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The Doddcast: Canberra Report 21st June

21 Jun 2010

While Canberra doesn’t look like getting above 15 degrees this week, there’s a chance the term of this government is heating up.

Whether they’re currently half baked or have they been left too long, today’s poll shows that they’re the same stale position they’ve been in for the last week.

Kevin looks like spending the day explaining to the Chinese dep pres what rat fucker means.

Today’s opinion poll will fuel speculation about a mid September poll, with sources suggesting that Kevin Rudd is aware of fact that football finals exist but doesn’t think his team can do any worse than Andrew Johns.

And if we do go to the polls in September, this will be the last sitting week for the year. So all those QT jokes you’ve been working on “MCTannerTime” has easily been the best.

And if you think the PM is going a bit mental, then it’s not going to dissipate this week with the gov’s top mental health advisor quitting in protest at the Rudd Gov’s approach. And that won’t be forgotten as Tuesday’s press club is on dementia with Prof Julian Hughes speaking. Promises to be unforgettable!

Downstairs in the house, the focus will be on telecommunications, financial sector reform, and a whole bunch of other piecemeal bit and pieces. Upstairs, renewable energy bill, environment protection and biodiversity bills will get a run, child care, Australian national preventative health agency will be established (tues), on Wed “national radioactive waste management bill” and Thurs left over for whatever they don’t get time for.

Graham Richardson, Craig Emerson, and (not for the first time) Sarah Hanson Young is on qanda this evening with the Australian spokesman for changing the political climate within his own party Malcolm Turnbull.

Mining debate enters week eight.

And if you missed the action last night, NZ drew with Italy, further emphasising how badly we need to call invade NZ and call it “australiasia”. And yes it hurts more than NZ went well than Italy went badly.

Adrian Dodd, Senior Communication-Consultant (Digital), EMC

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