The return to domestic issues after weeks of CHOGMs, APECs, G20s and assorted other acronyms brought Julia Gillard back to the field a little, while the last minute deals before the passage of the mining tax pushed the Lower House independents and Adam Bandt well up the list, with Wilkie, Windsor and Oakeshott eventually being rounded up, this time on a tax that probably has significant majority support in their own electorates.

Brown and Bandt got their pound of flesh with their own as yet unexplained last minute deal while also conveniently distancing themselves from the miner-loving Andrew Wilkie. There’s no doubt the Greens think they’re a chance in Denison.

Over in South Australia new Premier Jay Weatherill is facing a couple of serious challenges. His State might lose its AAA credit rating and one of his ministers has been accused of travel rorts.

Julia Gillard took a rare spotlight with online chatter and talkback discussions over the week about the Obama visit and mining tax, some tweeters obviously experiencing Abbott-bashing fatigue. Lucky a certain aviation organisation stepped up to fill the void.

The 18 year old made one of the finest Test debuts ever and single-handedly saved a hurting Australian team from a series whitewash. At last we have a fair dinkum frontline bowler? Far too early to say, but hopefully the force is strong in this one.