Prefab campaigns:
South Australia is the next state to go to an election, and new Liberal
state director John Burston is causing a stir with his campaign kits.
Electorate committees have a choice of two: a $45,000 deluxe model or
the $25,000 value pack. Candidates have to decide which one to buy –
and where to get the money from. The trouble is they don’t yet know
what they’re going to contain. Factor in Burston’s no-nonsense style
and you’ve got a lot of blue-rinsers seeing red.

Labour saviours:
Recognising that simply bagging the incumbent isn’t enough, Democrats
are striving for unity and offering some genuinely new thinking. Too
radical a platform? It did wonders for a little-known pol named Clinton
13 years, and his successors at the Democratic Leadership Council have been discussing how they can stage a repeat performance at their meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Federal Labor, take note.

Doing the rounds: The Crikey Consulting Room is open for business and
Christian Kerr is doing the rounds, exploring some of the more curious parts of
the body politic. And talking about doing the rounds, this query has already
come in: “Has the prime minister been on his last holiday? Is he doing the
rounds, like we do when we’re about to retire?”

We suspect he’s had too much fun – but more tomorrow.
You can send your questions to consultingroom@crikey.com.au.