Crikey readers will recall the controversy last year involving National leader Lawrence Springborg’s mailout to Liberal Party rank and file members in support of his Pineapple Party – and the privacy concerns about where he got the list. The matter, we understand, has been carefully examined and placed in the Too Hard basket.

Meanwhile, a rumour appears about discussions between Senator George Brandis and the Nats leader in the Upper House, Ron Boswell, where Brandis supposedly offered a joint Senate ticket next time round if Boz joined the push against the Pineapple Party. Oddly enough, the person likely to be most affected by this would have been that other prominent Queensland Liberal Senate figure, Santo Santoro. Curious timing.