By TANIA PHILLIPS
Kitchen Cabinet,
ABC TV, Wednesday, 8pm
THIS really is the little show that could – just when you think that there wouldn’t be anything interesting to cook or say – back it comes and let us just say – well, it’s still relevant.
In fact in a year of political drama, intrigue and instability it was pretty much assured that Kitchen Cabinet would be back for a fifth season.
Once again veteran political journalist, Annabel Crabb looks for the interesting characters in Federal Parliament and makes them eat cake and occasionally humble pie.
But mostly she shines a light on people we only see as politicians. This is a program that humanises our pollies on both sides of the political divide and allows us to see them where they live and as they are.
From dragway tracks in regional Victoria, to remote parts of Kakadu and the wildest, most inhospitable place of all – Canberra – Annabel must have one of the best jobs in the media – travelling the country in search of a good meal and an interesting and insightful conversation (and she gets paid to do it).
This series we get to see Scott Morrison as he cooks a Sri Lankan fish curry and open up about his childhood acting career, his faith and reflections on his time as Immigration Minister.
We follow Senator Ricky Muir as he takes Annabel for a ride in two vehicles (one bumpy, one fast) and talks about his unexpected rise to political prominence.
We head to the off-grid farm of Senator Richard Di Natale, Leader of the Greens for home-made and grown pizza while gold medal olympian Nova Peris takes Annabel to her family’s country nestled in Kakadu.
And the one I’m yet to see but I’m looking forward to – Annabel hosting a bi-partisan lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Canberra with two of the big personalities of the Australian Parliament, Liberal Minister Christopher Pyne and Labor MP Anthony Albanese.
This program (even after four series) continues to be fun, thoughtful, intelligent and thought-provoking and gives an insight into the people who govern our country at a level that many of us would never see without it.
