Your Politics

Q&A’s empty chair tipped to get own show on ABC News 24

28 August 2010 | Joe Stella

Read more background from The Australian.

Constant Liberal depictions of Mr Arbib as one of Labor’s malevolent “faceless men” apparently left the prime minister with the impression that the senator wasn’t nearly faceless enough.

Mr Arbib today went to ground, meeting with fellow faceless ALP powerbrokers Karl Bitar, Charlie Townsend, Dr Claw, George Steinbrenner and Wilson from next door.

Ms Gillard told the media that “I have made it clear that this is not a time for campaign analysis.” This conflicts with the conventional wisdom that just after a campaign is the perfect time for campaign analysis.

In political circles it’s widely felt that giving Labor powerbrokers media coverage would be like watching someone make a sausage. Or at least watching someone cobble together 38 per cent of a sausage.

Arbib staffers are desperately trying to get confirmation on whether their boss can go ahead with a cameo appearance on Packed to the Rafters. In the episode, the Rafter family would be told that their sense of being “packed” would be reduced with a sustainable population target, although the family would not be told what that target was.

The ABC’s decision to leave Mr Arbib’s chair empty was a bold political act widely praised by commentators; although Q&A probably went too far by changing their theme music to Les Misérables classic Empty chairs at empty tables.

For its part, the empty chair was widely praised after performing “better than expected” on Q&A and is tipped to get its own show on ABC News 24.

Update

Chair2Chair with Empty Chair will air on ABC News 24, Wednesday nights at 9.30pm. Guests for the first show include Liberal Party director Brian Loughnane (not confirmed), defeated Labor MP Maxine McKew (pending availability) and gaffe-prone Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce (won’t return our calls).