Reading—A beer with Baz Bazza folded his newspaper and took a moment to observe Mick, as he swaggered to the bar table. The light accentuated the dints in his shiny bald head and he exchanged a minimal nod for the odd ‘G’day there, Mick.’ Mick slid a full schooner across to Bazza and folded his arms. He took a moment to scan the bar, pulled on his cauliflower ear, raised a single eye and finally took a sip. He nodded acknowledgment to Bazza. They sipped their beers in silence. Bazza mo(oned to speak but opted to rub his chin. Mick let out a single sigh and looked beyond Bazza. The silence con(nued. Bazza shiZed on his bar stool. “Well…….ah…. Mick…. The pollies are back in Canberra. It all seems to have a bit of a different…….” Mick squeezed his eyes. “Yeah….. I saw the opening of parliament on Tuesday, Bazza. It’s a bloody love in.” Another extended silence and sips of schooners. “I wouldn’t go that far, Mick……I mean….” Mick cut Bazza off with a grunt. “Parliament has become a chick flick, Bazza. A bloody rom-com. All this touchy-feely and compassion is making me sick. We’ve got a new Treasurer oozing sincerity and empathy while it costs me well over a hundred dollars to fill up the car with petrol. It will all end in tears.” Mick’s forehead glistened. “Hang on, Mick…….you can’t……” Mick slapped the table. “No Bazza, you just wait and see……..it will be Kumbayah with the Greens and before long every minority group in the country will be out of the woodwork demanding aDen(on.” “Well…..nothing wrong with a bit of consulta(on, Mick. I reckon…..” Mick had one eye closed and his Cyclops stare silenced Bazza. “Before you know it, Bazza, there will be commiDees all over the place, inquiries and green papers. They will go for cabinet mee(ngs in regional centres, listening tours and the like. They will throw a ton of money at the arts community and that bloody ABC. Poli(cal correctness will run rampant and the ‘do good beagle weekly : Vol 270 July 29th 2022
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