Australian politics reached a new point last week when the handbag hit squad and the reverse handbag hit squad slugged it out in 30 frenetic minutes before parliamentary question time. If you missed the encounter - and it was easy to miss given everything hurtles through the national affairs universe with the force of water from a fire hose - let's recap.

What is the greater danger to society? Is it the penises of some priests or the placards of some protesters?

Australian government officials were deeply involved in a $150 million shipbuilding deal between defence contractor Tenix and the Philippines that federal police are investigating for alleged bribery, declassified diplomatic cables reveal.

From the ABC religious unit...

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The truth can finally be told: Gina Rinehart is a double agent, presenting a parody of a billionaire in order to advance her socialist aims. We all know about the overbearing father and his florid third marriage. What daughter would not detest all he stood for?

Day after day, week after week, month after month, Tony Abbott's opening words in parliamentary question time were almost always the same. It was almost invariably a question to put Julia Gillard on the spot on the carbon tax.

In Australia there are no strong inhibitions or serious sanctions that would prevent media organisations publishing pictures of Duchess Kate's bosoms or cartoons of a nude Muhammad. Yet no one has.

Politicians, journalists and bankers are the least trusted people in a survey of professions compiled by consumer group Which?

Only seven per cent of those surveyed said they trusted politicians and journalists, while just 11 per cent trusted bankers and estate agents.

A political slanging match has broken out over the traditionally politically neutral subject of Australian victims of terrorism.