And so we enter the next stage of the Gillard/Rudd cage fight.
It’s nasty. It’s dirty. And despite Attorney-General Nicola Roxon’s political speak, Monday’s leadership challenge will not be the end of it, no matter which contestant triumphs. In a valiant effort to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted, Roxon is now calling for everyone to get behind whoever wins. Yes. I can see that happening. They’ve all demonstrated their capacity to focus on the big picture, haven’t they?
We are witnessing a clash of egos. It’s likely that anyone who seeks to lead a government is going to need exceptional self-belief and both Gillard and Rudd have demonstrated they’ve got it in spades. Remember Gillard announcing Rudd’s ousting with the revelation that the government had lost its way and she was the messiah who was going to get it and the country back on track?
Then this week we have Rudd telling us that only he can save us from an Abbott-led coalition government, to which Roxon responded that we ought to stop being fanciful about messianic rescuers. Of course she didn’t add, only if they were Rudd.
Neither of the contestants is messianic. They’re both more than a little shabby, and tainted by circumstances of their own making. If anyone is depending on either of them to save the country from Tony Abbott, they’re going to be very disappointed.
There’s a monumental battle going on to claim the high moral ground, when it ought to be about good governance. The level of vitriol directed at Rudd by Wayne Swan, Simon Crean and others is alarming: suppose Rudd does win tomorrow, or at later date, how are they going to work with him? Have they all forgotten why they were elected? Man up, people. Stop whining about the demon Rudd and get on with your jobs. The world is full of people who don’t get on with their bosses. Most of them have to just suck it up.
This can’t be the first government to endure serious tensions, but they usually don’t get into this disgraceful self-eviscerating state about them.
As if that isn’t enough, the populace by far prefers Rudd to both Gillard and Abbott. It’s a reckless politician that denies the popular will, especially with this history behind it.
The overthrow of Rudd was bound to end in tears. What a pity those who dreamed up that scheme lacked the foresight to predict it’s inevitably long-lasting and complex repercussions. There seems to be an alarming disconnect between the government and the people, one that began when Rudd was ousted without much explanation. It’s a bit late now to wash that dirty linen, and it also looks rather after the fact.
Gillard may well be more capable of facilitating the daily business of governing the country than Rudd proved to be. Rudd may well be streets ahead in popularity, and perhaps this does indicate he stands a better chance against Abbott in 2013. That depends on what he does between now and then, should he win tomorrow. If his return to the leadership causes widespread revolt and ministerial resignations that’s only going to play into Abbott’s hands. This doesn’t augur well for Roxon’s preferred solution, and as she has already stated that if Rudd offered her a portfolio she wouldn’t accept it, one has to wonder just what she’s on about. While Rudd may be difficult, some of the others don’t sound so straightforward either. They also sound a long way from making the best of it and getting behind whoever wins.
This morning Education Minister Peter Garrett announced he wouldn’t work in a Rudd government. Who do these people think they are? Elected representatives, that’s who they are, and they aren’t elected to refuse portfolios.
If Gillard is returned, she and her camp can be accused of yet again ignoring the will of the people, who’ve demonstrated in the polls they want Rudd back, and more, didn’t want him thrown out in the first place. Somehow, Gillard will have to turn around those who are resentful, feel cheated, and don’t want her as leader when it comes time to fight the next election. One can imagine how Abbott will use this “denial of the will of the people” narrative against the ALP.
The only winner of tomorrow’s contest is likely to be Abbott, I fear. Serves the ALP right, I also fear. But pity the poor punters. We’re the victims in this farce. Not Rudd. Not Gillard. Not any of those precious pollies who just couldn’t find a way to work with their boss. They should have tried harder, shouldn’t they? Because they are probably going to pay the ultimate price for ousting him when they become the opposition in 2013.
This is truly a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
No Place For Sheep 
Great post, I’ve been waiting for a comment on this subject.
I don’t need to anything much other than applaud your recognition of the political reality that the ALP in ignoring the differences in public popularity (if they re-elect Gillard which it seems they will) is applying political seppuku. Although Gillard could scrape home again against Abbott, I believe she was given the benefit of the doubt last election based on being a “new” PM when on much higher popularity numbers than she presently has. The ALP must not like being in Government is the only conclusion I can draw! As to Roxon and others, prima donnas exist on both sides of this ego battle. Its a great shame that no one has their eye on governing the country but at least the media driven push for a leadership stoush gets this out in the open and dealt with quickly so attention can be turned to far more pressing and important matters. I agree too, that Monday’s contest proves nothing. It has already been speculated that Rudd is a much more free agent from the back benches unbound by the need for Cabinet solidarity or confidentiality and in a much more powerful position on the back bench…this isnt over regardless of Monday’s vote especially if Rudd polls better than expected.
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I’ve been on holiday, that’s why it took so long!
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Hope it was a refreshing break
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You really are a non sensible ranter aren’t you, like a punter backing every horse in a race, just to try and prove you can pick a winner.
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Is somebody holding a gun to your head to make you read this blog?
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Garrett was misquoted,he did NOT say he would not work in a Rudd government.
He said Iron Lung.
Penny Wong agreed with him 100%, saying she holds the same view.
And AJ, no matter what happens the media will keep attacking Labor.
They are sadistic ghouls.For some psychopathic reason they want to see just how low Abbott can drag Australia down to.
By the way, Looks like MTRs political campaigning will be stepping up a notch.
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Or a boss who could not find a way of working with his crew.
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If a black and white film with no audible dialogue during its 1 hr 40 minutes can be nominated for the ‘best’ film of the year it should also be possible for the ALP to win next election.
The extreme paucity of vision by the Liberals together with that miserable line up of their top guns with Christopher Pyne, Darth Vader Bishop and the jovial Hockey at the cutting edge of politics, it ought to be very possible.
Abbott of course is Gillards best asset. Let’s hope he’ll continue filleting breams and shifting tomatoes around. The biggest danger is M.Turnbull.
The ‘Artist’ movie is fantastic. A work of art. Of course, we are biased with our Jack Russell ‘Milo’ in it.
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Sometimes the cracks can not be papered over.
Rudd’s amazing ego and his certainty that no-one could disagree with him and still be human, much less his superior made this crisis inevitable.
Gillard and the senior ministers : Swan, Combet, Shorten, Crean, Wong, Roxon, Burke and several others had to explain just why they removed Rudd, but were prevented by the election eve and then the state of the parliament from doing so.
It may not be edifying but it was necessary.
Rudd has pledged that if defeated he will support the Gillard government through to the election. And make no mistake he will be defeated. All the major players have a longer game in mind, and five years may see a very different landscape.
Our democracy is big enough and resilient enough to deal with this and still emerge triumphant.
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“Sometimes the cracks can not be papered over.”
Our first little weatherboard house on Sydney Harbour in Balmain had plenty of cracks, which we ‘cleverly’ wall-papered over, only to find out that when the big tugboats went by and shook the shores and our little abode, the wall- paper crumbled…
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It amazes me that people on both sides, and observers, keep coming up with Manichean dichotomies- either its ALL her fault, or ALL his fault, on this issue.
It’s actually pomo politics in a parliament in post industrial times, now heavily feminised, middle class and neolib, reacting to new complexities in interpersonal relationships deriving from new conditions overlayed by ideological and factional power disputes.
Why do the commentators keep missing and then investigating the underlying complexities involving globalisation, deindustrialisation, gender relationships, structural problems etc, in favour of simplistic Wicked Julia or/and Naughty Kevin tabloid memes?
Am convinced, contrary to Jennifer Wilson, that postmodernity is NOT an excuse for piggish auto cratic behaviour from bosses, even if we have been de-unionised. Am confident on my reading that this deals with the Rudd end, his ridiculous lack of patience has been Cartmanish and a display of a defect of character he’s not got resolved yet.
As for the faction hacks scared of change, here’s the Gillard end’s defectiveness. That the ALP Right is now so dominant that anti-intellectual racists, sexists, homophobes and fascists are preselected before intelligent people, is self defeating.
It should be recalled that Rudd himself is not fully clear of ideological baggage. The opposite apparently, as to a reported conversation where he alleges Gillard is, “a barren ex communist”.
To think that that even the villlage idiot still babbles nineteen fifties McCarthyism, let alone grown adults in our day and age, is repulsive.
Like Tony Abbott, Rudd is an interesting character but apparently limited by ideological blind spots with maybe a bit of “borderline” thrown in.
The LOT of them have been irresponsible and childish and warrant a smack round the head with a rolled-up Murdoch Sunday newspaper.
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Well said ,Paul. I too feel there’s ‘borderline’ thrown in with Kevin. Aussie (ocker) males and some bitchy fifties women have not given Julia a change grow to into the job. I’ll not waste my words Abbott, I’ll wait for Turnbull’s turn….I suppose more disappointments in store, after all I gave Kevin a nod, even before he was ‘discovered’…. 😉
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Don’t worry Helvi it’s always the nicest people who get taken in 😉
Well, it’s past 10 o’clock. I wonder who our Prime Minister is?
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Same one we had at 9.59!
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Anyway, all that has given the ALP a boost with support the highest in 12 months.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-27/newspoll-out-on-eve-of-ballot/3853902
By the way Paul; the rolled up Murdoch Sunday news paper, did it have a cricket bat in it, or just a bicycle chain?
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Theres been some discussion that the boost was due to some expecting Kevin to win. Will be interesting to see if this viewpoint holds up when the next poll comes out after Julia’s victory
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AJ:
Don’t worry too much. ‘Letting go’ is the answer for those still unable to grasp that Kevin did not have a chance in hell to win that ballot. Perhaps all due to “The Emperor new clothes syndrome’ or is it The Stockholm syndrome whereby the victim becomes hopelessly enslaved to the ‘image’ and mistakes it for reality?
I have no doubt Julia will continue with her job and that the alternative of that mob of sneering liberals with their hate contorted faces is the best thing she has going for her. Watch the next poll indeed.
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Good to see there are others about with wounded sensibilities.
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Go Jules!
I’m sure Kev has a contingency plan though… and to be honest I won’t be the least bit surprised to see his beaming little face rising above the turret of an Abrams M1 as he heads a convoy of loyal Generals and military hardware from Duntroon and across the Kings Avenue bridge, on his way to take back his rightful place in the “corridors of power”.
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Well, Rudd’s at least had the wit to take it on the chin.Two other things.
There is a fresh Wikileaks dump and someone has told me Arbib has resigned?
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Yes, Arbib has indeed resigned, says he wants to spend more time with his family. Yes, I believe that.
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Would that be the Genovese family or the Gambino family?
He’s a good example of what’s gone wrong within the ALP since the right factions gained too much influence.
He is McCarthyite, represents any/ everyone but the people he’s paid to represent, pathologically deceitful,probably venal, ignorant and biased, and consciously opposed to Labor values.
Rumour has it that his removal was suggested as a means for consolidating support amongst more moderate MP’s
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If what you say is true,Paul, all Labor voters should just vote green, which is where the values of ‘Labor Past’ now dwell.
This should be the next big new push between now and the election.
(That push should be driven by Get Up)
In fact ‘pre’ the vote,Rudd was actually hinting at moving more to the right,and away from environmental issues.
I distinctly heard his bugle call for ‘jobs AND environment’,which is ‘Tassie speak’ for more logging, less conservation (including marine conservation-across the board).
It sounds like some fat lazy arse-hole Labor ‘nobody’ promised Rudd his vote.
Bad luck Kev.You got sucked in.
I agree Paul, Arbib’s ‘going’ is a tactic to get Abbott off the blood trail.
(If it worked Arbib’s loyalty would see him reinstalled somehow later.)
It won’t work Julia, Abbott has the media on side.
Especially Father Uhlmann over at our National Brainwasher, the Australian Brotherhood of Catholics
Just vote Green and avoid the deceptive duplicity of New Labor and the deceptive duplicitous ABC..
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Hypocritophobe, would that be some fat lazy BEARDED arsehole, promised that vote?
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Forgot to mention, Im no big fan of Rudd either, someone else has to emerge if the ALP is to have a chance of winning the election, who that is eludes me though.
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You’ve touched on something that irks a large number of core Labour voters – the greens have arrived at the Government table, acted as if they are in power, and hung around like some kind of green mould that slowly creeps across the bench un-noticed. I think its this influence that has turned a significant portion of the traditional labour vote (you know the ones that work in blue collar jobs that suffer at the hands of green policies?) against Labour and effectively disenfranchised those voters. This is the group often lamented in blog posts and the evidence is there that they are lost and lonely with the ALP on its current course. It’s this segment that Labour desperately needs to win back but will struggle to regain while they can see this dark green shadow lurking over the Labour shoulder everytime they look at the ALP. Now this recent leadership stoush has demonstrated how committed Labour is to committing Electoral Hari-kai (reinstating the deeply unpopular Gillard) and so will probably ignore the threat of the green virus or even be aware of how much damage its doing to their vote. I personally have always voted Labour but despaired at the last election and deliberately chose to fold my ballot unmarked into the ballot box because of it. The ALP needs to clearly redefine what they stand for, let the greens be the greens, The ALP doesnt need them having a solid history of pro environment action and policy in their own right! Nor should the greens be pretenders to the same side of parliament IMHO
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I totally disagree.GetUp has proved by it’s very existence that Labor voters are not drifting away from labor because of Green influences,quite the opposite.
The Labor voters are drifting because the Labor Party has been trying to -out Howard the right.
The % of blue collar workers affected by old Labor/new Green social justice and environmental policy is barely worth factoring in.
Many more mining employees vote coalition than Labor these days simply because they want the bucks to keep coming in.
I think most blue collar workers want something left for their grandchildren to frolic in, and I know for a fact that the coalition is not likely to increase that space.
Unless Labor jetisons it’s pseudo-right exo skeleton, nor will they.
The Green influence is merely filling the environmental/social conscience gaps Labor self-created.
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I agree completely with you that the ALP in time has abandoned the hard left, and that the Greens have captured a share of this vote. The middle ground is what wins elections though and the move to the centre is a a political necessary given to govern. If its not either One Nation or the Socialist party of Australia would have had far more seats in Parliament after years of trying.
“The % of blue collar workers affected by old Labor/new Green social justice and environmental policy is barely worth factoring in.”
This quote astounds me and says it all really! You need look no further to identify why the current polling figures for the ALP are frankly abysmal! Who the hell do you think the Labour party is supposed to represent then?
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AJ, the large core of blue collar voters is not as large as you think. Go back to Whitlam and you see the origins of the Green movement with the likes of Jim Cairns. The problem with the blue collar constituency is that it can often be reactionary and very, very racist and homophobic. This doesn’t sit well with the tertiary educated/ arts community supporters of the Labor party (remember the ‘It’s Time’ ads). The Labor party is splitting between irreconcilable opposites.
Btw, glas Rudd lost. He’s a religious, morally conservative twit. I’ll never forgive him for trashing Henson. And what chance of same-sex marriage rights under Rudd?
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I forgot Rudd’s crappy attack on Henson.
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The core of the chardonnay socialist university educated blogger isnt that large either – they are vocal sure, but not really that large. In the country side most of the traditional labour vote has drifted to the Nationals or fringe groups. They find it hard to win in what used to be homeland areas now. I also find it interesting that blue collar worker somehow translates easily to mine worker nowdays. Having worked on mines for 10 years I agree with the post that stated these tend to be right leaning voters. Unless the mine is heavily unionised these people are employed on individually negotiated contracts, not for political reasons but more because they can negotiate a high pay rate then the firm dictates the Industrial awards etc can offer.
Another thing….
Demographics tend to show that as a population ages it tends to drift toward the right, once houses are paid for, studies completed, children arrive with all the worry and care of parenting to influence the mindset. Caution (maybe conservatism?) starts to creep in – Don’t beleive me? Just check the election results by age group for the right/left vote split, it rarely changes over decades.
Given that fairly self evident fact and the reality of the boomers are all starting to hit their late working years or retirement, any traditional labour voters among them arent going to be too concerned about life outside the comfort zone of middle ground politics. The ALP is doggishly moving the same way, hence the left moves inexorably towards the centre.
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Batman
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Sorry,
A bit cryptic.
Adam West is the original batman,whereas the Adams I am thinking of is just a dick.
And if memory serves me right he willingly climbed into bed with Howard to garner a massive Tassie win for Howard.
Someone explain how that cock could stay in Labor after that.
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I do like being proved right.
As for Gillard, what does not kill me makes me stronger.
The conservatives are deeply frightened of Gillard, hence the vituperation and the desperation to force an election before the scare campaigns run out of steam and the polls rise to the proper levels.
Gillard may be Prime Minister until 2019 or thereabouts, to hand over to Combet or Shorten.
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No chance, in fact shes short odds to not even be leader by the time the next election rolls around unless the polls improve dramatically in the 3 months prior to election date. The re-election of Gillard was celebrated by Abbott who was witnessed buying 2 cases of champagne. She’s and electoral liability and everyone but the ALP caucus seems to realise it. In fact, shes suffering the same kind of blind spot Howard had when he fought for the leadership prior to be ceremonously being disposed of by the electorate. Mind you, Gillards in a far safer seat then he was but they have almost no chance of being re-elected while she leads.
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“The re-election of Gillard was celebrated by Abbott who was witnessed buying 2 cases of champagne.”
Sure,sure.
Who witnessed it? A friend of a friend?
And Abbott confirmed it’s purpose?
Was it “French Champagne’ or just Cold Duck?
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AJ, aren’t you being a bit petty here, keeping tabs of other people’s champagne shopping…
If you are interested in your fellow commenters’ drinking habits, may I tell you that our lovely Liberal neighbour brought us an excellent bottle of red for looking after a dog for one night…she knows that not all Laborites are Chardonney sippers… 🙂
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Hypocritophone,
To quote Urquhart to Matty in a scene from “House of Cards”
” you may speculate as you may, I couldn’t possibly answer”.
Doug Quixote, it is a pious hope and one that I share.
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Hypocritophobe, typo. Just as well my typing is not so bad that I banged out, “Hypocritophile”.
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I like the idea of a Hypocritophone.
I expect every time I use it it will go thru to MTRs message bank.
😉
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A volley of stones on the roof ‘d be more fun. How DO you wake the dead?
Omigod, induces a traumatic flash back of Albrechtsen doing menopausal gothic on QA last night..ech.
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I only saw the last 10 minutes and thought Albrechtsen dominatrix. Was that a whip around her neck?
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I too wondered about the neck piece… I’m just envious ‘cos I can’t do that look anymore 🙂
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I never managed to pull it off, Helvi. I have too wide a grin and always look as if I’m laughing at myself.
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Yea,
I have had to stop wearing my batman outfit too, people were starting to stare at us and talk.
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And you didn’t enjoy that? Celebrity? 🙂
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It was a good show when it started, but the joke is wearing thin as it continues to be dumbed down at breakneck speed by its makers.
Media Watch commentary occasionally comes close to unmasking the real upper echelon culprits at the ABC, but Holmes must obviously begin to have tread lightly, lest they turn on MW, too.
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Paul, you are right about Q&A, but as I’m already avoiding Mr Uhlmann, I can’t walk the dog all night…
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I’m just watching all my Sopranos DVDs over again. I’m in love with James Gandolfini.I probably need help.
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Ohh Helvi,you are so right. What atrocities did we commit to even remotely warrant Das Uhlmann’s presence?
Just off FB reading a friend’s link to a nasty problem festering in Malaysia thanks to the Australian company LYNAS’ rare earth project, which has locals upset at lack of transparency in what could be a nasty polluting process, with the riot police called in to snuff it all out.
I have a perverse notion that this is “real news” and the sort of thing Australians could do with learning about, rather than a traffic light breakdown in the suburbs or warnings from think tank lackeys that the end is nigh because a few too many folk had sickies last month.
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Bob Ellis’ co-writer Stephen Ramsay proposed that Rudd has Asperger’s syndrome (eg Doc Martin). A commenter disagreed and posted a lengthy screed on sociopathy.
It seems to me that both Rudd and Julian Assange are sociopathic, but I won’t bore you all with the screed. Look for yourselves, if interested. Research can be fun . . .
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I have ‘diagnosed’ a couple of Asbergers on the Drum, obsessive behaviour and a total lack of empathy, or ability see what’s socially acceptable, enjoying unhinging others, feeling superior, never agreeing with others, etcetera….etcetera…
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..oops, I think it ought to be Asperger’s…
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Helvi, I would like to see your list, to see how it compares with mine. I’ll lay odds that there is a good overlap.
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I have just read some replies by Hilda, and some other trols on Melanie’s blog, there’s enough there at least for two conferences…I’ll add some new pseudos but not nesessarily new commenters on my list…
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who is melanie, who is hilda, and what are you up to helvi? 🙂
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Jennifer, Melanie Poole writes on the Drum about safe abortion; this Hilda, Heidi, Heather (and even), Michael, does not believe in abortions of any kind, so every second post is by her.
Have a read, you’ll recognise her, she’s no friend of yours either. 🙂
DQ, if I show you my ‘list’ publicly, I’ll be shot before dawn, or I’ll have to go into hiding . 🙂
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OK, just had a look at all that! I recognise the usual suspects
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Thanks for that Helvi. Whoever ‘Mitor the Bold’ is, she certainly sticks to the task of contradicting the “every sperm is sacred” crew, mainly ‘Michael’ and ‘Hilda’ it would seem.
I would have expected more of them; perhaps it takes them a while to organise the troops, and marshall the pseudonyms.
Or are they weakening?
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Most of those comments had nothing much to do with the direction of the article, just big fights about abortion. Vert first world!
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We all see the connections.
Only share lists behind closed doors.
(There’s a reason)
The ABC would be a nicer place with one ID per individual.
Who cares though, the place is a mess these days.
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stagger lee appeared at religion and ethics the other day.
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It has been ‘JG Cole’ and ‘Totem Lesson II’ lately; one supposes the moderators are onto it.
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“It” posted under a few other names in the same blog first, before accidentally going in as SL.
Read the posts preceding its SL comment.(Helen P I think.)
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Does not know Mitor the Bold? No Tundro?
MyyyytOOOOOORRR!!
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I had an testy Twitter exchange with Sandi Logan Yesterday, he’s using Orwellian doublespeak to argue that indefinite detention is vastly different from imprisonment. I’ll write it up in a post.
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But it is! A person in immigration detention can request removal from Australia and repatriation at any time.
Admittedly, that is usually not what they want . . .
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Sandi Logan? One of Marilyn’s favourite people.
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I thought that might be the case.
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Saturday morning and another depressing story of the sort this one represents.
The Age reports on the Herald-Suns “boning” of possibly their last credible columnist, Jill Singer.
There are private issues I can get hold of re this, but the inclusion of Lara Bingle at Singer’s expense and the overall tone of the commentary suggests yet another credible, rational individual drummed out in favour of yet more unthinking tabloidism.
Lest my proposition that she has credibility is undermined, will tender the article’s mention of Andrew Blot’s vocal dislike of her as exhibit A ; circumstantial but troublesome, I think.
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Sorry, “can’t” for “can” re private issues, re typo. These are local to Melbourne.
As the ‘Stones say in “Mother’s Little Helper”,
“What a drag it is, getting old”.
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An afterthought.
Singer produced one of the more balanced essays on our host’s recent contest with religious advocates re a more enlightened feminist response to censorship- and this in a Murdoch tabloid.
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Regarding your three posts, it would be a great shame. As a Sydneysider I have little exposure to Singer, but from what I have seen she is an excellent columnist.
I had never heard of Bolt until last year, but it seems to have gone viral, mostly thanks to a certain billionaire.
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Doug, thanks for that. I can’t think of a greater contrast between columnists than Blot and Singer.
Singer’s departure effectively rules Murdoch out of bounds for anyone with above three digit intelligence.
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