IF there’s a Wiggle or a Banana in Pyjamas to be photographed with, pollies are quick to be front and centre, with the “just one for the kids” line as staffers manned the iPhones at the annual “ABC Showcase” at Parliament House.

Meanwhile, ABC luminaries worked the room with Fran Kelly lining up Clive Palmer for the next day’s radio, Virginia Trioli catching up with former schoolmate Gai Brodtmann, Lee Kernaghan charming the girls from Dalby and Roma and Simon Pryce, aka the Red Wiggle, keen to say “hi” to his Aunty Jenny in Canberra via me.

Of course, the main game at this showcase is to reinforce how important the ABC is to all facets of broadcasting in Australia with a look back at the successes and forward to programming for the 2015 commemoration of the Gallipoli centenary. All guests left with the first episode of “ANZAC Girls” to watch. It’s based on the letters and diaries of five real Australian and NZ nurses in a six-part series from the Middle East then to Gallipoli and on to the Western Front.