Xenophon twangs G-string in new punk video

Politicians of all stripes have appeared in a new indie punk video that's providing some much-needed election campaign giggles.

It's not often you see a federal politician dancing on a table, twanging his G-string like a pro.

Or an MP furiously ironing his Y-fronts while another tries to hurl a lasso across his office.

But that's exactly what Nick Xenophon, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter have done in a new viral video that's providing some giggles in the middle of this election campaign hard slog.

The independent pollies were among a slew of MPs who starred in Aussie indie punk band Super Best Friends' new music video `Round and Round', which has been viewed tens of thousand of times on YouTube.

The fun, short clip also features Prime Minister Kevin Rudd doing an awkward little jig behind his desk, while Opposition Leader Tony Abbott twirls a bike wheel and Greens leader Christine Milne fiddles with a mini wind turbine.

Some of the politicians lip-sync to Round and Round's lyrics, which include: "Messages well rehearsed ... It's news but not really".

Senator Xenophon hammers away at a bass guitar's E,A,D and G strings while standing on his office desk and Mr Oakeshott irons his Y-fronts in a circular motion - echoing the name of the song. Mr Katter is shown trying to throw a lasso while wearing mirrored aviator sunnies.

Super Best Friends' bass player Matt Roberts said the three-piece outfit were amazed by the reaction to the video, which they shot in April and released on Monday in a bid to inject a bit of life into the election campaign.

"My phone has been going gangbusters ever since," Mr Roberts told AAP on Tuesday.

"It's been absolutely crazy. We hoped it would go a little bit viral, but it's been on TV all morning and the Prime Minister has bloody tweeted the link."

Mr Roberts filmed and produced the video while working at Parliament House as a cameraman for the ABC.

Mr Rudd filmed his segments while he was a backbench MP.

"Mr Rudd will be adding the song to his iPod soon," a spokesman for the Prime Minister told AAP.

"He hopes his dancing didn't offend anyone."

Senator Milne said it was great fun shooting the video.

"What it does is show parliamentarians do have a sense of humour and they are prepared to work together," she added.

It comes just days after it emerged that Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will soon appear as a guest programmer on the ABC's music show, Rage.

The episode featuring Mr Albanese will air as an `election special' on August 31.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world