SYDNEY -- Midsummer madness is already upon us. Australians can always tell when the silly season strikes by the antics of Canberra politicians. This time it's come early -- and they're playing their games with comic vengeance.

First the Australian Labor Party, the only party capable of beating the long-running Liberal-National coalition government in next year's election, suddenly ditches its leader and installs a rabble-rousing backbencher. Then a senior Cabinet minister and the new opposition leader get into a public slanging match over each other's morals. Next the self-destructive Democrats tear themselves apart over their leader's drunken brawl in Parliament.

Meanwhile a public who's supposed to be beyond shock heads for the shops to spend wildly on a record-breaking Christmas spree. Except those who are trying to stay sane by heading for golden beaches, there to sun-bake, oblivious to the fact that Australia holds the world record for the number of skin cancer among its 20 million people.