Knock,knock,knockin’ on Albo’s door

Fresh from their “how to win friends and demand more staff” PR campaign,the newly elected Teal MPs arrived in Canberra on Tuesday for a couple of days of politician school.

Aside from setting up their offices,learning a bit about how the Parliament works and discovering the resources available to them (don’t mention the Parliamentary Library!) they also got a tour of the sprawling 250,000 square metre building-inside-a-hill.

One of our Labor spies reports that,during the tour,newbies were taken past the ministerial wing – with a helpful attendant pointing out some of the suites off the blue carpet.

“Which one is the door to the PM’s office?” one of the indies immediately asked. Something for Albo to look forward to when he returns from Europe.

Guardianistas’ swish birthday bash

It’s been nine years and one month since the venerableManchester Guardian came to our shores with its local versionGuardian Australia(at the request ofMalcolm Turnbull no less!) and the site’s hierarchy have decided a slightly belated celebration is in order.

In its first near-decade the masthead has attracted some serious names in journalism,but acquired a reputation in media circles for a reluctance to pay big money – a select few star employees excepted.

So we were a little surprised to learn that the bosses are flying the entire non-Sydney-based staff to the harbour city on Friday night – accommodation included – for a soiree at the Harbour View Hotel in The Rocks,where editor-in-chiefLenore Taylor and managing director Dan Stinton are expected to hold court.

Such generosity is not unprecedented – staff from far-flung bureaux have been flown into Sydney for Christmas parties in the past – but editorial numbers now exceed 120,many of them based in growing offices in Melbourne,Canberra and Brisbane,so this exercise won’t be cheap.

It’s unclear if contributors made the guest list,so we don’t know ifGuardian medical columnistRanjana Srivastava will be there on the night.

The oncologist and Fulbright scholar may be too busy with her nascent political career,which has begun with a tilt at preselection for the Victorian Liberals on their upper house ticket for November’s state election,where she’s up against former Morrison government starGladys Liu.

If Srivastava is successful,The Guardian’s editorial brains may have to decide if having a regular columnist for their left-leaning outlet who is also running for Victorian Opposition LeaderMatthew Guy’s outfit,which skews a fair way in the opposite direction,might be a little ... off-brand.

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