Friday, March 28, 2014: Something big and shiny in front of their dirty laundry...

Ceremonial days, all pomp and decadence, and covered widely despite everyone knowing exactly what would happen. 17 degrees with the threat of rain hovering over us. I wish I'd stayed in bed.

The heart of Canberra is rarely bereft of dignitaries, and today is no exception. The royal procession is being filmed by all sundry, multiple angles in the event that someone might miss something - a risk being somehow nullified by the fact that nothing of interest will happen. It's all very dour.

What this pageantry, the ascension of Sir Peter, does achieve is an even sharper focus on Knights and Dames and status. This was initially frustrating for the Labor Party, keen as they were to exploit Sinodinos and Brandis, until Michael Williamson and Craig Thomson reminded both parties of the benefit of having something big and shiny in front of their dirty laundry.

Politics can be excellent for the strategy, but for all the hurly-burly that we've seen this week, what we're really witnessing is the closest thing to piece that Federal Politics is capable of. Two parties who are happy to feed the media scraps while they work out what to do next.


In the news...
Former Defence Chief Peter Hurley has been sworn in as Governor-General, replacing Bill Shorten's mother in law Quentin Bryce.

Scott Morrison has again felt the cruel wrath of a hostile senate as they again scuttled his TPV plan yesterday.

HSU guy Michael Williamson has been jailed for at least 5 years for fraud.