politicalowl

. @JulieBishopMP has told the Sunday Times she would have beaten @billshortenmp if she had been selected during the leadership spill. pic.twitter.com/YHeL5QvBnB — Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 2, 2019 ">

Don't tell me what to do  And don't tell me what to say

"She did not deny she had been told she was not wanted in new Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Cabinet before she resigned from it." From the Curtin WA local paper And some Liberals reckon Tony Abbott can be a problem for the government from the back bench.

Within the media the rumour mill keeps grinding on. Take this example from the Telegraph  column of Miranda Devine: Fierravanti-Wells is believed to be angling for the job of Foreign Minister, assuming Bishop is moved on, perhaps to become Governor-General , since General Peter Cosgrove’s term is up. Now I have no idea about the future of Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells but she was an assistant at the foreign ministry and her appointment might appease some of the right wingers in the NSW Liberal Party. But Julie Bishop to the big house at Yarralumla? That would involve a bit of controversy. Welcoming a new vice regal pair A Governor General, while appointed for an indefinite term,  is generally expected  to serve for five years subject to a possible short extension. His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) took office on 28 March 2014, so his five years will be up around about the time the Prime Minister calls an elect...

It seems mighty strange to the Owl that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was not at Saturday's annual conference of the Victorian Liberal Party. Federal parliamentary leaders normally give a major speech at such a gathering. This time it was Mr Turnbull's Liberal Party deputy Julie Bishop who did the honours. And, if the tweet by former Tony Abbott staffer Terry Barnes is true, Ms Bishop in 30 minutes managed to avoid mentioning the name of her boss. That's even stranger. Something is very much amiss in the Victorian Liberal ranks.

On Tuesday when our Foreign Minister Julie Bishop staged a jog around with her UK counterpart Boris Johnson, back in his Foreign Office they were grappling with the catalogue of abuse and harassment allegations at some of Britain’s biggest aid charities. Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, was setting a weeks-end deadline to submit reports on how they are protecting children and vulnerable people. Ms Mordaunt revealed she had set the deadline for almost 200 UK charities to disclose any safeguarding issues after aid charities admitted to a string of sexual misconduct claims.  “Given the concerns about the wider sector this case has raised, I have written to every UK charity working overseas that receives UK aid – 192 organisations – insisting that they spell out the steps they are taking to ensure their safeguarding policies are fully in place and confirm they have referred all concerns they have about specific cases and individuals to the relevant author...

Grattan on Friday: Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra What on earth was Julie Bishop thinking when she declared she’d support a “formal investigation” into this week’s damaging cabinet leak? Bishop was defending herself as the questions swirled about who might be the leaker, saying it wasn’t her. But to have one of the most senior ministers – she’s deputy Liberal leader too - talking about a probe into cabinet members just underlines the serious breakdown not just in the government’s discipline but in its common sense as well. The leaked story was by the Daily Telegraph’s Sharri Markson, reporting that a “despondent”: cabinet had discussed, in the context of the backbench revolt on banking, whether the government should capitulate and hold a royal commission. Treasurer Scott Morrison said no; Peter Dutton, one of the conservatives who has had Malcolm Turnbull’s back, was reported to be “opposed in principle” but open to the idea on pragmatic grounds. But Turnbull remai...

. @JulieBishopMP says ‘it’s not me’ in response to cabinet leaks saying she supports a formal investigation https://t.co/JdMUn3RGlc pic.twitter.com/aJOUpIzCqE — Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 23, 2017

They can be a graceless and cruel mob - those yobbos leaning over the fence and looking into the Flemington members' enclosure. Fancy catching sight of our Foreign Minister and yelling out "All hat and no policy." The Owl would have preferred to see the reaction of the German foreign minister if she had chosen to stay in Perth and the wear same outfit to welcome him to her home town and electorate for yesterday’s address by him and the PM at The Asia Pacific conference. But no sacrifice is too great for Ms Bishop when she is called on to represent her country in the birdcage for a more important international event. The Owl regrets that the rudeness of the racing riff-raff is shared by at least one of his correspondents who chose to caption a similar picture above with a description years ago by Ms Bishop of the former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Acting Prime Minister & no.1 ticketholder @JulieBishopMP tours @NewPerthStadium with CEO Trevor Nisbett & Chairman Russell Gibbs! pic.twitter.com/bab73fCnGQ — West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) October 31, 2017 Tony Abbott says SSM debate sparks new wave of conservative activism  - The Australian Tony Abbott has hailed the rise of a new conservative movement prepared to fight for Western culture and religious freedom as a ­result of the same-sex marriage campaign and warned Liberals the “activated” voters will wonder “who will represent them in the years ahead”. ... In a speech to be delivered in New York overnight to the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom group, Mr Abbott will say thousands of young people had sprung to defend marriage ­despite attracting “an instant ­social media storm and reputational death”. “Such robust characters, once activated, are unlikely to fade away; and could continue to make their presence felt (even after marriage ...

Julie Bishop. seemed so comfortable in her designer running gear as she jogged along the beach for her first photo op as acting Prime Minister. Little wonder that the press are asking this kind of question: Would Acting Prime Minister @JulieBishopMP like the gig permanently one day? #abc730 #auspol pic.twitter.com/g4rNiuP91M — abc730 (@abc730) October 30, 2017 And surely the current state of the government makes Sportsbet's $8 about her leading the Liberals at the next election a value proposition? And snap up the $1.70 about Malcolm Turnbull facing a Liberal Party Leadership ballot prior to the next Federal Election. In the meantime singalong with this:

The Owl warned her. Back in August we warned that Jacinda Ardern put Tora Tora Tora Julie Bishop on notice following poll surge in NZ election race.  "You're so Vain" we suggested as the appropriate political singalong. And now it has come to pass. Jacinda has the top job across the ditch and Julie will have to play please forgive me. The diplomats who were shocked at the strength of Tora Tora Tora' s outburst at the time, now claim "the bilateral relationship is strong and broad enough to bear the strain". Perhaps a chorus or two of this might make things easier.

The critics on the web are being quite harsh on Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Her defence for attending the AFL grand final at taxpayer expense - that it is an international event - has not convinced the great unwashed. The Owl thinks it is all very unfair. Cyndi Lauper explains all.

NZ LABOR NOW AHEAD ON LATEST POLL! BE AFRAID JULIE TORA TORA TORA YOU READ IT FIRST IN THE OWL! https://politicalowl.blogspot. com.au/2017/08/the-new- zealand-threat-brings- sleepless.html

Sleepless night ahead for Julie (Tora! Tora! Tora!) Bishop as "the unworkable" NZ Labour Party dramatically narrows gap in election race and pundits declare Jacinta Arden a very real chance after Sunday's charismatic party launch. Could be much kiwi Tutti frutti if Jacinta turns up in Canberra as PM of New Zealand! Talk about Star Wars....The Beginning...........which side will Barnaby choose?......to be continued.......

The corporate bookies don't seem to have a market yet on the weekend's major political event but the money at the Portsea Hotel tonight suggests Julie Bushop will be a no-show at the annual polo. The boys at the very upmarket hotel think the Foreign Minister will squib it after the flack this week about charging taxpayers for her appearance money last year. Most of the $1000 put on the bar supporting the "no appearance you Worship" case remained un-taken at closing time. From last year's official video record - having a happy time And there was a penetrating political interview Personally, the Owl reckons the locals have got it wrong. Ms Bishop likes a fashionable day out and is smart enough to have a proper formal meeting in Melbourne on Friday to legitimately cover the airfare from Perth. Stay at the residence of her regular escort and no need to claim any expenses for mixing with the rich and famous at the weekend. Nothing for those kill joy journal...

From this morning’s Sydney Daily Telegraph Once upon a time the hired help were meant to be the loyal ones.