Howard’s $8m doesn’t stop Dogs’ Gillard embrace. How does Julia Gillard get such a welcoming run out of the Western Bulldogs when it was only two elections ago that John Howard announced an $8 million grant for the club to redevelop its spiritual home? Indeed, the club’s official history records the commitment as follows:

September 2004 — During Grand Final week the Western Bulldogs pull off one of the most exhilarating coups in the Club’s history, with Prime Minister John Howard visiting the Whitten Oval to announce that his Liberal Government will be spearheading a $19.5 million redevelopment of the Whitten Oval.

Heaven forbid, the Doggies even wheeled out that Liberal stooge Godwin Grech to lobby Victorian gaming regulators over its controversial new Club Edgewater pokies palace near the Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs. As this Herald Sun article indicates, the Bulldogs director fronting the pokies push was none other than the controversial former federal Labor MP for Burke, Neil O’Keefe.

O’Keefe departed the board last year but was replaced by another Labor luminary in Geoff Walsh — the former Kawke and Keating staffer who went on to become national secretary before landing a big package as head of government affairs at BHP-Billiton. BHP-Billiton is obviously very relieved that Gillard caved in on the resources super profits tax, so when it came to the question of whether the club’s board should give Gillard open slather for wonderful picture opportunities in the middle of a federal election campaign, it would be interesting to know what position Geoff Walsh took. Then again, Tony Abbott is planning to scrap the tax altogether so Walsh should be cheering on the Coalition.

With former ACTU secretary Bill Kelty on the AFL Commission since 1998 and CEO Andrew Demetriou rising up through the players union, is it any wonder the Coalition regard the AFL and its constituent clubs as hostile territory — even after they’ve been deluged with cash like the Bulldogs were with John Howard? — Stephen Mayne (who is running for a Victorian Senate seat on an anti-pokies platform)

Why did they put Belinda First? I live in the electorate of McEwen and am chuckling out loud at the news Family First has selected Nillumbik councillor Belinda Clarkson for the seat. Did FF do any simple background checks on their candidate beforehand? Clarkson is currently facing three investigations over her conduct as a councillor and had a similarly divisive and belligerent approach during her previous term on council.

And the argument that Clarkson is standing to promote her pet topic — bush fires — doesn’t stack up. The fires aftermath is overwhelmingly a local and state issue — surely both FF and Clarkson would have been better served by running in Yan Yean in the state election. This surely reflects poorly on Family First — what sort of probity checking are they actually doing on their candidates? — Crikey reader Tony Adams

The view from my electorate: Riverina. While Crikey reckons the Nationals will keep the Riverina, it will be interesting to see what effect the retirement of long-standing National Kay Hull has. The Liberals must think they have a chance as I’ve had three communications, including two addressed letters from candidate Andrew Negline, so far.

The Nationals have sourced a strong candidate in Michael McCormack, former editor of Wagga’s Daily Advertiser newspaper, while Labor’s Robyn Hakelis has run afoul of the ‘born and bred’ cliches in the local media because she’s only lived in the region for a few years. Vocal One Nation candidate Craig Hesketh is running again, while the Greens have a new face in David Fletcher. There’s also Tim Quilty of the Liberal Democratic Party, Sylvia Mulholland of the Christian Democratic Party and independent Matthew Hogg, who’s been doing a lot of work to raise his profile. A late addition is Rhonda Lever representing Family First from her home in Sydney. It’s been reported that she’s a reluctant candidate who agreed to run as long as she did not have to campaign, answer questions or participate in any way. Still, it probably will go to the Nationals again though as they have enjoyed a huge majority of votes in previous years.

A key election issue here is the release of the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) plan, which has been tipped to include cuts to irrigated farms. With the region contributing 38% of NSW’s vegetable production, with a lot of this exported, the trade off for environmental flows will be felt by consumers and in reduced exports. The Australian Farm Institute says every Griffith farmer feeds 150 Australians and 450 foreigners each year. The MDBA have pushed back the release of their plan and this has been widely viewed as way of avoiding water becoming an election issue. While the MDBA protest that they’re working to produce a “plain English” version of the plan, it would seem the delay fits with Labor’s approach of deferring discussion about climate change. — Crikey reader and Riverina resident Jason Richardson

Got any unique insights into your electorate? Send your take to boss@crikey.com.au.