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It’s the way the blood spatters that matters

Malcolm Farr

by Malcolm Farr

02 Aug 05:55am

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Filed under: Julia Gillard, Labor Party, Leadership, Leadership Spill, Mike Rann, Politics

85 comments

A quarter of a century after Neville Wran showed how it could be done with elegance, the Labor Party still hasn’t settled on a leadership succession process that doesn’t involve embarrassing conflict.

When Labor kills one of its own, there's always a Godawful mess. Illustration: Sturt Krygsman

The strange events following the move-on order given to South Australian Premier Mike Rann by his Caucus last Friday shows the ALP is, in fact, capable of coming up with fresh ways to humiliate itself in the eyes of voters.

Leadership change is never easy, but might be considered again by the ALP should Prime Minister Julia Gillard lose internal support by the end of the year.

Ms Gillard’s replacement of Kevin Rudd wasn’t done with skill, and voters are still holding it against her. But that might not mean a move against Ms Gillard would correct that electoral animosity. It might make things worse for Labor.

That’s because for the past 25 years, Labor leadership switches, while in power, have ended up looking like crime scenes. And they have not been effective for long. The progression of tumbling premiers in NSW resolved little.

The number seems small, but not against the tiny tally of Liberals ousted while in power. Labor casualties include Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd, Morris Iemma, Nathan Rees, Peter Dowding, with narrow escapes for Anna Bligh and Paul Lennon.

And now Mike Rann. Having been told he had to hand over the Premier’s suite, he promptly left for India where no doubt he is telling the locals what a friendly place Australia is.

He had expected a hand-over but assumed it would include a “transition period in which he would mentor the chosen leader”.

“I decided that a seamless transition to a new leader was the most appropriate course in the interests of South Australia, and in the interest of stable Government, and to avoid the undignified spectacle that has repeatedly engulfed the Liberal Party,’’ said the Premier in a statement Sunday afternoon.

Yet dignity was the first casualty at the weekend. Here was a Premier in no mood to quit right now, and a Caucus that wanted him out in pretty quick time.

Mr Rann will let people know his plans when he returns, but has made clear that as a lame-duck Premier he would conclude negotiations with BHP Billiton over the Olympic Dam uranium mine extension.

His mate, former NSW Premier Bob Carr, yesterday used his blog to argue that the Premier deserved to stay in the job until late next year.

“He was planning to retire when he made 10 years as Premier in March next year or shortly after. The next election is not until 2014. Going at a time of his choosing should have been seen as his right,” wrote Mr Carr.

It is simply impossible to have a Government and a Premier-in-a-bunker. Either Mr Rann will have to back down or the Caucus will, and neither spectacle will be pretty.

The possibility that Julia Gillard might also get a nudge from Caucus should opinion polling continue downwards hasn’t been discounted by senior Labor figures.

They use the term “pre-positioning”, which means a minister is not challenging Ms Gillard but is establishing personal credentials should a successor to her be needed in the next six months or so.

The two most prominent pre-positioners are Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten and Defence Minister Stephen Smith.

Neither man is actively seeking or agitating for Ms Gillard’s removal and their preferred option would be to follow her into the next election.

However, they also would know that if circumstances worsen for the Gillard government, there cannot be a leadership change unless there is someone to change to.

There is no suggestion of a challenge to her but, as South Australia has shown, within the ALP leadership change has become the default response to bad political times.

Most commented

85 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Erick says:

      06:00am | 02/08/11

      Mal Farr is talking about leadership change in the ALP? Someone just walked over Julia Gillard’s grave.

      Reply

    • Barney says:

      08:13am | 02/08/11

      I think it would be fair to say that most Australians are absolutely fed up with
      having politicians and politics rammed down their throats day after bloody day : for gods sake give us a break.

    • Adam Diver says:

      08:44am | 02/08/11

      @ barney, for someone sick of politics, I find you in a really strange place.

      Its like saying your sick of inner-city wankers, whilst you have coffee in Newtown.

    • Debra says:

      09:18am | 02/08/11

      Mal Farr is talking about what the ALP does best but when it comes to the culprits admitting to their actions, they gloat, twist and turn and allow people like Mal Farr to remind us of what the ALP is now becoming famous for.

      Just listen to Julia when asked about Premier Rann.

    • Bob says:

      06:03am | 02/08/11

      It’s all eerily similar to student politics.

      Reply

    • Que says:

      06:23am | 02/08/11

      “However, they also would know that if circumstances worsen for the Gillard government, there cannot be a leadership change unless there is someone to change to.”

      Worsen?

      Reply

    • joseph Logan says:

      08:07am | 02/08/11

      Hard to believe things could worsen, I know -but we we are talking about the Labour Party.
      There will be no more blood-letting in a Government Juliar leads.

    • MarK says:

      09:05am | 02/08/11

      Waitr until the full details of the Malaysian solution become known.

      1. There are no “schools”
      2. No accommodation has been leased hence the 3 day boasted turnaround from boat landing to deportation is now 45 days….at a guess
      3. We get the 4,000 when Malaysia says
      4. Exemptions are already being talked about for minors etc etc etc
      5. The UN DID NOT sign off on the deal. It is unsanctioned
      6. The deal is not law meaning Malaysia can do whatever it likes to the ones we send. It is merely a memorandum of understanding

      And that is the start.

      It will get worse.

      Julia fooled them again and the press just sat there and took it. Marvellous.

    • Felipe says:

      01:57pm | 02/08/11

      I agree Mark,  this not legally binding but where are the journalists to question this.  I have not heard.  The Malaysian solution is so contrary to our beliefs as Australians.  To put people at risk in another country is unheard of.  We cannot enforce our own well heeled intentions inside a foreign country.  Why is this government going so low in their moral responsibility.  Has this government reached the lowest of all lows.

    • MarK says:

      03:17pm | 02/08/11

      I know Felipe it is appalling this Malaysian deal.

      They can say what they like about Nauru but the fact remains is that they were under our care and responsibility.

      Lips are being sewed together on Xmas Island. Self mutilation is on the rise.

      Where is the left and all its’ morality now? I can’t hear the usual suspects and see the usual protests. It makes me sick.

      What happens when people will not get onto the plane at this end or off at the other?

      This is a disaster waiting to happen. This will make world news headlines when the deportations start - they will not be pretty.

    • Kevin says:

      04:13pm | 02/08/11

      @MarK
      You can’t have it both ways.
      The point of any solution designed to “stop the boats” is to deter refugess from making the boat journey in the first place.
      Under the Naruu solution, most of the refugees held there ended up being granted citizenship in Australia.  In other words, they were able to self-select their eventual destination.  It did involve waiting a year or two on a tropical island but the end result was more or less guaranteed.
      The Malaysian solution takes away the ability of the refugees to self-select their country of destination.  Added to the harsh conditions that you describe, that acts as a strong deterrent to embark on a dangerous boat journey.
      If, as you assert, refugees arriving in our territorial waters are “under our care and responsibility” then they should be moved straight to the mainland and not carted off to Naruu in an attempt to place them outside the jurisdiction of Australian courts (which was the orignal reason for the Pacific solution).  However, doing that encourages more boats to arrive which gets us back to square one.
      We can act in a humanitarian way or we can take measures to stop the boats but I can’t see that we can do both simultaneously.

    • Andrew says:

      06:40pm | 02/08/11

      @Kevin
      There were 6 people in detention at the time of the 2007 election. I reckon those boats had pretty well stopped.

    • Ben says:

      06:46am | 03/08/11

      The problem with Naruu wasn’t that it was Naruu, it was the idea of Temporary Protection Visas. Because of those, people couldn’t escape their countries to start a new life, instead they ended up in this country not knowing when, if ever, they would be sent home. It was immoral not letting these people put down roots and start new lives on the threat of deportation, and that is what stopped the boats.

      Naruu, Xmas Island, the mainland: it doesn’t matter where you put them in detention, if the people know they can’t start a new life (like the refugee convention says they should), then they won’t come. That’s what stopped the boats under Howard’s reign, and it was appalling.

      This Malaysia deal is even worse, especially for those refugees who are the ones being deported, caught in our game of politics. It might stop the boats, but how many hundreds or thousands of people will we treat like the shit we stepped on just because this country has a fear of boats? Tony Abbott can hardly take the high-road just because Labor beat him to the bottom.

      Here’s an idea: how about we start treating refugees with compassion, not as footballs?

    • Mayday says:

      06:49am | 02/08/11

      ““He was planning to retire when he made 10 years as Premier in March next year or shortly after. The next election is not until 2014. Going at a time of his choosing should have been seen as his right,” wrote Mr Carr.

      Typical response, always on about their rights and so silent on responsibility.

      Reply

    • Against the Man says:

      06:57am | 02/08/11

      The Gillard government is a dead man walking and her supporters are the ultimate losers HaHaHa

      Reply

    • Judy says:

      12:25pm | 02/08/11

      +1 LIKE

    • Johnnie Walker says:

      12:43pm | 02/08/11

      You can walk a long way in two years.
      Enjoy the view from the sidelines, we’‘ll wave as we go by.

    • JohnB says:

      07:00am | 02/08/11

      2 choices.

      1. Change leaders now and maybe, just maybe grapple back some credibility.

      2. Be annihilated at he next election.

      Not a difficult choice I would think.

      Reply

    • Adam Diver says:

      08:42am | 02/08/11

      Its the policies killing Labor. And Julia can not afford anymore backflips. Labor’s only saving grace, (as in respectability not winning the next election) is to dump leaders, and backflip like a gymnast.

      Labor needs humility and lots of it. They need to dump the greens, dump the malaysia “solution”, dump the carbon tax, dump the mining tax, and deliver a budget surplus. They can hold onto the NBN, go back to the pacific solution, but increase refugee intake, ask for a mandate on an ETS at the next election, and show some fiscal responsibility, pointing to the US as the example.

      They can’t win, they betrayed the electorates trust, but they can and should start rebuilding thier reputation, so that they can compete at the 2016 election, and so that the Liberals, don’t have complete control next term.

    • JohnB says:

      09:24am | 02/08/11

      Good stuff Adam Diver. “and so that the Liberals, don’t have complete control next term”....

      Something we should all fear. That scenario is good for no one. I really don’t like Labor, but worse would be a majority, unrestrained Liberal party.

    • Blind Freddy says:

      10:18am | 02/08/11

      @Adam Diver

      So you mean do anything to keep power. Don’t worry about implementing policy - just get re-elected. For what purpose?

      I say keep the policy and if they lose the next election at least we still have the policy.

    • andye says:

      10:19am | 02/08/11

      @Adam Diver - “show some fiscal responsibility, pointing to the US as the example.”

      Are you serious? I cant make heads or tails of how this could possibly make sense.

    • Adam Diver says:

      11:53am | 02/08/11

      @ andye, my apologies did not articulate correctly. I meant as an example of poor financial management.

      @ Blindfreddy, for the purpose of being re-elected sometime in the near future, and to ensure some power restraint on the incoming liberal government. The policies have more holes in them then swiss cheese, why implement shit, that the majority of people dont want?

    • Steve says:

      03:18pm | 02/08/11

      @JohnB we already saw an unrestrained liberal party. The power went to their heads and they were booted from office. Now we’re stuck with the worst government we’ve seen in my lifetime.

    • Macca says:

      07:30am | 02/08/11

      The biggest problem for the ALP is there are still so many that think dumping Kevin Rudd was the right thing to do, and still consider the removal of a leader by the factions as an acceptable risk management strategy. The ALPs problems are all of their own doing.

      Reply

    • jo says:

      09:37am | 02/08/11

      HOW TRUE MACCA
      We the voters are fed up with these labor thugs,  I still have not forgiven them, for removing an elected by the people PM Kevin Rudd,
      Mark Aribid was in talks with America about dumping Rudd, a year before the midnight overnight sacking of Kevin Rudd,  as stated by Wilkileaks, no wonder Julia Gillard wants to shut Julian Assange up.

    • TChong says:

      07:31am | 02/08/11

      Keating ousting Hawke was a reasonably bloodless coup.
      Maybe if Costello had had enough political courage, then the LNP may not have been dumped by Kevin in 07.
      History has shown that some Liberal prime ministers are so despised by their own electorates, that they actually lose their seats.

      Reply

    • majority says:

      08:39am | 02/08/11

      Keating had to blast him out after a failed attempt and a retreat to the backbench. I don’t recall this being bloodless at all.
      As for the liberal reference, boring, predictable and off topic.

    • JohnB says:

      08:58am | 02/08/11

      The loss of Liberal in 2007 was pretty much entirely “workchoices”...Liberal can only forget, or pretend differently at their peril.

    • MadKat of Melbourne says:

      12:21pm | 02/08/11

      Yes TChong - but the following election (2010) saw a swing of over 8% against Labor in Bennalong and they lost the seat -

    • Rick says:

      12:27pm | 02/08/11

      So true TC, I loved Keatings call that Howard was a corpse swinging in the wind and no one in the loser liberals had the guts to cut him down.

    • Won Dring says:

      12:37pm | 02/08/11

      why is it that everyone conveniently forgets there was a redistribution in Bennelong whihc made it notionally labour.  Howard, for all his faults, knew this and never said a contradictory word about the ‘his lost his seat brigade’

    • MadKat of Melbourne says:

      02:43pm | 02/08/11

      Rick’s really into blogging the words wanker and loser in the same sentence as Liberals today - but wave goodbye to the corrupt, shambles that is Labor - the Liberals will be around long after last irrelevant Laborite has gone - remember to turn off the lights and close the door when you leave -

    • Against the Man says:

      06:56pm | 02/08/11

      More crap from TChong, but we never expect anything less from the ALP #1 wing man smile

    • Tom says:

      10:40am | 03/08/11

      Let’s not forget Hawke rolling Bill Hayden expense and the famous Richard Carlton “blood on your hands” interview.

      Nice quote Rick, “Howard was a corpse swinging in the wind and no one in the loser liberals had the guts to cut him down.” Nearly beats his “souffle never rises twice” call on Peacock. A genuine talent for word Keating.

    • Fiddler says:

      07:59am | 02/08/11

      I’m sorry Malcolm, trying to decipher these quotes “should Prime Minister Julia Gillard lose internal support by the end of the year” and “and voters are still holding it against her”

      Pretty sure she has already lost internal support quite some time ago. Also Malcolm I am pretty sure that voters hold a hell of a lot more against her than axing Rudd. Carbon tax anyone? Not to mention the absolute quagmire that everything she has promised become

      Reply

    • Kevin says:

      08:03am | 02/08/11

      The next election is in 2 years.  Here’s a best case scenario for the ALP:
      1.  By then the carbon tax will have been up and running.  Price increases to consumers modest .  Low income earners get their first tax cut.
      2.  The “Malaysian solution” correlates with a cessation of boat arrivals.
      3.  The NBN roll out continues and proves particularly popular in the bush.
      4.  Julia falls pregnant.
      Throw in a couple of ragingly hot summers which causes global warming scepticism to fall out of fashion.  (My personal view is that the last year or so of cold wet weather has done more to undermine belief in AGW than any arguments thrown up by the septics).
      I’m not saying any of the above is likely to happen but, if it did, the expected electoral annihilation could be averted.
      Cue the howls of derision.

      Reply

    • hermes says:

      08:49am | 02/08/11

      5. Pigs fuel up and prepare for takeoff

    • Eve says:

      09:09am | 02/08/11

      Pigs DON’T fly

    • OMG says:

      10:41am | 02/08/11

      @Eve
      Yes they do.  Backwards.  To keep the bulldust out of their eyes.

    • H B Bear says:

      12:13pm | 02/08/11

      Kevin - that’s just the anaesthetic talking isn’t it?

    • Graeme says:

      02:03pm | 02/08/11

      Julia falls pregnant?  Alert the Western Bulldogs bench, may need a sub in the forward line soon.

    • Circus Watcher says:

      03:46pm | 02/08/11

      Pigs don’t fly. But Julia promised they do.

    • Roz says:

      08:10am | 02/08/11

      So if he stays for 10 years, does he get an extra bonus in his pension ? One wonders - Goodbye Mr Rann…. Ten years but not really…. You were voted out on the weekend so technically it won’t be 10 years…...Don’t let the door hit you in the back of the head on your way out.

      Reply

    • Gratuitous Adviser says:

      08:16am | 02/08/11

      It beats me why contemporary ALP is so incompetent with the process of leadership change.  Maybe it’s because their chancer percentile in the party has increased to a point of being unmanageable.  Maybe there are just too many participants that will take every opportunity, no matter the consequences, to advance their own personal agenda or ambitions to the detriment of the government, the party and social democracy in Australia. 
      Julia Gillard is our first female Prime Minister.  This period is historically very significant for Australia and she should be congratulated for being the first to break down this barrier, however, the achievement will always be tarnished because of the methods used for her to get there.  Who can forget the public disgust of AWU State secretary, Paul Howes anointing her on the ABC’s Lateline?
      The ALP seem to hang onto this idea that because the system is that the electorate vote the local member and the elected members vote for the leader, they can change leaders, at will.  We all know that this is the system but the fact is the great unwashed do not know or care who the local member is.  If they care at all, during an election they vote for their preferred leader, the party policies, philosophies and record or a combination and take objection to their selected leader being tossed without their approval or obvious reason.  The appearance of someone that is not elected (a union official) having anything to do with the disposal of an elected leader only adds to the public contempt.
      The counter argument by some in the ALP (I think Minister “self-indulgent” Conroy for one) that this method conforms to the party rules so get used to it will only advance their own demise and the demise of social democracy in Australia.

      Reply

    • Anna C says:

      08:29am | 02/08/11

      Is it really a suprise that Labor’s back room boys have stabbed another of their leaders in the back? No.

      But then again does anyone really care what goes on in South Australian politics?  No ... BORING.

      Reply

    • dancan says:

      09:09am | 02/08/11

      The labor back room guys are still running the party like it’s 1970.  Beers, blokes and sheilas.  I can only imagine how much pain it caused them to put Julia in power but that pansy Rudd and his crazy ETS just wouldn’t cut it with the boys at the pub.  But oh how it all backfired, a massive swing against them and the greens bent them over a barrel forcing the carbon tax. 

      I’m sure in the labor back room they’re drawing names out of a hat at the moment to see who gets the loaded seat of PM because none of them would be putting up their hands

      Reply

    • Michael: says:

      11:27am | 02/08/11

      Bend over Labor, Bob Brown wants to do you slowly. smile

      I wonder who Bob would rather coalesce with? Bill Shorten or Stephen Smith

    • MarK says:

      09:12am | 02/08/11

      The amazing thing about this whole story, and Farr is not alone here, is that conventional wisdom (that is a polite way of saying group think for dummies) in the press gallery said that Labor changing a leader now would be viewed with derision, was a death knell etc etc etc.

      Strange, I didn’t think that applied to only the Federal sphere? Now it is not mentioned at all. Are the signs so bad for Gillard that the apologists are stepping away from The Wisdom and Electoral Truths we have been fed to soften us up?

      It must be bad. I am starting to feel a little sorry for her myself now she is so far out of depth she is making a fool of herself.

      Reply

    • Keith Hammersmith says:

      09:25am | 02/08/11

      The faceless men who apparently run our country strike again>  Voters beware

      Reply

    • Malleeringneck says:

      09:34am | 02/08/11

      Once Rann is gone we only have to get rid of Wearherill.

      Reply

    • Back stabbers. says:

      09:42am | 02/08/11

      I’m glad that I don’t have any Labor mates,you could never trust them,they turn on each other constantly.You could bet a million to one that your deputy is plotting against you every day,with mates like them you wouldn’t want or need any enemies.

      Reply

    • Cranky ol' Bugga says:

      10:15am | 02/08/11

      As Premiers go, Rann was pretty good; SA has changed for the better in the last 10 years whatever his detractors may think.
      The truly alarming part of the present fracas has to be the very unattractive personalities not-so behind the scenes pulling the strings. Of course the likes of George Pell would no doubt think it’s all hunky-dory.

      Reply

    • Rick says:

      10:22am | 02/08/11

      Labor party matters. Why is it that the Liberal party wankers make the most noise about Labor party matters?

      Reply

    • MadKat of Melbourne says:

      12:31pm | 02/08/11

      Because Rick - it shows a lack of honesty and integrity within the Labor Party - it shows deep factional divides and faceless, unelected men making decisions about political representation in this country - it shows the power of the trade unions that only represent 20% of this country but want their agenda to rule 100% - in short, the spectacle of the current federal and state Labor parties that hold government in this country and make policies for Australia’s future affect all voters - everyone has a right “make noise” wankers or not !! (Typical comment from a lefty Labor voter to want to censor debate on issues of importance)

    • Liberal Party Wanker says:

      01:19pm | 02/08/11

      @ Rick

      Probably for the same reason Labor party wankers make the most noise about Liberal party matters.  It’s called politics…..


      .....wanker

    • Monty says:

      10:43am | 02/08/11

      It was not a change of power but political back-stabbing by factional power brokers in the SA labor party…the coo came about when Rann was overseas….the honesty and integrity of the labor party comes to the forefront again in labor politics…I am glad that Jay Weatherill is an honest individual with no blood on his hands…I just hope he’s a fraction as good as Rann…that’s if he wins the election next year…???

      Reply

    • AdamC says:

      11:01am | 02/08/11

      In Victoria, there was a perfectly executed handover from Steve Bracks to John Brumby. It didn’t save the government, though, as Brumby was left to deal with the fallout from a decade of Bracks’ studiously-observed policy of complete inertia. In fact, even Brumby’s quite sincere ‘action man’ approach didn’t save a government that had been branded the ‘do nothings’.

      My point is, age and policy settings ultimately kill governmnets. Changing leaders is like when footy clubs change coach - it rarely accomplishes much. Take Federal Labor, how would changing leaders actually accomplish anything? That new leader would soon have to go to an election and Labor would be wiped out. And, while the current Rudd/Gillard government is not new, it’s time seems to have past.

      Rather than change leaders, Labor should either re-evaluate its policy positions - especially in the toxic areas of carbon taxation, mining royalties and asylum - or go to an election and face the music. At least an electoral drubbing would allow a chance for renewal internally.

      Reply

    • Hamish says:

      11:29am | 02/08/11

      Victorian Labor has a habit of appointing sacrificial lamb leaders prior to an electoral wipeout. They did it with Kirner and then they did it with Brumby. To be fair neither had a chance. Governments which manage to cling to power despite clear deficiencies generally become incapable of achieving anything. I think Brumby’s ministers had simply forgotten how to do anything.

      The problem federal Labor may have is that finding a sacrificial lamb could be difficult. It is for this reason that I think Crean is the most viable Gillard replacement. It’s clearly his last chance and he has managed to remain completely distanced from the Rudd/Gillard/Kitchen Cabinet incompetency.

      He could quite credibly dump the mining tax and the carbon tax without the electorate viewing it as a backflip. Combet is way too complicit in the current schmozzle while Shorten is too close to the now-unpopular Rudd knifing and is therefore damaged goods

    • Joe says:

      11:06am | 02/08/11

      There is no great mystery as to why the current Labor government is a shambles. Their leader Julia Gillard has lied to the people of this country, denied the fact and is now in the process of ramming a despised carbon tax through parliment. She claims to have the support of the people while stedfastly denying those same people a referendum on the issue. Pity it wasn’t Gillard and not Rann who was removed because Australia will need and effective opposition after the Liberals landslide victory at the next election and where will Labor be?

      Reply

    • Won Dring says:

      12:43pm | 02/08/11

      Let us not forget they are so certain themselves of losing next time around that they are putting as much as they can in legislation not regulations, so it can’t be overturned. As few of their actions have been for the greater good, one can only assume this is done for private gain.
      carbon credit trading anyone?  cheap at half the price

    • CynicalGoatWA says:

      11:35am | 02/08/11

      “....should Prime Minister Julia Gillard lose internal support…”
      Newsflash Mal. It’s already happened(ing).

      Reply

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      12:01pm | 02/08/11

      The ALP bosses must really start getting worried!
      SA’s Michael Atkinson tried to make out that the State Secretary of the Shop Assitants Union (The Shoppies) was elected. Yes he was but by the Union Membership (about 20,000) NOT the Voters of South Australia who probably number 400,000 or more!
      If these almost faceless, nameless, & certainly totally unknown to people with no connection to either the ALP or any union, people are allowed to politically assassinate any more senior ALP MPs then they will end up with no MPs at all.
      What Malinowskis (spelling?) & Paul Howes have done is 100% undemocratic. They are Union Officials nothing more, nothing less.
      Just when are our ALP MPs going to get some backbone, guts & stand up to these unelected members of the public?
      What Gillard & Howes did to Rudd was outrageous & the Voters showed their outrage in August 2010 when they wiped out the ALPs massive majority in the House of Representatives. Gillard has never recovered & she probably never will. It is time she & her cronies in the Union movement accepted that the voters simply don’t trust her. She betrayed herself & has sealed her own fate with the voters. For what? To satisfy her personal ambition - nothing more - nothing less.
      In SA Jay Weatherill has done a Gillard & will be treated accordingly.
      The stupid part is that if he had been content to simply wait a while he would have become Premier because the people wanted him to do so. He, just like Gillard succumbed to the blandishments of a smooth-talking, unelected unionist who appealed to his personal ambition. By succumbing to such persuasion Jay Weatherill shows very, very poor judgement. This will be reflected in his Premiership.
      How incredibkly stupid the ALP in SA are! Are they so moronic that they could not see nor understand the consequences of the disloyalty & dishonesty Julia Gillard showed Kevin Rudd? Can’t they read? The polls ever since Gillard usurped the Prime Ministership have been on a downward trend. What have they got now? 27% Primary Vote. If an election was held now the ALP would be almost wiped off the map in Canberra.
      Is the SA ALP so incredibly out of touch with reality, so incredibly stupid as to think that the Voters in SA will accept the usurption of the Premiership by Jay Weatherill & simply vote him back in?
      The Liberals, though apparently comatose or even dead, will have to pull their fingers out for even they are not guaranteed a win in 2014. If they don’t then we run the risk of having a Hung Parliament in SA. Not that it would make any difference for the current government’s only claim to fame is the ever-increasing debt it is building daily. Despite all the spin, lies put out by the army of over-paid advisors & media people in Mike Rann’s (the politically assassinated,dumped, Premier) office they have actually done nothing for the last few years. They scraped back in at the last election by cheating & dishonest behaviour.
      Of course, if they had the guts to do so, the Upper House, which neither the ALP nor Liberals control, could simply bring this appalling government to an early end by blocking all legislation thereby making the State ungovernable. Rann would then have to go to the Governor.
      Oh! Oh! Mike Rann that is exactly what you should do now! Go to the Governor. Have the writs issued for a new election.
      What a perfect act of revenge against all those so-dishonest, disloyal MPs who have for years been praising & applauding you all the while, with the help of almost nameless,facelss union officials, preparing to stab you in the back!
      Revenge, Mike Rann, is Oh-so-Sweet!
      Guess what, Mike? You don’t even need permission from any of those traitors to go to the Governor.
      Do the Right Thing, Mike! Let US the Voters of SA decide who is to be our Premier.

      Reply

    • Rick says:

      12:19pm | 02/08/11

      Nice rant Bob, the liberals couldn’t pull their finger out with a D9.

    • MadKat of Melbourne says:

      02:49pm | 02/08/11

      Rick you idiot - this was a rant against the Labor party with a little sprinkling against the Liberal - “nice rant Bob” - if you are a Labour supporter and can read properly you wouldn’t have thought it was a nice rant - as for the Liberal Party pulling their finger out we’ll wipe the floor with you next election - Abbott has the easiest job in Australia at the moment - the Labor Party is pathetic -

    • Wilma J Craig says:

      12:18pm | 02/08/11

      an Open Message to Mike Rann:
      Dear Mike,
      Take some advice from an old lady!
      One of the sweetest tastes of all has a name: Revenge.
      Despite being brutally & in the most cowardly fashion stabbed in the back by those who over the years have repeatedly sworn loyalty, friendship to you, you still have one final & very powerful option open to you!
      Whether we like you or not is immaterial. whether your political assassins like it or not, you are still the Premier of South Australia.
      That, Mike gives you a power not one of the others have. It is only you who can wield that power. You don’t have to wait for your traitorous ALP Caucus to give you permission to wiled that power.
      You must go to the Governor of South Australia & advise him to issue the Writs for a General Election in South Australia.
      OK, you would probably lose that election but so what? You are already politically finished. Your oh-so-loyal Education Minister Jay Weatherill & Treasurer, Jack Snelling have seen to that, haven’t they?
      But at least Mike you would be put out by us - the people who put you into the job in the first place.
      “Revenge” savour the word, Mike, for it is has the sweetest taste of all.
      luv, Wilma.

      Reply

    • Al says:

      12:40pm | 02/08/11

      I don’t think the problem is with Labour or Liberal.
      I think the problem is the whole system of Government, as it stands now it is more like the Senate in ancient Rome.
      ‘Representatives’ that are there to look after the intrests of their party (or their own intrests in the case of the independants) no matter WHAT the people actualy desire.
      The same applies across the world to ALL so called ‘Democracies’.
      Why is it in this day and age we can’t have a system in place where it is not up to the politicians to vote on the issues, but up to ANY interested parties to vote on it. A fairly simple secure website could be implemented with little cost.
      Of course that would be closer to a TRUE democracy so it will never happen.

      Reply

    • Grant says:

      12:48pm | 02/08/11

      removing leaders that are passed their used by date is not a bad thing. I mean lets face it, if the liberals had the backbone to remove howard when it was clear his days were numbered then we wouldnt have had the 6 years of utter rubbish we had had to put up with since. We would have had a respected PM in peter costello and we would be much better for it.

      Its not all bad.

      Reply

    • Stan says:

      01:08pm | 02/08/11

      None of Australian politicians are honourable.
      They are a bunch of corrupt hypocrites of which no better than their 3rd world counterparts whom they persecute.
      Should learn more from the Japanese.. once you no longer wanted, resigned honourably… before you are forced out!

      Reply

    • Miles says:

      01:14pm | 02/08/11

      Changing leaders does not change the party.  When will people realise this?  Regardless of the figurehead, the same powerbrokers and incompetent members still exist behind the scenes.  It’s akin to re-arranging deckchairs on the titanic…

      Reply

    • Ben81 says:

      01:32pm | 02/08/11

      Surely Rann’s stalling will all but sabotage most of the poll boost a quick transition could have given Labor.  Treating the public like idiots and trying to paint the takeover as something it’s not won’t help them either.  Have these people not learned about shooting themselves in the foot yet?

      Reply

    • serge crosnier says:

      01:36pm | 02/08/11

      Maybe Mal Farr was not born,when the libs were tearing themself apart,in the like of Hewson,howard and the rest to numerous to remember there names,“here he go where did he go,you know who i’am talking about,Mal Farr,your party is not a safe as you all think.

      Reply

    • Jason says:

      01:38pm | 02/08/11

      I’m confident federal labour won’t be dumping Julia as leader before the next election.  The likely outcome of any change at the top of labour at the moment is a double dissolution forced either by the greens or the independents.  The resulting early election would see the decimation of the labour party.

      So they have two choices.  Change leaders and face certain decimation in an early election, or stick with Julia and hope for a miracle over the next 2 years.  They’ll take option 2.

      Reply

    • Graeme says:

      02:38pm | 02/08/11

      Is Mike Rann mad or incredibly selfish?

      He has been politely tapped on the shoulder and his response is “I’ll get back to you in a few months, or when I feel like it”.  Mike you are now officially a dead man walking.  The longer you walk the closer you take your party to the precipice.  What is so special about your projects, or you, that you have to linger on?  Let the new man finish them off, build up some political capital, the stuff you have been busily frittering away.

      Bugger off Mike.  Are you listening?  Just bugger off.

      Reply

    • julian thomas says:

      03:39pm | 02/08/11

      liberal kills are so clean like dexter, or breaking bad, labor are yet to perfect their kills

      Reply

    • Lesley Laurel says:

      04:02pm | 02/08/11

      Who is our man? Wran or Rann?Its got to be Wran Wran Wran!Wran’s our man! Let put this state in better shape! Turn on the lights!

      Reply

    • Lesley Laurel says:

      04:10pm | 02/08/11

      South Australia had to do something new and worthwhile !The city of churches was running out of prayer!
      Nothing has gone right for Adelaide this year despite news off Adelaide Oval expansion plans!!
      Port Adelaide is going to get the AFL Australian Rules Wooden Spoon!
      Adelaide Crows are little better!
      Adelaide Rams is a long dead NRL Rugby League team!
      There is no Adelaide based Rugby Union team!
      Adelaide’s greatest son, Rupert Murdoch, has fallen from grace
      Mike Rann is goooooone !

      Reply

    • stockinbingal roo says:

      05:13pm | 02/08/11

      Both political sides suffer from in house politics. Watch for the Blue Ribbon Liberals from Melbourne as they voice their opposition to the Sydney Liberal power base. They want to replace Julie Bishop (WA) with a Victorian.

      Reply

    • Nyani says:

      05:42pm | 02/08/11

      All observed comments regarding the “mob” with the keys at the moment seem to accept being ruled by an American entity the ALP the first letter A for Australian is well & good the second L for labor is very definitely in question, is it an Australian anomaly as in nullarbor?  No trees?  OR just a lazy yankee long shoreman wanting a strike to organise a little comeuppance for authority?

      Reply

    • peter says:

      06:39pm | 02/08/11

      I have no doubt that many voters voted for the ALP on the basis that Mr. Rann would be the premier for the duration of the next parliament. Labor has again ignored the voters.  Why do they think we will trust them next time around?

      Reply

    • Spart says:

      07:50pm | 02/08/11

      A 30 year old Union official, representing 20,000 members, from the Shop Workers Union has the power to depose an elected Premier….

      Now you tell me what’s wrong with that situation….

      Reply

    • how arb says:

      08:16am | 03/08/11

      Julia Gillard says she doesn’t believe in opinion polls, and that the only poll that matters is the one come election time. I don’t think she realises there’s no differece.

      Reply

    • Dieter Greulich says:

      08:17am | 03/08/11

      Would the real labor leader please stand up.

      Reply

    • Soames says:

      04:38pm | 03/08/11

      Malcolm, stop living in the past, the Labour party has moved on, so should you, unless you want to become one of the irrelevant minority, soon to be the irrelevant majority.

      Reply

    • Nico says:

      05:49pm | 09/07/12

      didn’t Gillard think about throwing her hat into the ring when Beazley fell over, only to wihardtw? Half and half, Howard, the second not necessarily following from the first. She withdrew , but she never had a real chance. The Left has never and may never have the numbers to gain leadership from an even start like that. Certainly not Gillard, who has the obstacle of both factions, and her gender standing in the way.

      Reply
 
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