Labor offers VSU deal
Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has challenged Coalition members to support a compromise plan on the Government's voluntary student unionism (VSU) bill.
Mr Beazley says Labor will drop its demand that compulsory student unionism be retained but still wants an amenities fee paid to support student services.
Some federal Coalition MPs have suggested a similar plan, out of fear regional universities
could lose valuable sporting and other facilities if there is no compulsory fee for amenities.
Mr Beazley says he hopes Labor's new position will find favour with members of the Government.
"We've said on the part of the Labor Party, 'okay, we'll make a compromise, that part which deals with the politics which you hate, non-compulsory' but please the rest of it -
don't wreck student life," he told Sky News.
Labor's education spokeswoman, Jenny Macklin, says the Labor has decided to support VSU laws if students pay a services fee.

GUS: AS IF THE UNI FEES HAD NOT GONE THROUGH THE ROOF

From Joyce bets on upgrade smoothing Telstra sale
KIM BEAZLEY,OPPOSITION LEADER: When you brainwash the Nationals these days, all you need is a light rinse.

[pause for effect ... lose place ... carry on as if nothing happened]

On Brainwashing Kim should have attributed to the originator -
In 1968, when Michigan Gov. George Romney claimed that the Johnson administration had "brainwashed" him about Vietnam, Sen. Eugene McCarthy quipped that, in Romney's case, "a light rinse would have done." Romney, who was creating excitement in the Republican presidential nomination contest, quickly faded, clearing the way for Richard Nixon.

What is it about pomposity that gets the goat like no other perverse personality trait. For all the gormless fwits around him, at least John Howard can't be accused of being pompous. He may even admit, after a few choice reds, that his shit does, in fact, stink. But Costello, Nelson, Downer? Purer than the driven, whiter than white.

Kim should leave the banter and light relief to others, while he concentrates on the mock seriousness of full-dress rehearsals for table-top battles.

When it's all over, I can recommend Kim for a plum job. Governor-General. He has all the credentials, and he could suck the wind out of Bill Hayden's sails. Bill betrayed his lack of pomparsity, when he referred to 'the drover's dog'. The venerable Qld saying - all ribs and prick, like a drover's dog. Who could Bill have had in mind?

I have a feeling in the waters that Kim B is getting sick and tired of trying to keep up the pretense of dashing all over the land, getting down and dirty with the proletariat. Come on! Kim has been around for decades, in slightly different roles, but we all know who he is. He could stroll down the main drag on Heard Island, and he wouldn't need an introduction.

I think he is going to take it easy, sit back, watch the Libs and Nats implode, and wait for the media pack to come to him. On his terms, at his leisure ... on his porch. Kim is, after all, a pipe & slippers man, an easy-going patrician. It's time to start a new series, "On the porch with Kim". The beauty of this tag is that it comes with an instantaneous mental picture. We've all seen Kim reclining, in the faithful old cardy, faithful old dog at hand, faithful old seegar poking away at the points in the rebuttal.

The cameo has merit. The typical image of John Howard, beetling along a footpath, is making us weary. It must be about time to cash in on all the relaxation and comfort we've been promised. The main cue to Kim's new attitude is dripping out of his erstwhile opponent - Peter Costello. Now there's a relaxed attitude. The man is a skilled mass hypnotist. I hear the commercial channels forbid vision of Costello, 'cos the punters fall into coma and miss the ads. But this is clearly the new direction for the country, no doubt carefully chosen by focus groups and intensive research, and soon to be announced with another round of government advertisements. If Kim got up now, and started rushing about, he'd be left all puffed and sweaty, while Costello's barely-moving lips reassure us that more taxation is actually less.

I wonder if the AFL will ask Kim to toss the coin at Subiaco on Friday night? He would probably agree, if they let him drive his personal ASLAV out onto the turf.

From the ABC

Beazley expresses sympathy for the wrong Rove
Federal Labor Leader Kim Beazley has attempted to express sympathy for Rove McManus, ahead of today's funeral for his wife Belinda Emmett.

But Mr Beazley has mistakenly called him "Karl Rove", who is the deputy chief of staff in the Bush Administration.

Before he addressed a union conference today, Mr Beazley expressed his sympathy, but used the name of the controversial US politician instead of the Australian television host.

"Today our thoughts and the thoughts of many, many Australians will be with Karl Rove as he goes through the very sad process of burying his beloved wife," Mr Beazley said.

"And I just want him to know that my thoughts and the thoughts of my colleagues are very much with him today."

A spokesman for Mr Beazley says the Labor leader mis-spoke this morning.

------------------

Gus: Kimmy, kimmy, micky... gimmee... Early onset of senior moments... I've had these since I was five years old... but then I'm not trying to be what I cannot... or if I try to shoot above my station in public I make sure I learn the script verbatim with a prompt sheet in front of my eyes and I might still fluff it... So I am the greatest listener of crowd static and of small chit-chat... and I nod. Then I might ask as question... on world affairs. I want to know their opinion on George Bush... I do not have to spruik...
So, is it that time again when we need to replace a dithering Kimmy by someone with a sharper memory? Oh boy.... I first heard the "Karl Rove" stuff up on the midday news as the ABC played it straight... without a comment... and I thought is there any hope left for the whole world? Oh boy... see cartoon at the head of this line of blogs and note the date... We're in for the long long long delusion...