Will He, Won't He, Will He Join the Dance? (January 20, 2006)

    We thought we'd better report this today because it may hold no interest by Monday.

The Canberra gossips are reporting the Prime Minister, John Howard, will announce a major cabinet reshuffle next week which will involve, among others, He who is much loved and revered, not to say must be obeyed by academics and researchers, Minister for Education, Science and Training, Brendan Nelson.

If you read The Australian "Nelson, who like Abbott is energetic, driven and prepared to philosophise about his portfolio, could go from Education to Health," while The Age suggests, "Education Minister Brendan Nelson is a potential candidate for Senator Minchin's finance portfolio."

Neither paper is prepared to prophesise who is going to inherit the shambles perpetrated by Dr Nelson.