At the Court of King Costello: What might
life be like at the Court of King Costello? The Adelaide Advertiser has some
details with its account of the amiable meeting between the Treasurer and
former Reserve Bank board member Rob Gerard
today.

Beyond Blue, Hawthorn – and the RSPCA? Is
Jeff now at the RSPCA? We all know his old nickname for Peter Costello. And
going out all over the place are letters featuring two photos – one a smiling
Peter Costello and one of a happy dog. Yes, they mentioned that the nice
Treasurer has kept tax deductibility for contributions to the RSPCA – but are
they someone’s idea of a joke?

Are the Nats really that marginalised? Look
up the NSW Parliament’s list of lobbyists.
Why is it all the executives of the National Party are registered, but their Liberal
and Labor Party counterparts not?

Family business. Keep an eye out for a
strong showing by Mike Baird, son of former state minister and federal MP
Bruce, in the Liberal Party preselection for Manly this weekend.

Della for the lower house? Why is NSW ALP
heavyweight and MLC John Della Bosca spending so much time visiting local branches
in the seat of Peats?

Out of the Rich List. Malcolm Turnbull might be Australia’s
wealthiest politician, but he no longer scores a spot on BRW’s Rich
List. Last year BRW valued his wealth at $133 million. This year he
doesn’t rate. An upset? Naaah! We’d call it a shrewd move for a pollie
going places.

Slow weekend? This weekend marks an
important milestone in the constitutional history of NSW. It marks the 150th
anniversary of self-government, the anniversary of when power passed from the
colonial governor to the newly elected state parliament. The NSW Parliament is
throwing open its doors to the public for the weekend. Go down and check out
the country’s least imposing parliament house. There are even rare visits into
the new wing constructed in the 1970s. It is still furnished in a ghastly 1970s
style that has been banished everywhere else in the Sydney CBD. More details here.

Send your snippets to
christian@crikey.com.au