A nomination for The Gold Balkley: This effort from The Age about the “first bloke”.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard won’t be trotting out Australia’s ‘‘first bloke’’ on the campaign trail.
Ms Gillard arrived and departed the National Press Club for the leaders’ debate in Canberra last night solo.
In contrast, opposition leader Tony Abbott was flanked by his wife, Margie.
Pressed on the absence of her partner, Tim Mathieson, the prime minister said she enjoyed his full support.
Mr Mathieson viewed his job as supporting the newly-installed prime minister, but not to accompany her on the campaign.
‘‘He is not a Labor party official or a candidate or a minister so you won’t see him out on the campaign trail in that sense,’’ Ms Gillard told reporters in Launceston today.
I would like to nominate whoever asked Australia’s Prime Minister about what her partner was doing during an election campaign.
Julia Gillard makes a policy announcement about health spending, and you ask about the boyfriend?
“Where is Tim?”, they asked.
They could have asked about health. They could have asked why Immigration was such a big issue during the election campaign, or ask how outsourcing policy to a “Citizen’s assembly” was good policy for an elected government.
They really, could have asked anything, but they asked about her boyfriend on the campaign trail.
They really need to stop handing out these press passes to New Idea.
