O.J.SIMPSON CHASE TO GOVERNOR -GENERAL'S MENAGERIE POINTS TO WORRYING TURKEY SHOOT OUT

Queen's sporting  man  on  the  run  in  chariot  without  gongs,  tie and  mansion trained  pet Timor pony from  Dili  .

There were  ominous signs for the Turnbull Government  on the day before   the   dissolution  of both Houses  and the eight week  long election campaign .  Treasurer  Scott  Morrison early in the day seemed to lose   the plot  on the  ABC  TV  Insiders  when asked  if  he  felt he should apologise after  the Immigration  Department  had  offered secret compensation to 10 Save the Children workers  ordered off  Nauru , and offensive  claims made against them  proven  to be false.
 

Morrison tried to talk over weathered  presenter  Barrie  Cassidy  about the episode , denied  statements he  had allegedly made , and  slipped  into a robotic  stick  to the  message election spiel  attacking  Opposition Leader  Bill Shorten  and  the ALP  policies.

A memorable   part   of  the  media coverage of  the  Canberra  drama were  the  extensive shots  from  helicopters  of   the  vehicle chase  from  Fairburn  at the  Canberra Airport  to The Lodge and  Yarralumla , the Governor-General's  residence, through bleak autumnal  weather in the capital .

The  ABC  TV coverage  eased  the tension when it announced that the  Governor-General's plane   had  just arrived  from  Sydney - and out stepped Malcolm  Turnbull  and  entourage , including  Artie  Sinodinos who no doubt remembered  his mother-in-law on Mothers' Day.

 Sir  Peter  Cosgrove actually  arrived  on  another  VIP  flight from Sydney,   picked up  and loaded  his  own  luggage  into  the boot of his  limo, the royal   standard fluttering ,  and  waved  as   he   approached  the guarded  front  gate  of Yarralumla where  a woman under an umbrella  held a  sign that invoked the royal we to   declare    the  PM's party  would  be rained on or  rooned , said  Hanrahan .  

 

Looking forward  to a cuppa , scones and  a Kit Kat, Deputy PM  Barnaby Joyce , on the media  Wombat Trail,  gave an  interview  before  jumping on another  VIP   plane  to  fly  to  Canberra  and  join  in  the chase .  

PM's car after close encounter with scrub turkey .

As  the  nation waited breathlessly  for the PM to emerge   from the vice - regal   pile, orange  footed scrub  turkeys, agile and nimble critters , were seen  running across the  manicured lawns . A brace of  twitchy  peewees was  also spotted flitting about , unconcerned   that  history was  being  made on  their patch .  
 

The knight , now  apparently wearing a bag of  fruit , ushered   the  PM out the door and  gave   another  hearty wave ,  possibly to chase  those accursed  turkeys away  because  they  dig  up   the  garden and will ruin the tulips  display .
 

As  the  PM's bullet proof  BMW  emerged  from Yarralumla ,  reporters  remarked   the  visit  had  been  SHORT AND SWEET .  Repeat this phrase  quickly  three times  , and you get  the worrying subliminal message for the    Coalition : SHORTEN SWEET.

In fact  it  took  just  18 minutes before the PM  was off the premises and on the road again . No  doubt , if  thirsty  Sir John Kerr had been in residence  he would have insisted  the PM  linger  longer  over a bottle  or two  of  John Barleycorn  to   warm  the cockles of  his heart before  venturing out into  the bleak weather  to face the  media reptiles.

In  the resumed  car chase,  Turnbull  was driven back to parliament house  where he later delivered  an  animated  , familiar speech in the Blue Room, at  the end of  which he  took  a small number of  questions, the large media party clearly wanting to  ask  a  lot more ,  and  headed for the exit door, to pack his kitbag for  Queensland  to  pose  with  a  seedless watermelon .

Minus  his Akubra  and appearing  a bit  flustered , obviously in need of another  Kit Kat hit ,  Barnaby Joyce, accompanied by his whisperer , Fiona  Nash ,  delivered a  rambling speech  in the Blue Room along similar  lines , making  what seemed to be a claim that he/ the Nationals  / the Coalition , take your pick , were not "completely scripted" and advice  to go West young man ,   then  announced  he would allow  two  questions ,  and  bolted for the bush  to  join  the election  fight. 

Talking turkey,  a  prominent  political reporter was heard  comment on television  that  the Turnbull  Government had  been   flat  footed  all  year. If this kind  of  attitude persists, there  could  be many dead ducks in conservative  ponds  at  the  end  of  the  marathon.