The secret of efficient government?

Image: By The late Stan Cross

I just pinched this one off Ronnie Manners, it’s irresistible, (although a few Poms might disagree):

Julia Gillard met with the Queen in England . She asked her, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips you can give to me?" 

"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people." 

Julia frowned, and then asked, "But how do I know the people around me are really intelligent?" 

The Queen took a sip of tea. "Oh, that's easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle." 

The Queen pushed a button on her intercom. 

"Please send David Cameron in here, would you?"David Cameron walked into the room and said, "Yes, Your Majesty?" 

The Queen smiled and said, "Answer me this please, David, your mother and father have a child. It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?" 

Without pausing for a moment, David Cameron answered, "That would be me.""Yes! Very good," said the Queen. 

Julia went back home to Australia and asked Wayne Swan, her Deputy Prime Minister the same question.   "Wayne , answer this for me. Your mother and your father have a child. It's not your brother and it's not your sister. Who is it?" 

"I'm not sure," said Wayne . "Let me get back to you on that one." He went to his advisors and asked everyone, but none could give him an answer. 

Finally, he ended up in the men's room and recognized Tony Abbott's shoes in the next stall. 

Wayne asked, "Tony, can you answer this for me? Your mother and Father have a child and it's not your brother or your sister. Who is it?" 

Tony yelled back, "That's easy, it's me!" 

Wayne smiled, and said, "Thanks!" Then, he went back to speak with Julia."Say, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle. It's Tony Abbott" 

Julia got up, stomped over to Swan, and angrily yelled into his face, "No, You idiot! It's the English Prime Minister, David Cameron!"