From the Crikey grapevine, the latest tips and rumours …

Never say never. That’s what an aspiring candidate might say before being preselected, right? We reported earlier this week on whispers connecting ex-Richmond footballer Joel Bowden to a political career up in the Northern Territory, and now Bowden has given us a (non) answer. A Crikey tipster told us Bowden was setting himself up to challenge Warren Snowdon for the NT seat of Lingiari. Bowden has recently resigned from his high-profile AFL job in the NT, and is now an acting director in the Sports and Recreation department of the current Labor government. When Crikey asked Bowden, he said “never say never” to a career in politics.

“Right now I’m concentrating on this new role.” Watch this space.

Where’s Ian? The  Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee’s report into Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s hardline citizenship changes made news this week because it recommended against the difficult English test Dutton wanted to impose on prospective Australians, and that the government institute transition arrangements before introducing the new program. The committee is chaired by LNP Senator Ian Macdonald, and some lines in the report sound best when imagined exactly in Macdonald’s voice, including these ones.

One submissions expressing issues with the idea of a pledge of allegiance, a little dig at citizens’ “civic literacy”:

“The committee makes no comment on most of these submissions, but is not persuaded that the Government’s proposal is wrong. The committee does, however, agree with the view provided at dot point two that the civic literacy of many existing Australian citizens could do with some improvement.”

And these digs at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (which we know is in the bad books with Dutton):

“The Committee however supports the Government’s view that Ministers are ultimately responsible to the Australian people whereas both the AAT and the AHRC are accountable to no one.”

“AAT members are not ‘judiciary’ and may not necessarily have any better learning, appreciation or ability to make a decision than the Minister and are generally accountable to no one on the merits or otherwise.”

The report included dissenting reports from Labor, the Greens and Nick Xenophon Team Senator Stirling Griff has said the party is unlikely to vote for the changes.

Rod Culleton launches legal attack. It’s been a while (thank goodness) since we have heard from former senator (and still “Senator in exile” in his mind, and on Facebook) Rod Culleton, but now he’s back, this time trying to make a private prosecution against Attorney-General George Brandis, accusing him of perverting the course of justice. Outside court in Canberra yesterday, he was quizzed on the difficulty of the case, and had this to say:

“Well it’s hard to become a senator too, and I got there.”

“It’s certainly something that I’m very comfortable with. I’ve looked at all my Senate manuals, I was in the High Court of Parliament for a period of time and I’ve really had a look at what the law is really about, and it’s not overly complex. It’s just a matter of finding an avenue and sticking to it and having right on your side, which is all on Hansard, and I’ll run the case beautifully.”

Case closed then, we guess.

Revolving door. It seems our concerns for the government’s view of Infrastructure secretary Mike Mrdak were unfounded: in yesterday’s round of secretarial movements announced by the Prime Minister, Mrdak was moved to Communications, and given a five-year appointment (as were other appointees — a welcome change from the Abbott-era tendency to hand out three-year appointments). But we’re still wondering about Mrdak’s recent spray at PM&C and the PMO, which elevated Mrdak to legend status among bureaucrats outside the central agencies and which normally might have presaged a departure from the APS — especially after Turnbull announced PM&C deputy secretary Steven Kennedy would replace Mrdak at Infrastructure. Kennedy, though, has had plenty of experience in line departments as well. But while Mrdak led Infrastructure for eight years, his new department has had a revolving door: his replacement of Heather Smith means he’ll be the third secretary since Turnbull became prime minister and took Drew Clarke with him to the PMO, in addition to a long acting stint for portfolio veteran Nerida O’Loughlin at the end of 2015. At least the incoming secretary brief can just be updated rather than done afresh.

Accidental fake news. The Guardian was prepared for the High Court decision yesterday! So very prepared in fact its editors accidentally hit send on a little too early. A Crikey tipster snapped the blog before the site adjusted to reality. Better luck next time, blogsters.

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