FuschiaReads.

This is a slim magazine of the type that fascinate me despite my inability to understand more that the opening paragraph of the majority of articles. I suppose I must be a ‘big picture’ kind of girl.

“The government stages one annual bash with scientists, a black-tie dinner in Parliament House for the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes. In previous years John Howard delivered essentially the same speech – how he didn’t study science at school but, through his Science & Engineering Council came to realise the value of science and wanted its public esteem to be as high as sport…[Despite the federal election], departmental advisors [confirmed] that Howard would still be attending and speaking.

Six hundred people turned up, only to find that the great man was nowhere to be seen. The Prizes were promoted in the PM’s name, so where was he? Education & Science Minister Brendan Nelson sad he was “in Sydney”.

Howard materialised in the Harbour city at a rugby league awards dinner, where he posed for photographers alongside Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins…..”

Thank you to Pockleys Razor, who I am sure would have given me permission to reprint this article had he been asked. I am only disappointed that he chose to see Mr Howards choice of dinner venue as a cynical vote buying exercise. When has our PM ever been guilty of such a thing?