist statues for tin pot little African countries.

Senegal – despite regular electricity blackouts and crumbling infrastructure – allocated tens of millions of dollars to…

DECENCY MISSING TOO: Fairfax bad taste over murder victim

Making light of the sad story of murdered millionaire Herman Rockefeller leaves Fairfax owned 3AW radio open to charges of gross insensitivity and stupidity. We explore The Age multi-millionaire crime reporter John Silvester’s repeated and insistent declarations that Mr Rockefeller was alive and wonder why 3AW’s website equated him with an elusive fictional criminal and has allowed other horrible slurs to be published about a victim of crime and his family.

SIMPLY THE BEST: NT News shocks and amazes on every page

The NT News is a never-ending source of amusement, described as the favourite journal of the newspaper scouring PMO staff, according to Kevin Rudd.

Today, it excelled itself, splashing with a story about a federal MP and a local…

IDEAS: New website for the right in sight

From what we hear, menzieshouse.com.au will be well worth a look when it launches on January 30th. It’s a non-partisan but right-leaning enterprise designed to support a debate about ideas and opnions on that side of politics.

You…

BIG JOB: Victoria’s little minister for small community group grants announcements

A new lefty state minister appears to be the minister for not much at all. But her role has given her the opportunity to rub shoulders with Melton’s popular mayor, the Crown Prince of the Mammarella clan, Mayor Justin Mammarella.

SHUFFLING: Is David Davis elbowing Terry Mulder out of Transport?

Ted Baillieu’s principal backer is Liberal Lefty David Davis. Some say he is abusing his position of trust to meddle in other shadow portfolios.

TESTED: Stability deal strengthened by Hennessy victory

Victorian Labor’s stoush over Altona saw both of its opposing candidates emerge as winners, although Jill Hennessy became the endorsed candidate. Meanwhile, the Premier’s chief of staff came out of the ordeal looking somewhat jelly-backed. We explore the issues, with the diplomatic finesse for which we are famous.

SURROUNDED: Senior Liberal official caught up in Colombo crisis *UPDATED

The federal Liberal party deputy director James McGrath has been in Sri Lanka campaigning for opposition leader General Sarath Fonseka. Government troops have surrounded the hotel where the General’s campaign team is staying and friends back home are gravely worried. He has spoken with VEXNEWS indicating that not only is he alive and well but he’s in no mood to be intimidated by a government throwing its weight around.

ROLLING OUT THE BRACKS: Big names come out for Jill Hennessy

A vigorous contest for Labor preselection for their safe Victorian state seat of Altona lasted all day Wednesday at ALP Head Office. Labor’s biggest names came out for Jill Hennessy in an attempt to defeat the highly presentable local councillor Luba Grigorovitch. VEXNEWS understands that Altona local Deputy PM Julia Gillard flew into Melbourne solely to vote for Hennessy today, indicating just how tight this contest was thought to be. As it turned out, despite a strong local showing, Cr Grigorovitch withdrew after her Left faction endorsed Hennessy.