Scott Morrison better have (Jewish) faith. James Brickwood
Two Australians had a marvellous Wednesday: US Open roughie John Millman at Flushing Meadows and Josh Frydenberg, a schoolboy tennis champion, in Canberra with a beautiful first set of national accounts.
But in a case of profoundly unfortunate scheduling for the new Treasurer, the job's glorious firsts are set to be abruptly sabotaged. Because, while the faith of Prime Minister Scott Morrison briefly stopped one or two barbecues this week, it is his Treasurer's that will preclude him from taking the dispatch box in his first question time.
The Jews will mark Rosh Hashana on Monday September 10, when their fates are supposed to be inscribed in the book of life, right while Morrison and his ministry must assemble in the House of Representatives for the first time to, arguably, subject themselves to a similar fate.
Frydenberg and Liberal MP Julian Leeser are taking leave. With Israelite Malcolm Turnbull's seat of Wentworth vacant for the Liberals and National Kevin Hoganhaving defected to the crossbench, it leaves the government with 73 votes of 149 (which includes Liberal Speaker Tony Smith).
Former PM Malcolm Turnbull with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu last year. James Brickwood
The very same issue presents itself the following week, for the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, when the adherents' fates are sealed. And they don't even have to sit on green leather.
Remember, Kevin Rudd held his typically fatuous 2020 Summit during Passover in 2008. In his own mind, he also came close to solving the Arab-Israeli conflict on several occasions in the subsequent three years.
Labor's own Jewish MPs Michael Danby and Mark Dreyfus will absent themselves as pairs to Frydenberg and Leeser, though they have been requested (and provided) in writing. Shalom, baby. Hey, Bill Shorten is no Jeremy Corbyn, but this is no time to take any chances! Dreyfus didn't think twice about going for Frydenberg and Mackellar MP Jason Falinski over their parents and grandparents' statelessness after the Holocaust.
Falinski, and Labor's MP for Macarthur Mike Freelander, also Jewish, are not expected to miss Parliament. They must be the equivalent of Rear Window Catholics.
