The Opposition Leader paid a flying visit to Queanbeyan to cut the ribbon on the new Liberal office, mingle briefly with colleagues and supporters, and face a hot and thirsty media pack before slipping away in his air-conditioned Comcar.

Sandwiched between a hairdresser and a defunct cafe on Queanbeyan's main street, the new Liberal office is intended to establish a permanent presence and point of contact in the bellwether electorate of Eden-Monaro.

NSW Liberal senator Bill Heffernan said the electorate would once again be ''a vital battleground'' at the next election.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times