Christmas if you are on the land, and have had the rain, should be one of the best financially you have ever had. We have record prices in protein lines from beef through to chickpeas. Tariffs are being reduced across the board so that our exports are more competitive internationally and our clean, green image sells.

The Agricultural White Paper has brought 100 per cent tax write-off on fencing, water reticulation and there is a 33.3 per cent a year tax depreciation on grain and fodder storage capital. There is more money for research and development, a refurbishment of our biosecurity capacity, substantial investment in new dams, hundreds of millions made available in concessional loans, direct payments for those under pressure via Farm Household Allowance, new investment in co-operatives and multi peril crop insurance. On top of that a new country of origin labelling system for food will be rolling out in 2016.

Now if you are like me you are now probably considering moving on to the next article as you graze across the paper with your coffee in hand so let's inspire you to stay, with an interlude of the more salacious. A good meter of how you are going in politics is when your political opposition truly hates your guts. Take Mr Tony Windsor, I believe I have become his bete noir. Mr Windsor and Mr Johnny Depp; long after I have well and truly forgotten about them, I get sent a media clip or a Twitter message, kindly drawing my attention to their latest intemperate piece or statement about your humble writer.

However the very worst thing that can happen to you in politics, or any relationship for that matter, is if people feel sorry for you. "Sorry" lives in that lonely rowboat with "hopeless". I feel a little sorry for Bill Shorten, and the English Rugby team. Feeling sorry for someone is right up there with the girl at high school who wants to be your "friend" because you are "nice". No, give me the bright colours of passion any day.

I wonder how long it will be before those in the Labor party get over feeling "nice" about Bill. I reckon Bill is great, he is my favourite Labor politician of his time.