The Secret Diary of Kevin Rudd

I have to admit that I’m really enjoying the new look Coalition. Gone are the days of absolute control from the leader’s office, they appear to have developed a more relaxed, individualist style where everyone simply does what they like. It seems that they don’t even bother to tell The Nightwatchman when they’re going overseas, let alone taking in 18 holes at Royal Canberra or lunch at Manuka. The absences of Messrs Downer, Vaile and Tuckey have been like a gold mine for us, the tabloids are lapping it up.

I also think I’m getting the hang of how media management works when you’re PM. Essentially you get your press secretary to hand out ’story ideas’ in the non-members bar and the hacks type them up for you. What’s even better is that unlike when you’re in opposition they don’t go asking the other side for comment, undermining whatever point you’re trying to convey. I know that we all like to talk about the importance of independent media, but trust me when I tell you that lazy, compliant journos are starting to climb in my estimation.

I spoke to Bradley, my ASIO liaison, about whether we could organise for Mark Vaile to be ‘accidently’ picked up by the CIA while he was in the middle east, but apparently it’s not the done thing at the moment. Pity.