A nod from Michelle and cover girl of the
Financial Review Magazine all in one day. It’s a good way to round off a big
week for Education Minister Julie Bishop.

Michelle Grattan lists her as a contender
for the deputy leadership in The Age today:

The Treasurer’s supporters are heartened by
their recent assessment that the Prime Minister may depart later this year.

Some in the camp are starting to canvass
the deputyship under Mr Costello, floating the possibility of someone beyond
the usual field of Alexander Downer, Brendan Nelson and Tony Abbott — namely
Mal Brough or Julie Bishop. Mr Costello has been supportive of Mr Brough, who
is Indigenous Affairs Minister, in his tough line against Aboriginal violence.

Other members of Camp Costello are
just as keen on Bishop – and, with an eye on Julia Gillard, see symbolic value
in having a woman in the role.

At the same time, she’s in the same paper
in a much more nuts and bolts – and even more controversial – role, as the
Minister overseeing a report commissioned by the Australian Nuclear Science and
Technology Organisation that finds significant health risks associated
with coal energy production but minimal risks with nuclear power .

But back to the deputy leadership. Crikey’s
been saying to keep an eye on Bishop for a long, long time. And obviously she
wants you to, as well.

She’s the Fin‘s cover girl today, and the
subject of a lengthy profile in The Financial Review Magazine. A profile that’s
obviously been in the can for a while.

It also talks up her claim to the deputy’s
job – then goes in a curious bit about her Budget triumphs that begins “And
despite her ability to win extra dollars for xxs in the budget … (to’ come May
10) XXXXXXX…”

Yup. All in the can before May 9, Budget
Day. There’s a lengthy straightening out of it all on page two of the paper
proper – but maybe not as long as the list of Budget triumphs journalist
Jennifer Hewett was told to leave space for.
Bishop has the ability to go places. The
slip in the Fin Review Magazine is a dead give away that she has the willpower
and is working hard to make it happen. Now, like all ambitious pols, she’s had
a reminder of just what can go wrong along the way.