Ruddock parades his civil liberties Philip Ruddock, that well known pin-up boy of civil libertarians around the country, has always delighted in wearing an Amnesty International membership badge on his lapel, despite the seeming frustration of the organisation's Australian membership, who have taken issue with much of Ruddock's policy work on refugees. But in his latest attempt to demonstrate his freedom fighter credentials, our erudite Attorney-General has added "civil rights" to his list of hobbies in Who's Who, right after his other interests, such as jogging, gardening and reading. Despite the minister's evident penchant for locking up asylum seekers and finding bright new ways to increase the investigative powers of domestic security agencies such as ASIO and the Australian Federal Police, his spokesman said the Attorney-General had never been anything less than a tireless civil rights campaigner. So how exactly does the longest serving MP in Federal Parliament indulge his civil rights hobby? "Through his membership of Amnesty International," his spokesman said. "And through the implementation of Coalition Government policy. The minister also takes very seriously the concept of encouraging debate amongst people in the com/munity on Government policy, and the promotion of the importance of civil rights through that debate". The fruity Gillard Mother Gillard? Not content with her participation in a morning walk for Labor pollies, including leader Mark Latham, up Canberra's Red Hill - where members are said to enjoy a group hug once they reach the summit - Labor's health spokeswoman and manager of Opposition business, Julia Gillard, goes the extra mile for the physical wellbeing of parliamentary colleagues. Ms Gillard let it slip yesterday that she had banned the provision of biscuits at the regular morning com/mittee meeting on question time tactics. Instead, she has opted for fruit. "It's costing me a fortune," she said. With Mr Latham already under fire over his "man-boobs", we hope the fruit can help. Putting the Ugg boots in So much for free trade with our bosom buddies in the United States. Now the Yanks have officially stolen the precious Aussie Uggs right off our feet. The word Uggs, or its variations Ugh and Ug, are now registered trademarks of US ugg australia manufacturer Deckers, and any local manufacturer or retailer caught using the words to describe their sheepskin uggs on sale is liable to a hefty lawsuit. Finance Minister Nick Minchin yesterday confirmed to the Senate that several Australian exporters were already the subject of litigation from Deckers. Not content with that, Deckers has also taken things a step further and is suing the editors of the Macquarie Dictionary, who list a definition of the generic word "ugh". Minchin conceded that the Government was upset at the threat of legal action against the Macquarie Dictionary, but said there was little anyone could do. "The fact is that the legal right to the trademark genuine ugg boots is owned by this corporation," Minchin told the Senate. It's an outrageous assault on Aussie culture, according to Labor senator Kim Carr, now deemed the official defender of the mighty Ugg boot. "All Australians know that the Ugg is part of our culture, it is not for sale . . . this is madness," Carr thundered. The towering inferno He has called it the Rent Rort Rip-Off and the Copper Bottom Con, but yesterday Health Minister Tony Abbott outdid himself in finding new ways to ridicule federal Labor's controversial real estate investment Centenary House. "It is the Mount Rushmore of rip-offs, and it has the Leader of the Opposition's face engraved on the facade," thundered Abbott, referring to the famous mountain-sized monument in the United States that depicts four US presidents on its side. In full flight, Abbott declared Centenary House "an obscene monument to political greed . . . the worst form of Tammany Hall politics". Most of the building, owned by the Australian Labor Party, is leased to the Australian National Audit Office for the princely sum of $871 a square metre - more expensive even than space in the Manhattan Tower in mid-town New York, the most expensive office space in the United States. For just $773 a square metre, Manhattan Tower tenants get discount tickets for a whole range of plays, com/edy shows and sports events, plus amazing views to the east, north and south of Manhattan. "At Centenary House, they would not even give you a ticket to question time without a further donation to the Labor Party," Abbott said.