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This was published 12 years ago

Politics Wrap: December 11, 2013

Updated ,first published
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I think that's what they call 'poetic'.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives in Canberra after his visit to South Africa. And leaves the airport in the prime ministerial Holden. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
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With our leaders back in the country, it's time we wound up, safe in the knowledge that there is no more of this acting.

What did we learn today?

  • Fibre-to-the-carpet. It could be the next wave of technological innovation;
  • There is cross-party harmony on same-sex marriage. But not on Holden;
  • The government and opposition are using the news that the company is Audi as an excuse to get their crank on in parliament;
  • The ABC doesn't think it has a problem with bias. But it's going to do an audit of that anyway;
  • It is safer to make a political point through dance than by holding up the front page of the Fin Review. 
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Upon getting into his Holden Comcar, Bill Shorten oberved: "Hope this is not the last one."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten gets into his Holden COMCAR on his arrival in Canberra. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
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I'm back and I'm on the phone.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the phone in his Holden Caprice C1 on returning to RAAF Fairbairn in Canberra from attending the Nelson Mandela memorial. Photo: Andrew Meares
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The PM has not lingered at the airport.

But Bill Shorten has fronted the mics and cameras (in front of a fence) to say that the government had driven Holden into "the biggest car crash" in Australia's history.

"The Holden car company was made clearly to feel not welcome."

 

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The acting ends here.

Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten have arrived back in Canberra.

 

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The new senator shouts out to Stephen Conroy.

He knows they will be friends for a very long time: "because I know too much." 

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Tillem says that the Labor party needs to do some questioning about "what went wrong" at the 2013 election, despite its great legislative record.

"I am a product of the rank and file of the ALP," he says.

"The time for real reform within the ALP is overdue."

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Labor Senator Mehmet Tillem delivers his maiden speech to the Senate. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer

Victorian senator Mehmet Tillem follows with his maiden speech.

Tillem is the first Australian of Turkish origin to sit in the federal Parliament.

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Dastyari is watched by a big contingent of family, Labor types, and Labor MPs from both houses.

His young daughter calls out to him from the gallery.

"No matter where me story goes from here," he concludes, "there will always be a part of me that remains a wide-eyed five-year-old boy, excited to have arrived in the greatest country on earth."

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