Culturally sensitive. Mal Brough’s pressie Kevin Donellan didn’t really apologise to journos as he handed out notice late yesterday afternoon of a doorstop to announce the Tiwi Island housing agreement by saying “Sorry for the late notice. Blackfella’s timing” did he?

Heavy Kevvie’s media heavies. More on Rudd media management. His minders contacted Brisbane 4BC yesterday – the station just round the corner from his home and electorate office he won’t appear on – but couldn’t really explain why they haven’t been able to fix up an interview in the last eight months. Meanwhile, another talk radio producer tells us that Rudd’s people have told them to forget the phone calls. They’ll only take interview requests by email.

Full toss. Ross Fitzgerald asked in an op-ed in The Australian on Monday if Bill Heffernan’s attack on Julia Gillard was an expression of how John Howard really feels? The PM hit back with a strongly worded letter to the editor yesterday accusing the academic of verballing him. We think there may have been another reason for the PM’s response. He never seems to have forgiven Fitzgerald for referring to him as the Geoffrey Boycott of Australian politics – primarily concerned with staying at the crease, not with making runs.

Queensland’s salacious statesmen. Very odd yarns are circulating this week about two Liberal feds from Queensland. One favours male company, but has been all over the ladies of late. And there’s speculation on how a high-flying fed funds – and fuels – his, er, frenetic lifestyle.