Brown's appearance on GNW tonight was pretty sickly hey. He was supposed to be having a bit of fun and showing some personality, but instead he chose use the opportunity to sprout politics.
He sure looked out of place.
I think Ted Robinson is a longtime supporter of Brown and is well aware of his present problems. I suspect it was a bit of a boost his public profile, make him seem like a nice guy gift to try and help Brown raise the money.
Re Browns performance, Good News Week had Stot Despoja on the old show and she just took to it like a duck to water. GNW has since tried to find other politicians who can replicate the chord Despoja struck and as such has had on Amanda Vanstone, Tim Fischer, Bronwyn Bishop, Kate Ellis and Julie Bishop, none of whom really pulled it off(JB was ok, she danced which was funny). But aside from NSJ none of them have ever really been able to create the impression they aren't just using the show for entirely political purposes.
Re Rudd getting turfed, if such a thing did happen the GG would just commision Gillard to form a government (yikes) and issue the writs for a by election in Griffith.
Personally I will be very dissapointed if Brown goes, for the duration of the Howard government he was the leading voice for better treatment of refugees and asylum seekers which was the issue that first got me interested in politics . The greens were the only party that insisted that compensation be a component of the apology to the stolen generation. Was also the first openly gay politician in Australia and I dout either party would have so readilly endorsed gay candidates if the Greens had not allready done so. When approached by Peter Costello about GST votes in the senate he replied "um, no" and that was the end of it.
Seems a pretty extraordinary thing that a may voted into his seat by his state will be forced out of parliament because of his state of finances.