It’s hard to find enough superlatives to describe Anna Bligh right now. I want her to be my Mum and my Prime Minister and my best friend. I want to sit in front of my TV and just watch her talk because with every sentence, she manages to strike an extraordinary balance of compassion and calm and heartbreak and resolve.

VIDEO: ‘We are the people they breed tough'

Brisbane author Jessica Rudd is currently living in Beijing and was moved to write the following for Mamamia:

Oh yes. A pat, a hug and a standing ovation.

Post Script: Jess would never mention it but it’s well worth looking at her father Kevin Rudd in this clip from last night’s ABC1 special (scroll to about the 1 min mark). Just. Brilliant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqTnJK3uEi8&feature=player_embedded