Thursday 24 April 2008

A sight for sore eyes - Kevin Rudd in his underwear

The Sydney Morning Herald's Anabel Crabb has sighted PM Kevin Rudd in his underwear.

Speaking at the Sydney University's Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Crabb said she was talking to Rudd in New York when he was Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson, and he went into a menswear store to buy some new clothes. She walked in at just the wrong moment, and nicknamed him ‘Calvin Rudd’.

This story has come to light thanks to Great Lakes College student Alisha King who attended the Academy.

Speaking to
The Great Lakes Advocate, King said she can’t keep a straight face when she sees the Prime Minister on TV, and she blames Sydney Morning Herald political writer Annabel Crabb.

The Advocate reports 16-year-old King was one of only 22 girls accepted from more than 1000 applicants statewide for last week’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Crabb revealed she's seen the PM in his underwear after King asked if she had any funny stories.

Now, for the best part of
The Advocate's report:

The tale of the PM in his CKs rather turns the tables – he’s a better known observer of New York stripteases than practitioner – but the Leadership week was about more than gossip.

Leadership is a slippery thing to define, but Alisha discovered it can be simply knowing when to take a back seat.

“We learned leadership is about listening to everyone else and then making a decision,” she said.

“Most of the girls were really smart and worth listening to. They all had different talents like debating, drama and the piano.”

Alisha’s rap sheet suggests she’s also worth listening to.

The year 10 Great Lakes College student is a science prodigy, specialising in marine technology.

She tops history, geography and phys ed, plays A grade soccer, state touch football and stars in Les Miserables and Mr Zarbouvray in her spare time.

Of course, you’ve got to know how to walk.

“One of the sessions was about walking and making your presence felt,” Alisha said.

“The best way is chest out, shoulders back. It’s about symmetry, so if you dress and carry yourself in a symmetrical way you have presence.

“One of my tasks was to walk in and get everyone’s attention without saying anything, and I did it pretty well.”

It was a schedule crammed with pilates and yoga in the morning, courses with names like ‘Utilising the first ten seconds: Impact and Influence’ in the afternoon and treats like Tom Stoppard’s political comedy Rock ‘n’ Roll at night. There was a trip to the art gallery for the Archibalds exhibition. But the best part for Alisha was the diverse roll call of speakers like Crabb, academic luminary Catharine Lumby and 2007 Young Australian of the Year Tanya Major.

“Tanya was my favourite speaker,” Alisha said.

“She told us how we can achieve anything, and we should take every opportunity.”

The Academy was a chance to learn from talented women and weigh up future options; the business world didn’t impress Alisha with its 90 hour weeks, but Earth sciences did. And there might be some new friends.

“We all got each other’s emails, and everyone was crying at the graduation,” she said.

“It was amazing the bond we formed after just a week.”

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