So impressive how all the political commentators have realised that when Julia Gillard talks about not having the numbers in the Parliament to pass Andrew Wilkie’s pokies reforms, she means her own numbers, not the crossbench. Oh, you mean they haven’t? Some cynical types may suggest the only reason the PM has stepped in with a compromise to avoid a vote is that her Party was concerned Wilkie’s Bill might have somehow passed, not that it wouldn’t pass.

Meanwhile, Europe sinks ever closer to financial collapse and the Australian auto industry heads closer to the inevitable despite Kim Carr’s quixotic waves of his unmighty sword. Both the Government and Opposition seem reasonably keen to make the economy the main fight this year, with the always shy Bill Shorten leading the charge to tell us how grim its going to be and how responsible yet compassionate the Government will be in the face of good old Dr No on the other side.

The Opposition sticking to their guns on cutting auto assistance sets them up as trying to recapture the economically responsible high ground after their leader’s diversions into maternity pay and keeping cuts while blocking taxes. For all of our sakes let’s just hope the political debate is primarily an economic one this year and not all about boats.

Tony Abbott quickly back to a dominant lead in online social media, while talkback doesn’t seem to have fully ramped up into political mode yet. Bill Shorten will be thrilled to be in the top five while pokies doesn’t seem to be creating as much stir online as it is on radio.

Heidi Klum may have been trending globally on Twitter, following the news about her split from musician husband Seal, but Australian media doesn’t seem to have been overly interested in the story.