WILY, old political fox Bob Brown was back in Canberra doing what he does best – protesting.

The 73-year-old father of the Australian Greens rallied a small number of troops and charmed the surprisingly large media pack outside the Japanese embassy.

Dr Brown’s undeniable credibility sharply contrasted the confected outrage of high-profile, contemporary Greens – the hyphenated senators, Hanson-Young and Whish-Wilson, who were also protesting.

The Greens were outside the embassy objecting to its government’s move to overturn an International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on whaling. And while Dr Bob doesn’t pull the crowds or stunts he once did, no chances were being taken. Five uniformed AFP officers lurked discreetly nearby as two plain-clothes officers liaised with Japanese security operatives through the bars of the embassy’s high security fence.

THE power and influence of R U OK?’s annual day cannot be overstated. It was again highlighted on its 10th staging of the national day of action with local radio journalist David Sharaz opening up on his long battle with depression, anxiety and self loathing.

The 27-year-old Sharaz told reporter Megan Doherty that he reached his lowest point six years ago.

“I decided there was a solution: I’d have one last night with my friends and quietly disappear. I downed an entire bottle of cheap scotch and went for a walk.”

Six years ago I was a colleague of David Sharaz but, to my shame, unaware of the extent of his battle. Without R U OK?Day I would most likely remain ignorant to the struggles of those around me.

SEEMS the world just can’t get enough of our national animal. A month after a video of a mob of ‘roos bounding through Canberra streets went viral, a short story by Canberra freelance writer Peter Papathanasiou has hopped on to the digital pages of the “New York Times”. The 44-year-old, Greek-born and Canberra-raised Papathanasiou wrote about ‘roos coming down from the bush behind his Hackett home to graze on his lawn.

The  story, “Not in My Backyard”, featured on the paper’s “Australian Diary”, which heads the story: “The politics of Canberra, Australia’s capital, are a mess. But beyond Parliament, there are other natural urges and animal instincts that need managing”. The father of two has won or been shortlisted for more than 20 literary awards in Australia with his debut novel “The Stoning” making the top 19 in the Richell Prize for emerging writers.

THE Press Gallery’s charity “Midwinter Ball” may have lacked a whip-cracking entrance by an Akubra-wearing National MP, but it did showcase the fine fashions preferred by of our political women. Chloe Shorten’s periwinkle blue ball gown and Peta Credlin’s stunning black number with a deep-plunging V, made the podium but it was Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek who won the night. One red-carpet loiterer reported the member for Sydney “pulled off a pantsuit with fab sleeves”.

BUT not every media type was ga-ga over a midwinter function held in early September. Buzzfeed’s Canberra-based political reporter Alice Workman tweeted: “FYI I’ve decided not to attend this year’s Midwinter Ball as I don’t believe an event hosted by journalists for politicians (but also business people, diplomats, lobbyists and staff) should be off the record.”

IS Roman our new God(win)? The former public servant at the centre of the 2009 “utegate” scandal, which interrupted Malcolm Turnbull’s debut tilt at The Lodge, is back in the conversation. Responding to a relentless Labor attack – aided by former Border Forces head Roman Quaedvlieg – embattled minister Peter Dutton evoked the name of Godwin Grech. Dutton’s “Roman Quaedvlieg is your Godwin Grech” counter-punch landing squarely on the jaw of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, will hover in the political ether for years. But will Dutton’s skilful slur finally retire the political punchline which is the mild-mannered Treasury official from Calwell.