Major blunder in White House Australia brief; is Oz ready?

Major blunder in White House Australia brief
By Annabel Crabb
Political Correspondent
October 4, 2003

Australia: The water's drinkable, the Prime Minister is John Major, Canberra's a bit boring but "the Aussies are looking forward to having Mr and Mrs Bush stay in their capital". This is what the White House is telling American journalists about their visit to Australia with "POTUS" - the President Of The United States.

In a briefing note issued to journalists travelling with the President, White House staff have given advice about how to spend 21 hours in Canberra, even though it might not have been the first choice of all aboard Air Force One.

"Some journalists have talked about dropping off here - probably before they knew it was Canberra and not Sydney," the briefing note acknowledges.

POTUS, who will be accompanied by FLOTUS (First Lady Of The United States), will be on a tight schedule of official visits and wreath-layings.

But the US media corps is being encouraged to take in a little capital culture. Like eating at the Hogsbreath Cafe - a US-style restaurant whose recommended dish is, according to the note, "Dog's Breath Corn Dogs". Or shopping for "uniquely Australian trinkets, from koala bears to boomerangs".

The briefing note includes, for those who still get Australia confused with Austria, a potted history of the US's antipodean coalition partner.

The rundown, however, gets off to a shaky start by identifying the Australian Prime Minister as "John Major". "In 1996, a Liberal/National Party coalition came to power under Prime Minister John Major after 13 years of ALP rule," it claims.

ACT Tourism Minister Ted Quinlan vowed yesterday to write a letter of complaint to US ambassador Tom Schieffer chiding him for the document, which points out that "not much is happening besides government in Canberra". "That just does show limited knowledge," Mr Quinlan said, also questioning the idea that the Hogsbreath Cafe represented the region's top cuisine.

On the upside, Washington journalists ground down by high crime levels in their home town were assured Canberra will be free of violence. "You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than getting mugged here," the briefing tells them.