Just caught 'Question Time' on TV (yeah, I know, get a life). John Howard gave a very handsome, generous, completely non-political speech of tribute to Kim Beazley on the occasion of his 25th year in Parliament (Wilson Tuckey shares the same achievement). Jenny Macklin then got up to reply and almost immediately trashed the convention of these occasions, turning her scripted tribute to Kim into a screechy attack on the forthcoming IR legislation (one that, incidentally, must have had Kim writhing in embarrassment, as she laid on the fawning to a thickness that would have made Kim's North Korean namesake uncomfortable). The honourable gentlemen on the Speaker's right made known their displeasure at this graceless and petty abuse of the convention. To his credit, Beazley then got up and made a handsome and graceful speech of thanks to the PM for his good wishes.