PETER VAN ONSELEN: Bravo to Jodie Haydon for reading the room and recycling her Midwinter Ball dress. But not everyone showed the same common sense

The unofficial theme of the evening at the Midwinter Ball was the cost of living. But not everyone was concerned about that.

The wines of the evening were, for once, not dirt cheap. Both red and white wines will set you back $60 in any restaurant in the inner city of Sydney in Albo’s overly trendy constituency.

For most of the companies present, that was not good enough, but they still held their noses at the many politicians and journalists surrounding them.

A well-known company that sponsored a table said he would rather have to chair two shareholder meetings a year instead of just one, if it meant he could miss this ball.

But as the website says, it’s a networking opportunity not to be missed.

While the cost of living pressures aren’t a concern for our property magnate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – he’s wearing a $2,000 black tie suit and accessories to enjoy the festivities – his other half, Jodie Haydon, is aware of the struggles of ordinary Australians.

Instead of spending money on a new dress for the evening, she reused her old dress from two years ago. Bravo!

If only the Prime Minister and his cabinet were in such good contact with the voters they hope to win over in the next elections.

As cost of living pressures hit ordinary Australians, Laura Chalmers (pictured with husband Jim) spent $3,375 on her Midwinter Ball ensemble

The Prime Minister’s other half, Jodie Haydon (left), reused her old dress from two years ago instead of buying a new one. Bravo!

Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ wife, Laura, took full advantage of the $9,000 income tax break her husband gave their family this fiscal year, spending a significant portion of it on her evening outfit.

Labor MP Josh Burns finally went public at the ball that he is in a blossoming relationship with Victorian Animal Justice League MP Georgie Purcell.

The Jewish federal MP and the Palestinian activist state MP are a classic case of opposites attract. The future Mrs Burns (perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves) had the good will not to adorn her dress with slogans advocating Palestinian state sovereignty.

Former GroenLinks MP Lidia Thorpe was not so shy and stood out from the crowd in her striking Palestine-themed dress.

Barnaby Joyce was out on the water all night, after embracing the dry July all year round. He was seen mansplaining all night long.

Palestinian activist Georgie Purcell, the Victorian MP for animal rights, had the goodwill not to adorn her dress with slogans advocating Palestinian state sovereignty.

Former GreenLeft MP, now an independent MP, turned up in a Palestine-themed dress

Barnaby Joyce (right) spent the night on the water after quitting drinking earlier this year

During the speeches, former ABC political editor Andrew Probyn told the audience that when he was sacked by the public broadcaster he received a phone call from the Prime Minister wondering what on earth the ABC was up to.

It earned him a lot of applause.

Unbeknownst to the crowd (and perhaps Probyn himself), Albo also made a phone call shortly afterwards to a senior ABC journalist, whose name we shall not reveal, to congratulate the broadcaster on sacking their political editor. He shouted that Probyn’s problem was that he was too hard on Labour.

I think in the basic principles of politics you have to walk both sides of the street.

The speeches by the main party leaders were, as always, disappointing. But that didn’t matter, because by the time they started, more than two hours after the wine had been poured, most of the audience had already sucked themselves into oblivion.

Finance Minister Jim Chalmers (left) and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) pose for a photo with their respective partners

Most attendees felt that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had worded his reflections better, despite the fact that the Prime Minister’s team of 11 communications specialists who manage taxpayers’ money had prepared his oral summary.

Journalists and politicians have spent most of the night pondering when the elections might be held. The consensus is now firmly behind early elections, perhaps mid-September.

As soon as the formalities were completed, the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader rushed towards the exit without any hesitation.

Then the dance floor opened, with Mr. and Mrs. Burns leading the way. A spectacle not to be missed.