Howard's flying visit

By Laurie O'Gratten, Canberra Bureau Chief

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday made a top-secret flying visit to the Woomera detention centre to thank security staff.
Mr Howard was greeted with cheers when he made his surprise appearance in the detention centre's canteen. In a strictly controlled operation, Mr Howard last night slipped away unnoticed from his official Canberra residence The Lodge in an unmarked car and boarded his official jet Air Force One Nation at the RAAF's Fairbairn Air Base for the three-hour flight to Woomera.
The plane flew without lights for the entire trip and also used a different call sign to prevent its identification by human-rights protesters camped outside the detention centre.
News of the visit was only released once Mr Howard's plane had left the Woomera airfield. The Prime Minister was greeted with polite applause from detention centre staff before posing for photographs and helping serve meals.
Several staff members said they were disappointed at Mr Howard's visit after being ordered to assemble in the canteen to greet a "very important visitor".
"I was expecting Russell Crowe," one said.

New project for Christo

Controversial Bulgarian artist Christo, best known for wrapping large-scale objects such as the historic Pont Neuf in Paris, Little Bay south of Sydney and the German Reichstag in Berlin has been commissioned to undertake the world's biggest public art project.
The Israeli government has engaged Christo to wrap its neighbouring nations of Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. Announcing the project, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Christo would be given an unlimited budget to complete the work.
Mr Sharon said instead of the plastic sheeting Christo had employed in his previous works, the 68-year-old artist had been asked to use a combination of concrete blocks, steel fencing, and razor wire.

Doctor seeks stolen pics

A world-renowned behavioural psychologist who helps people overcome sex addiction problems has appealed to the thief who broke into his Brisbane clinic last night to return his priceless lithographic drawings depicting John and Jeanette Howard in a nude embrace.

Fiery finale for ferret

A million-dollar promotional campaign for Brisbane has come to an abrupt end following the shooting death of its star who was mistaken for fugitive Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The Ferret - recruited by promotional body Brisbane Marketing to appear in TV and press advertisements - was shot dead by a wildlife ranger yesterday in front of horrified fans during a personal appearance at South Bank Parklands.

Man charged over video

A Brisbane man has been charged with various offences after being found earlier this month with a video camera in the hotel bedroom wardrobe of visiting US celebrity Paris Hilton.
In the Sydney Magistrates Court, Morrison Edison Barnum Bezzle, 47, of Alan Bond Drive, Skaseville, pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, invasion of privacy, and making an unauthorised recording. He was remanded in custody until a committal hearing on December 18.

Crean sunk by sex poll

A secret Labor Party poll on the sex appeal of Simon Crean played a key role in his demise as Opposition leader, according to a senior Opposition MP.
The MP said when voters were asked who they would prefer to see in a pirated video having sex with the American model and heiress, voters put Beazley ahead of Crean by a significant margin.
The MP said voters were asked which video would make them less disgusted - one showing Crean and Hilton having sex, or one featuring Beazley and the American party girl.
"Far fewer people were nauseated by the idea of Beazley and Hilton copulating," the MP said.
"They couldn't stomach the idea of her and Crean hard at it.
"Unfortunately, the poll didn't ask voters for their reaction to Mark Latham and Paris bumping uglies."