Sir Roger was this evening viewing through the magic glass the moving story of a kind-hearted thief named Robin Hood [ABC2].

And in that story there was mention made of a dashing, nay, swashbuckling hero named Alan A’Dale.

And Sir Roger’s thoughts turned to barely remembered ballads bruited about by troubadours in the mists of earlier, more innocent days; tales of just such a hero, also named Alan A’Dale.

But strangely, as the strains of the ancient ballad flooded back into Sir Roger’s mind it was borne in upon him that the telling of the tale was oddly reminiscent of events earlier this very day.

And so we are left wondering “what is the tale of Alan A’Dale?” in much the same way that we are left wondering, always, “what are the answers to the questions the journalists ask The Ranga and The Monk?” Today Julia “answered” a question put to her by Karen Middleton:

KM: The last election they voted a Labor government in but it was Kevin Rudd at the helm. You’ve taken his job from him. What do you say to those people who are still unhappy with the way you got the job?

JG: Well, Australians will weigh up factors in their own mind about who they’re going to vote for. What I’d say to Australians as they weigh the decision over the election campaign is that I’m all about the nation, going forward with confidence and optimism to the future. I, you know, absolutely believe with every fibre of my being that the best days of this country are in front of it, not behind it. We can do that together, that better future, shape it and deliver it and that’s what I’ll be talking to Australians about.

KM: …What undertakings did you have to give to the members of the right faction, on policy, to get their backing?

JG: The only undertakings I’m going to give are to the Australian people and the only thing that drives me as I shape policy is what I believe is in the interests of this nation and in going forward. So, you know, the only thing that’s driving me is that and that’s taking me into areas of discussion with the Australian people that I believe they want to have a discussion about: having a sustainable Australia, not a big Australia; making sure that we’ve got good quality services, particularly great schools for our kids; and making sure we’ve got a strong economy, people can get the benefits of work, the dignity of work; making sure our budget’s going back to surplus; they’re the policies and plans I’ll be putting forward.

If you see what Sir Roger means. It’s as informative as the tale of Alan A’Dale. It’s not an answer, at last not to the question she was asked. As always. Always with politicians. (As one said in Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd and the Red Cordial, “here’s an answer I prepared earlier”.)

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