Campaign countdown: The woman holding the Ace

Evan Findlay says:

10:18am | 14/06/10

In the circumstance of Julia becoming Prime Minister before the election the Liberal party would have to drop Tony from opposition leader and install either Joe or Malcolm to have any chance in the upcoming election. Having Julia as Prime Minister would most certainly leave only males voting for him and I don’t think there would be many of those. Personally though I would much prefer to see Mr Combet get the role.

Ben81 says:

12:08pm | 14/06/10

Evan, you’d love the distraction of a leadership change in the Liberal party wouldn’t you.  One of yours for one of theirs, is it?  It doesn’t work that way, and if too many women are as shallow as you suggest and vote solely on gender that’s another problem entirely.

Northern Steve says:

12:35pm | 14/06/10

Er, she won against the AEU?  Hardly.  Gillard contacted the union the evening before the NAPLAN deadline and agreed to a review of the MySchool site, which is what the AEU was after.  (Initial review results were released this week providing for at least some of the more significant changes the AEU were after.)  Sure, she rushed to put out a media release saying the AEU had given in, but that doesn’t make it true.  She also was told to pull her head in by State Education Ministers for suggesting parents could run the tests.
Let’s call it a draw, hey?  Teachers got a voice and some of the changes they wanted, Julia got the press.  Doesn’t mean she’ll get my vote though.

Brad Coward says:

12:48pm | 14/06/10

Evan, if I read you correctly…you suggest that should Abbott have to face off against Gillard in an election, only males would vote for Abbott as the entire female population would throw support to the female leader.

Evan, may I tell you…you seriously underestimate the common sense and rationality of all Australian women.

Julia Gillard’s lack of aministrative ability has contributed to the mess that the Rudd government now finds itself in.  Would I vote for someone who proudly justifies the cost of her every administrative mistake as something that had to be done because it had to be done.  Not likely !

Robert Smissen , rural SA says:

04:03pm | 14/06/10

Evan the idea of Red Julia as PM would be downright disasterous, but your suggestion that Combet as an alternative who is left of the loony left is just a sick, sick joke! ! Australia would be marching inextricably to it’s doom! ! !

Evan Findlay says:

05:29pm | 14/06/10

Brad Coward and Ben 81,

I fully understand that your comments are based solely on your political bias but when I make a comment it is based on research and fact. In recent polls in the Fairfax media the information that was collated was subsequently dissected and revealed what the informed and intellectual minds within the electorate already knew, and that was that Tony Abbott’s biggest hurdle to winning government was that female vote, across all age groups, where turned off by him. In case you two simpletons didn’t realise, approximately half of the voting electorate is female. I don’t need to tell you anymore, you surely can work it out from here. The other point I should make is that if women are given the choice between a right wing christian fundalmentalist, who continually patronizes and devalues the female gender, and a female leader who empowers others females and is seen as a shining light for professional women making it in a male dominated world, then Mr Abbott will be quickly dispatched. Even your right wing journalistic friends at the Australian agree. Julia would eat Abbott for breakfast. And I know what you are saying, and I agree. It’s a gender based thing.

And Brad if you could read, you would have digested in my comments that not all men would be prepared to vote for Abbott either. In fact, other than the usual suspects on this blog,I have failed to find a man who is prepared to vote for him. Most that I talk to hate Rudd but hate Abbott even more which makes for an interesting election. As long as Brown remains a small target he is assured of a place in Australia’s political history.

And Brad we already know you won’t vote Labor so your last sentence possesses nothing more than humor value.

Evan Findlay says:

05:39pm | 14/06/10

Robert Smissen,

If you knew your politicians, which obviously you don’t, you would know that Greg Combet is in the ilk of Bob Hawke and has clearly demonstrated his negotiating skills, his superior knowledge of industrial relations and his ability to articulate a constructive and meaningful argument. Let’s not forget that during the waterfront dispute it was he and Corrigan that reached an agreement, not the industrial relations minister, Peter Reith. He has a very sharp mind and an even sharper tongue.

I will lay money that he will one day lead this country. It may not be now but it will one day be in the future.

Ben81 says:

06:21pm | 14/06/10

Evan, you said having Gillard in charge would “most certainly leave only males” voting for Abbott.  You are wrong about that, and you among many other people are plain wrong about what you think is Tony Abbott’s attitude towards women. 

No need to write a short essay and resort to calling me a simpleton for pointing out that it’s a silly thing to say, and you’re one of the last people who should be complaining about people basing comments on political bias instead of fact.

Robert Smissen , rural SA says:

11:30pm | 14/06/10

Evan I will stand by what I said & I know him for the lefty that he is

Brad Price says:

02:03pm | 14/06/10

Agreed. That is exactly how KRudd will go down.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=112543865453767&ref=ts

WKH says:

10:56am | 14/06/10

T chong….dumped him have ya…LMFAO….And you think Gillard will be your new Messiah…This is getting just plain hilarious…Every time that woman opens her mouth you can hear the collective shudder out there in the community. I’m hoping like hell she goes for it and she will she is just lying at the moment. Electoral oblivion from then on.. The Labor party will need to reinvent itself if it ever wants to govern again. Stuffed because the Prime Minister proved to be so incapable he let three inexperienced advisers run this country. They will be responsible for the rise of the even more damaging “Greens”..now theres a worry. This is just awesome viewing…the collapse of a party and a man from such dizzying heights in such a short span of time. It’s a car crash and you just can’t look away. Keep chippin away there T Chong…You and a few others here have provided me with endless hours of amusement…wish I had time to go back and read some of your earlier predictions when your leader was running hot. LMFAO…...WRONG..But you knew that all the time though didn’t you….

KM says:

11:23am | 14/06/10

Rudd for Gillard??? is one ignoramus with another one!
It’s the same as replacing Dumb with dumber… She voted and still supports those very same policies Rudd actioned. The same People, the same policies, the same incompetents.

nosthow says:

11:47am | 14/06/10

@WKH - I think you will find there is no cause for joy re the Coalition as the Polls show votes bleeding to the Greens not the Coalition . Abbott is the problem there - unelectable as this countrys Prime Minister - a Redneck at best !

Peanuts says:

06:30am | 15/06/10

What gives Gillard the right to govern Gender,she was not voted in as PM,she is only a token the same as any Labor policy,much as I didnt vote for rudd he is the choice of voters in the majority, gillard, is the same desperate nsw style attempt to cover up incompetence,constitutionally this should be challenged.The poor and haphazard policy choices are that of the party as a whole,even if only four people make any decisions,Labors presumption that changing leaders to fix up deliberate policy blunders is a joke surely.
Labor strategy is now this,Keep in power by being all things to all men,no matter the consequences,when the policy fails change leaders and that will deflect any responsibility from the new leader,door stops media bites and a slick pr campaign on twitter will solve any problem.
The simple fact is Labor now takes no responsibility for its decision making,they simply change the messenger, this apparently makes all the stuff ups legitimate,they change the salesman not the product,the policy remains,nothing changes. Truely a Communist Organisation

dick j says:

04:53pm | 15/06/10

Rudd’s blah ,blah, blah wore thin about 9 months ago. The public just can’t bear it anymore. Julia’s drone, drone, drone will have the same effect .
People stop listening as they can’t bear to hear.

Bag pipes says:

04:51pm | 14/06/10

Turnbull is finished,unpopular,unliked and unsuitable for public life he waxes between right labor and left libs a truely uncommitted indivudual,a Republican who craves the Westminister system for credability and is one who cannot be allowed to ruin the libs chances by trying to please the greens and run a personnal agenda he simply a labor politican who is a member of the liberal party

acker says:

05:27pm | 14/06/10

@Bagpipes.. take Turnbull at your peril, he is the Gary Ablett Snr & Jnr of the lower house of parliment from what I can see, Julia Gillard is more like the Brian Lake who can stop a few of his goals (unlike Schwartzer against Germany)

Evan Findlay says:

05:46pm | 14/06/10

Is that the real Acker, formerly of the Brisbane Lions?

Bag pipes says:

07:19pm | 14/06/10

@acker Der,read it again aka i just pointed out that I believe Turnbull is the enemy within,Im in agreeance,jeeezzzuzzzz,but my car still has the steering wheel on the right,where it should be

B. Wilson says:

02:23pm | 14/06/10

Gillard doesn’t do church photo opportunities, she does football opportunities - equally stupid, equally unintelligent, equally air-head and and equally planned for maximum public impact.
The woman is inexperienced, incompetent, and extreme left-wing. If she had any decency or respect for the Australian public, she would immediately confirm that she would not accept the Prime Ministerial role because that the public voted in a Rudd/Labor government on the understanding that he was the leader they were voting for, and NOT HER.
Why would Labor swap one incompetent money-waster (Rudd) for his money-wasting, Labor light-weight gender-balance understudy who perpetrated one of the most costly messes of our time:  “The Gillard Education Revolution”) ?  There isn’t one individual in the current Labor party with any brains.  What has she done of any value to any of us, other than to follow Rudd - well I hope the Australian public assists her in following Rudd out of office.  Why should she be forced upon us just because she is there, because she is deputy Prime Minister?
She should go - in disgrace.

stephen says:

11:18am | 14/06/10

Well Fatty, lets start with bigger brains, then we’ll move on to honesty, credibility, forthrightness, a good command of the language, clear thinking and she’s also in the Labor Party. (Last one’s important).
And the next time Mr Abbott goes to Dubbo Zoo, he should stay there.
“And take Johnny with yer, mate”.

Evan Findlay says:

11:33am | 14/06/10

Vast deposits of popularity for a start.

Brad Coward says:

12:53pm | 14/06/10

Evan….what a pity that popularity doesn’t equate to ability !

Anyone remember Whitlam and Hawke ?  Beattie and Bligh ?  Don’t forget good old Peter Garrett !

It seems that even the true believers are coming to Canberra to bury Rudd, not praise him !

Evan Findlay says:

06:03pm | 14/06/10

Brad Coward,

Are you categorically stating that the economic reforms of the Hawke/Keating government were not in the best interests of this country? Even your beloved Howard and Costello praised these two for their contribution to delivering Australia from a banana republic.

And if we are talking politicians who had popularity and failed to deliver then you forgot to mention Howard. Other than the GST and the superannuation co-contribution from the government, what other economic reforms did he subject the Australian economy too? I didn’t bother mentioning Costello as we were talking about popular leaders, and he was neither. Let’s talk Reith, Abbott, Bishop, Fraser,Peacock, Hewson, Peterson, Tuckey, Joyce, the list on the conservative side of politics is endless.

And at least in the Labor party they have true believers unlike the Liberal party who represent a ramshackle of small interest groups lacking cohesion.

acker says:

11:41am | 14/06/10

A widespread public service issue the over costing of building projects I suggest, I noticed that indigenous housing in the Northern Territory was costing over $300,000 per unit for some very small 3br houses which is about 2.5 times dearer than top of the range pre-built houses.

Lack of commercial acumen and over centralization right across state and public service unfortunately, and it is costing Australia billions each year in wastage. And will continue to until the issue of over concentration of public servants in Canberra and State Capitals is adressed and the public service postions including senior ones are put out where the interface with the Australian community occurs…outer suburbs..regional centres..rural towns..remote communities…the public service needs to be moved out to where the public and land mass are.

Steve Putnam says:

07:45pm | 14/06/10

The “entire Rudd/Gillard/Swan team” has kept us out of recession. The economic stimulus package, which was done here before it was copied every else in the world, is the correct use of a budget surpless and was the brainchild of the above three (plus Lindsay Tanner). Your assertion Andy, is totally baseless; why don’t you just admit you’re a rusted on Tory who wouldn’t vote for Santa unless he was standing for the Liberals.

Evan Findlay says:

06:05pm | 14/06/10

Brad Coward,

Maybe we could ask the former opposition leaders to carry the cross. Plenty of them!

Carl Palmer says:

09:11am | 15/06/10

I agree. Steven Smith appears to be the only ALP politician with any substance. I’d say he’s done a great job of distancing himself as far as he can from his colleagues.

As for the rest, they are all tarred with the same brush particularly the”Kitchen Cabinet” so you can toss them all out. They couldn’t organise a chook raffle without costing billions and then having the temerity to justify the spend.

Jezabel says:

05:16pm | 14/06/10

uuummm….mate….what planet are you on? Obviously there’s no way for to actually find out what’s been going on with Rudd…....or are you just a rusted on laborite who refuses to admit that his party is a total train wreck. I live in Moreland which is an electorate in Melbourne that is staunchly labor & believe me even these people want Rudd & Co to get the sack.

Timmo says:

08:50am | 15/06/10

They were killed because they were incompetent to do the job at hand. Any blame rests on the shoulders of their employers. That’s the truth. It’s sad when people get killed on jobs but they have to follow health and safety guidelines when working with electricity, and they obviously didn’t. Whenever the Government puts forth some project all the fly by nighters turn up to make a quick quid. Think they are going to make the big killing from the Governments programmes, then something like this happens, and of course then the blame is put on the Government. Read my lips.” When working in ceilings the first thing you have to do is turn off the power and pull the fuses,” now they should know that at least, otherwise what can happen is electrocution and that’s not a good senario. The fault, if any, lies with the Employers or leading hands of those companies and that’s it.

Fountain Gate fashions says:

05:17am | 15/06/10

She wears terrible clothes to appeal the kath and kim vote,the vast majority of victorian

Timmo says:

10:40am | 15/06/10

I couldn’t care less whether she wears a lap lap she is still a better contender than Tony Abbott. Why don’t the liberal party re invent John Howard just like the last time they had no one to run. You could dust him off and run him in a safe liberal seat say on the Gold Coast and then wind him up and let him loose on the public again. Gee that would be a winner for sure. God, that was a scary idea now wasn’t it. Well don’t worry because Tony was Johns right hand man and so you will probably getting the same thing if you put him in. Now we have to remember that John and Tony and Peter never made any mistakes while in office, no flies on them just plenty of foot prints.