Worrying signs today that the veneer might be starting to crack.
The Greens let the cat out of the bag late last night: Rudd’s attempted swindle of the electorate with the Carbon Tax rename will be torpedoed by them when it gets to the Senate next July. So the tax will still be there in a year’s time, long after the election. The Australian is all full of reports and commentary with much glee, warning readers ‘we told you so’ and to see through the latest Kevin claptrap and not to be conned. Having already read the reports, our future Emperor fronts up to work, face all red and covered with dozens of self-inflicted shaving cuts, saying the people need more ‘human’ Kevvie, not tax cuts, and where are the cameras?

When the media arrives, smiling, puffy-faced Kevvie goes to town on the latest Greens’ treachery. He poses for photos with a group of Japanese students I shanghaied from the tourist gallery, promising them photos with the PM on their mobiles. He tries conversing with them a number of times with little response. They stand there, smiling politely enough, but none of them knows Mandarin. After the media finally departs and I let them all go they stare frantically into their phones looking desperately for the delete button.