From the Crikey grapevine, the latest tips and rumours …

No mugs for Tony, yet. As the first full sitting fortnight for new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ends, and one month into his prime ministership, you would think this would be enough time for the Australian Parliament House gift shop to stock up on some new merch for the new and former prime ministers. At the end of their tenure, prime ministers usually get their own commemorative mugs, and new prime ministers are added to the prime ministerial tea towels, as well as getting their own postcards and fridge magnets. Sadly it seems the APH gift shop is running a bit behind and has yet to offer any Tony Abbott mugs, or make any Turnbull memorabilia. We hear that they’re on their way, so Ms Tips is keeping her fingers crossed they might make it before the last three sitting weeks of Parliament this year.

The hottest collector’s item in parliament right now, the Philip Ruddock mug, was unfortunately relatively elusive this week, it is only available from his office, and Ruddock is currently overseas in Geneva.

Hockey pats self on the back. Former treasurer Joe Hockey mentioned in his final speech in Parliament on Wednesday that he would be writing a report card to his constituents on his way out the door. According to the letter, provided to Ms Tips from a self-described “lucky” constituent, Hockey lists his local achievements for North Sydney. These include:

  • saving for community use the old Platypus Submarine Base at Neutral Bay;
  • funding a PET scanner at Royal North Shore Hospital;
  • fighting to protect our local heritage; and
  • reducing the impact of aircraft noise.

Hockey said his first campaign was to tighten gun ownership laws, shortly after the Port Arthur massacre, and said he expected his successor would be as vocal in government as he had been:

“I would expect my successor to be, not only a good local member, but an effective voice in a government that serves the broader national interest.”

In the full report card on his website, Hockey lists his achievements in government, and in opposition, plus his work as the local member for North Sydney. Ms Tips couldn’t help but notice that Hockey still believes his “age of entitlement” speech in 2012 to be one of his best. It is certainly the one he will be remembered for. As the member for North Sydney, Hockey lists as one of his achievements a competition for local school students send him drawings to be used for his annual Christmas card.

He also says he remains a strong supporter of the return of the North Sydney Bears rugby league team as the Central Coast Bears.

Kevern meet Arnie. “I’ll be back,” proclaimed Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1984 flick The Terminator. Or was that Kevin Rudd after his 2010 knifing?

The former prime minister met Arnie at the Global Transformation Forum in Kuala Lumpur last night, posting this photo from their encounter on social media.

One prescient meme-maker saw their pair’s likeness back in 2013:

Political sequels. The meeting capped off a Hollywood-themed day in Australian politics, with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announcing sequels in the Thor and Alien series would be filmed in Australia. The studios and filming locations have not been confirmed.

“Sir Ridley Scott told me he knows the Fox Studios very well and knows New South Wales well, so we’re hoping for some good news there,” Bishop said.

When Bishop was brought on to talk about the sequels in question time yesterday, and mentioned Thor star Chris Hemsworth, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten leaned over to Turnbull and joked “the right Hemsworth”. For those not up to speed with Shorten’s zingers, it was an awkward throwback to when, shortly after becoming prime minister, Turnbull tweeted about meeting Hemsworth at the AFL grand final. The only problem was, his original tweet called Chris by his brother Liam’s name.

Labor’s member for Chifley Ed Husic also piped up during Bishop’s response to claim the next Alien vs Predator sequel could be called Abbott vs Turnbull.

Snakes and ladders. New Social Services Minister Christian Porter certainly got a workout in question time yesterday, answering around half a dozen questions from Labor on the government’s planned changes to family tax benefits. Exhausting work, and Labor’s Jenny Macklin got more than a few smiles in the house when, after Porter said Labor’s policy was “all snakes and no ladders”, she questioned what “snakes were in his package”.

Crikey spotted that between his answers during his marathon question time, Porter was being handed snake lollies for sustenance by Liberal MP Alan Tudge.

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