"Romance with Romeo" but not with Juliet. Instead it was our own prime minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser.
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Featuring on the front page of The Canberra Times this day 43 years ago, was a photo of Mr Fraser at the controls of an Alfa Romeo.
Putting "his foot down again", Mr Fraser took the vintage vehicle for a spin around Parliament House.
With his body jammed into the driver's seat of the RLS 1923 model, he set off, grinning broadly, crouching low over the wheel.
The start marred only by the grating of gears, he lapped Parliament House accompanied by the car's owner, Mr David Wright, of Melbourne, with body guards following close behind in a white sedan.
The vintage Alfa Romeo was one of 11 which arrived at Parliament House in the afternoon during a stop-off on a tour to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the famous Italian Mille Miglia road race.
Mr Fraser spent several minutes peering under bonnets and curling up in the single seat in obvious delight.
It was the second time in 12 months that Mr Fraser had shaken the nerves of his security men.
Once, he held up a Cabinet meeting when he took to the wheel of a Ferrari Boxer. On that occasion, he passed his security men still heading in the other direction.