Australia's 2010 feredal election is tomorrow. So far we think we have been very well-behaved by not commenting upon the election campaigns (even though just occasionally certain campaigners have not been entirely comme il faut in the etiquette department). However today many news outlets have been drawing significant attention to two prominent campaigner tipples that recently occurred, and Blossom is unable to resist a quick comment.

What can two simple refreshing beverages mean in the complex world of electioneering? And why are they drawing such attention?

Australia is, of course, a country that with a rich alcoholic heritage. Charming friends from overseas (hello!) may not be aware that, shortly after Europeans started to live here, rum was in fact a semi-official currency. Ever since those dizzy hazy days, we have set a great deal of store by our beverage consumption.

And Blossom has said for many years that what we choose to order when we enter a watering-hole has a powerful impact on how others view us. Our drink preferences become part of our personal identity, whether or not we ourselves would like this to be the case.

Well, one of Australia's favourite national beverages, beer, hit the headlines today: our last day before the election. What does Blossom think of the two bevvies that were selected by our would-be leaders?

Light beer shandy - selected by Mr Tony Abbott

Darla and Blossom ADORE shandies. The combination of half-and-half beer and lemonade has a surprisingly delicate flavour. It is highly palatable but not nearly as sweet as most fizzy soft drinks.

The shandy has somewhat of a naff reputation. We tend to think of ladies in the 50s and 60s disappearing into the Ladies' Lounge at the local to sip shandy in summer (port-and-lemon in winter) and gossip, while the gentlemen are busy downing schooners of lager and watching the doggies race in the main saloon. (And do you know what? That doesn't sound half bad to us.)

Mr Abbott therefore made a brave choice when he selected his glass of shandy, a feminised type of drink, in the land of 'bl(hem hem) oath you bl(hem hem) beauty' masculinity (in spite of the fact that many, oh, many gentlemen enjoy a good shandy). Nevertheless Blossom wishes to point out that shandy is a sensible selection on the campaign trail.

A cool shandy is deeply refreshing and, as we've mentioned, tastes very good. Made with light beer it is sufficiently low in alcohol that one can have one with lunch then drive home. We understand that Mr Abbott may not have been catching up on much sleep lately, and a shandy is an excellent choice to refresh him without sending him off to Nod. And it is a compliment to our lovely local beer to enjoy a shandy even if one wishes to avoid alcohol.

Next time you are passing a pub on a very hot day, we strongly recommend that you pop in and try a glass.

Schooner of stout - selected by PM Julia Gillard

Stout beer is a personal favourite of Blossom's. It is apparently also enjoyed by current Prime Minister Julie Gillard, who sipped a schooner of the beer in a pub. (A 'schooner', for non-Australian charming friends, is a standard beer glass which measures 425ml in NSW. It is smaller than the traditional English pint, and larger than the 'middy' glass: the in-between size that is always a very popular choice).

Australian brewers make some vbery nice stout beers, available on tap in pubs. Stout is full of taste and character as well as quite high in iron and other useful nutrients. It has, in the past, been prescribed as a medicine to people (particularly ladies) who are suffering from anaemia, and as a general tonic and anti-nausea treatment. Taken in moderation it does seem to have a reviving effect for many people.

We understand that electioneering can be most exhausting. By now, all candidates must be feeling the strain physically and emotionally. We can't help but wonder if Ms Gillard deliberately selected a reviving beverage to help her through the last days of the campaign.

Interestingly Ms Gillard sipped her cold beverage while sitting at the bar, and shouted drinks for locals, both traditionally masculine activities (although, once again, many ladies regularly enjoy such activities). Her sojourn at the pub, including her choice of beverage, spoke of relaxed Aussie tradition.

Conclusion

We cannot help, along with much of Australia's media, but notice that each candidate selected a beverage that was, for better or worse, associated with their opposite gender role. We think this is a good sign and applaud both candidates for selecting the right beverage for themselves at the time without fretting about subsequent media teasing.

Both beverages selected revealed a sense of the exhausting nature of the election campaign. Mr Abbott selected a drink that is refreshing and low in alcohol, while Ms Gillard went for a sustaining and reviving beer.

Blossom's final analysis of Mr Abbott's and Ms Gillard's drink selections is as follows: each candidate made the best of Australia's lovely beer, one of our favourite national beverages. And each candidate wisely selected the right drink for themselves at the time.

Regardless of political leanings, isn't that what we'd all like to be known for?