Everything explained

Tim Blair explains this “puzzling year in politics”.

Question: How has decades of affirmative-action feminism changed the notoriously sexist world of Labor politics?

Answer: A female Labor Prime Minister defends rich union leaders who are accused of spending members’ funds on prostitutes and Germaine Greer cracks jokes about Julia Gillard’s arse. For all the difference feminism has made to the left, Emily’s List may as well have been the name of a brothel.

Question: How many votes did Sarah Hanson-Young receive during Friday’s ballot for deputy leader of the Greens?

Answer: We don’t know, because the Greens – who spend most of the time demanding greater transparency in politics – keep these matters top secret. Judging by her sullen expression at the press conference afterwards, however, somewhere between zero and two.

Question: What is the least sincere-sounding Twitter message ever posted by any current Australian politician?

Answer: “Off to have dinner with Greens team to celebrate momentous day in politics and an exciting time ahead for our great party.” – Sarah Hanson-Young, April 13.

Question: Speaking of questions and answers, when is the only time that a Muslim isn’t welcome on the panel for the ABC’s Q & A program?

Answer: When professional atheist Richard Dawkins is booked to argue that God doesn’t exist, in which case he is put up against Catholic Cardinal George Pell.

Question: How many crimes have been solved on Midsomer Murders since still-uncompleted investigations began into the union scandal involving Labor MP Craig Thomson?

Answer: Assuming two solved crimes per episode, around 56.

Read on at Tim Blair’s blog