Parliamentary integrity awards still up for grabs

The deadline for nominations for the Federal Parliamentary Integrity Awards sponsored by the Accountability Round Table has been extended to 20 April. A recent convivial exchange over a glass or two with a few friends saw some support for Minister Faulkner for the Button front bencher award and a mention for Deputy Prime Minister Gillard for talking up transparency in the education system and My School, and Parliamentary Secretary Bob McMullan, more a lifetime contribution, but no Opposition frontbenchers; and a wider field for the backbencher Missen including Melissa Parke, Mark Dreyfus and Senator Kate Lundy from the Government, Petro Georgio and Senators Russell Trood and Judith Troeth from the Opposition, Senators Bob Brown and Scott Ludlam from the Greens and independent Senator Nick Xenophon.