Move over Magic Mike, it’s time for Magic Mark (yes, this is how the article is starting – deal with it!)

18 months ago it would have been impossible to imagine writing this story: WA’s premier Mark McGowan posted a video on Facebook overnight where he takes off a mask and smiles at the camera while the theme music from 2001: A Space Odyssey plays. The main reason why it would have been difficult to imagine this story is because 18 months ago nobody outside of WA knew who Mark McGowan was, and now we know him as the man who has forced this writer to cancel three trips to Margaret River (sorry for making the pandemic about me).

The video was posted at midnight just as WA’s mandatory mask restrictions were eased as the state moved back to phase five restrictions, which presumably means Western Australians can only have a maximum of 3000 people at your home.

The mandatory mask rule came in just over two weeks ago when two million people were forced into a lockdown. Despite that, the comments on the video are pretty much all positive, which is strange for a politician. “Even though I hate wearing a mask and lockdowns are a pain, I appreciate your quick response when there’s an outbreak,” reads one comment with another saying: “Well done and thanks for the laugh.” This is the type of positivity that our Prime Minister Scott Morrison would kill to have on his curry posts.

So, well done, Mark McGowan for showing some leadership and winning the Internet for the day with those beautiful pearly whites. We haven’t seen a politician post such a strong thirst-trap since Tony Abbott was running around in his budgie smugglers.