Fake tan or fake news? Thats the question as Frydenberg cops a budget spray from Albo – The Age

The spokesman questioned whether CBD had more important stories to write and then asserted the Treasurer had naturally olive skin.

Barnaby Joyce.Credit:John Shakespeare

Budget night is infamous in Canberra for being, well, a big night. After the speeches, fundraisers and private dinners, its customary for those still standing to kick on to the drinking destination of choice, which these days is Ostani at Hotel Realm (it used to be Manukas Public Bar until Four Corners burst its bubble).

And how good, as they say, to see Liberal lobbying giants Michael Photios of Premier State, Christopher Pyne from his eponymous firm and Tom Harley of Dragoman holding court long past midnight. At least some Liberals seem to get along.

CBDs spies also spotted outgoing Liberal MP Andrew Laming and the partys chief fundraiser Nicole Andrews, fresh from organising the traditional $1750-a-head budget night dinner in Parliaments Great Hall, where PM Morrison addressed the moneyed faithful.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyces 1am tweet about his religious conviction on the importance of making money raised a few eyebrows. Joyce who was earlier seen scarfing a tuna roll in Families Minister Anne Rustons office assures CBD he was in bed by midnight and his staff posted the dictated tweet.

I dont post my social media, he said. To be frank, we wanted the photo out for media use and I needed something with it. I was amazed how many others were also interested in our budget at that hour.

Of course, Connie was the name on everyones lips after NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells decided to burn the (upper) house down with her farewell tirade about Morrison, after losing out on a winnable spot on the Senate ticket.

As word of Fierravanti-Wells post-budget speech flashed around the capitals watering holes on Tuesday night, a common verdict among her colleagues was that the senator was only now saying publicly what she had been expressing privately for years.

Shane Warnes state memorial service at the MCG on Wednesday evening fell short of a full complement of Australian Test captains lucky enough to lead the great spinner onto the field, but not by much.

The MCG service on Wednesday.Credit:Joe Armao

There was no helping the absence of Ricky Ponting, who missed the event due to his Indian Premier League commitments as coach of the Delhi Capitals. But it was Steve Waughs appearance, after he had initially been due merely to attend a screening of the event at the Sydney Cricket Ground, that turned most heads.

Warne and Waugh were close as young cricketers but fell out after Warne was dropped in Barbados in 1999, and the pair clashed again in Sri Lanka later that year, according to the spinners autobiography.

Waugh was not present at Warnes private funeral in Melbourne this month, which his twin brother Mark Waugh attended alongside former captains Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Michael Clarke, plus the likes of Merv Hughes, Glenn McGrath and Ian Healy.

Insiders tell CBD that Waugh ultimately decided to come to the MCG on Wednesday after a special request from the Warne family.

Tim Pallas is the latest senior state government minister to go into isolation, after a member of the Treasurers family tested positive to COVID-19.

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Premier Daniel Andrews has come down with the virus, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy is in isolation as a close contact and COVID made it a clean sweep of major party leaders on Wednesday when Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam tested positive.

Victorias Governor Linda Dessau and Employment and Tourism Minister Martin Pakula have also tested positive after attending the premiere of Hamilton last week, where the Premier is thought to have picked up the bug.

Pallas was at the show too, while the Greens assure us Ratnam was otherwise engaged that night.

Jacqueline Maley cuts through the noise of the federal election campaign with news, views and expert analysis. Sign up to our Australia Votes 2022 newsletter here.

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Fake tan or fake news? Thats the question as Frydenberg cops a budget spray from Albo - The Age