As Opposition Leader Tony Abbott rolled up to Wollongong's City Beach Function Centre last night, the questions on everyone's lips were not about his policies or plans for the region.
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Instead, people were clamouring to know what colour tie he was wearing and what was on the menu at his Liberal Party fund-raiser after yesterday's national political debate degenerated into clothing choices and a lewd description of a poultry main course.
The day began with Prime Minister Julia Gillard under fire for a speech to the Women for Gillard group on Tuesday night, when she said abortion rights would become the "political plaything" of men and that men with blue ties would rule Australia if Mr Abbott was elected in September.
As the morning wore on, it was the Coalition being grilled when a menu from a fund-raising dinner for Liberal candidate Mal Brough surfaced, listing "Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail - Small Breasts, Huge Thighs & a Big Red Box ..." as one of the main course selections.
Throsby MP Stephen Jones was not wearing a tie at all yesterday afternoon as he offered his opinions on the day's events.
However, the vocal Illawarra backbencher confirmed he had an extensive array of blue ties in his wardrobe because he had "been told somebody with my skin colour probably shouldn't be wearing a red tie".
On Tuesday night, Mr Jones said he was surprised by Ms Gillard's speech, saying he thought the political debate should focus on "big policy issues" instead.
"Of course I believe in a woman's right to choose and I think that abortion should be safe, legal and rare," he said.
"But I remain unconvinced that it should be the issue we're campaigning on in the 2013 election.
"Without diminishing the importance of that as an issue, it is far better that we are campaigning around economic issues, about jobs, about development, education and the disability insurance scheme."
Mr Jones condemned the "deplorable" fund-raising menu, saying it highlighted the sexism in the Liberal Party.
However, he was unconcerned about Mr Abbott's dinner choices in Wollongong.
"I'm more concerned about what would be on the menu after September if Tony Abbott was elected," he said.
"What we know already is that there will be cuts to education funding, cuts to public sector jobs and cuts to automotive industry support. These are things he has already committed to, so I want to know what else is on the menu if he is elected?"
Mr Jones also confirmed reports he had asked Kevin Rudd to join him on the Illawarra campaign trail, but denied this was the result of a lack of confidence in Ms Gillard.
"There's a lot of affection for Kevin in the region; when I get out and about a lot of people ask me about him and from time to time I relay those stories to him in Parliament so it's nothing more than that," he said.
"We have had a number of chats about whether he would come back down to the Illawarra; it's been a few years, and it was actually while I was watching the footy - the State of Origin - with him the other week and I said that if he'd like to have a return visit to the Illawarra we'd be happy to have him."
He said Mr Rudd's visit would depend on what happened over the next couple of months but was "quite likely" to happen.
Mr Jones quashed rumours of Mr Rudd's leadership bid.
