What’s the bet that this one gets reported around the world as a “them crazy Aussies” story instead of an “another argument for compulsory sterilisation” story? And what’s the bet it raises chuckles and toasts of “nice one, mate” from drunken bogan males around this country?

Police in Alice Springs say they were appalled to find a driver put a seatbelt around a carton of beer – but left a five-year-old child unrestrained.

Officers stopped the unregistered sedan on the Ross Highway south of Alice Springs on the weekend.

They found the child sitting in the back seat without a seatbelt, but the driver had put a belt around a slab of beer.

UPDATE: Of course, only Andrew Bolt can take a story like this and imply that it was one of them degenerate Abodiginals without a scrap of information to support his theory.