For the benefit of viewers who are not familiar with Australian politics, Cheryl Kernot began her career as a politician with one of our minor parties, the Australian Democrats. She was its leader in the Senate for several years before she made an abrupt switch to the Labor Party. Her previous colleagues in the Democrats were dreadfully upset by her move, which was done without any warning to her old party. In other words, Cheryl 'ratted' on her 'old mates', perhaps believing that she would one day be Australia's first female Labor Prime Minister.

Alas, Cheryl's ambitions have been thwarted. She has been an utter flop in her various roles within the Labor fold, and she eventually lost her parliamentary seat.

Recently, it was revealed by Laurie Oakes, a respected Canberra Gallery journalist, that Cheryl had had a five year affair with Senator Gareth Evans. It was Evans who had lured her away from the Democrats to the Labor Party. Shock! Horror!

The little wand with the gold star attached is a reference to the fact that the Democrats have been called "The Faeries at the Bottom of the Garden" by some of the harder souls in Canberra.