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Gillard has let the Government make sense

Leo Shanahan

by Leo Shanahan

24 Jun 04:32pm

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Filed under: Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Labor, Leadership

100 comments

New leadership speeches inevitably have a shiny freshness about them that kicks off the honeymoon.

Next. Photo: Getty Images

All speeches must contain some homespun vision of where the leader wants to take the country, and tales of some lessons learnt in their normal background: I come from a hard working family raised on a suburban farm, I reward the hardest workers, I too, have a border collie called Harold.

But what was important to take from Julia Gillard’s opening press conference as Prime Minister is that it made sense again. This is not to further twist the knife into Kevin Rudd, but there hasn’t been a Prime Ministerial press conference that made that much sense for a while.

The manner in which Gillard handled her own message after dumping the Prime Minister was pretty much the best way one could sell the idea of knifing someone you had supposed loyalty to.

Gillard did not fall into the trap of arguing she was just pushed into the role by others, to do so would’ve been both a cop out and accepting that she wasn’t master of her own destiny. 

“I was not going to sit idly by . . .  a good government was losing its way. I had a responsibility to step up and take control,” she said.

But Gillard managed to not only address the media in the language of common sense, but was actually able to demonstrate it in immediate policy statements.

By pledging to pull the Government funded adverts that promote the RSPT she asked as a gesture of “goodwill” that the mining companies do the same. She also claimed to be “throwing open the door” to the mining companies, which is code for lets take this thing back to square one. BHP have announced that they will immediately take their ads off air.

Gillard largely dodged the question on asylum seekers, and refused to rule out hardening up measures, something that Rudd eluded to on Wednesday night when he said he had refused a swing to the right on asylum seekers.

She made commitments not to move into the Lodge, and stay in her house in Altona and flat in Canberra until she actually faces an election (of course it would also be a pretty bad look forcing Kevin Rudd and his family out of the house).

The new Prime Minister looked equally assured in her first question time (one which Kevin Rudd bravely attended).

When accused of stabbing her former Prime Minister in the back by Opposition deputy leader Julie Bishop she replied that Julie should focus on serving her third leader. Touche.

New leaders by definition are able to cut through, but today Julia Gillard cut through particularly well.

Call me a honeymooner if you want, but in both policy and rhetoric Prime Minister Gillard made a lot of sense today, and that’s something that’s been missing from the Federal Government as of late.

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100 comments

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    • Andrew says:

      05:16pm | 24/06/10

      This is precisely the sort of nonsense that one would expect from the media. No mention of the fact that Gillard got there because the union movement decided it was time to move.  Come on, give readers some respect and tell the real story.

      Reply

    • Ex Teacher says:

      06:45pm | 24/06/10

      Spot on, Andrew.  Let’s not forget the ALP AWU led Right Faction modus operandi.  When in trouble with a hopeless case put the women from the Left in charge.  The average punter has been burnt in Qld, NSW, Vic and WA;  they will not forget what the likes of Arbib and co have done.  A simple ad campaign based around this history will hit home especially in NSW & Qld.

    • Seano says:

      08:32pm | 24/06/10

      Perhaps the media need to check in with Liberal Party HQ for brief on that line of rhetoric first.

    • Wayne Fehlhaber says:

      10:58pm | 24/06/10

      Andrew : they won’t tell you the real story but this ode to Kevin will give you some comfort.

          A decision was taken
          They gave Kev a scud
          The verdict is clear
          Rudd was a dud

          So its Julia for now
          Lets get on the wagon
          Our country is now
          In the hands of a dragon

          So sit back , enjoy
          And please don’t scoff
          We’ll give her 3 months
          And then piss her off.

    • WKH says:

      05:41am | 25/06/10

      Funny how the media have jumped in behind Julia so quick hey Leo. She is not a new player Leo much as you would have us believe. She is tainted with everything this government has done.  She did it…..Channel ten run a phone poll during their one hour of news. 18 thousand calls with 70% coming in for the opposition. Write about that hey Leo or is it that it doesn’t fit in with your tainted view of the world.  Funny how wrong you guys have been. But you are the EXPERTS hey Leo….

    • Doh says:

      09:19am | 25/06/10

      @WKH - meh, they have a shiny new toy that looks and smells good….for now.

      We all know what she has said and we can count on the Media to love it, but I am more interested in what she actually does.  Going purely from her history and track record, it does not look good.

    • Carter says:

      10:02am | 25/06/10

      Andrew you’re an idiot.

      Of course no Labor leader is installed without the blessing of the factions, but neither is any Liberal leader installed without their own belssings. THAT’S HOW POLITICS WORKS!

      Read my first sentance again.

    • Stuart Tomlinson says:

      09:48pm | 27/06/10

      Wayne Fehlhaber, I thought that your ode (poem) needed a reply, so I decided to write one also:
      “Ode To Julia Gilliard”
      Now that Julia Gillard has taken control,
      Tony Abbott has retreated back down his hole,
      If Julia’s a dragon like Wayne Fehlhaber says,
      Then it looks certain to victory she’ll blaze.
      And being a redhead she is sure to breath fire,
      And put a end to Abbott who is a self confessed liar.
      Abbott is worried you can see it on his face,
      It’s only a matter of time before he will fall from grace,
      Labor did right with their change of direction,
      By choosing Julia Gillard as their selection.
      Julia is strong and determined and in for the long haul,
      And it’s most likely certain that it will be Abbott that will fall,
      And when the time comes around for the Federal Election,
      Julia Gillard will be my selection.

    • Roy says:

      05:34pm | 24/06/10

      An unelected prime minister being sworn in by an unelected governor-general representing an unelected, foreign head of state. And our soldiers are dying as they try to make Afghanistan a democracy.

      Reply

    • Thomas says:

      06:16pm | 24/06/10

      Okay, not to get all constitutional on you, but…

      Firstly, the Prime Minster is an elected member of the house.

      Secondly, seeing as they wield no discretionary power (1975 notwithstanding), do you really care that the GG and Queen are unelected?

      Most importantly, though - if you’re dissatisfied with our parliamentary democracy, go move to a republic or an autocratic regime. Don’t worry, we’ll save you a seat for your return.

    • Laborgal says:

      09:37pm | 24/06/10

      Julia was elected as Leader of the Labor Party - who then becomes Prime Minister if Labor hold government.  Last time I looked we hadn’t become the US where the whole nation votes on the leader.  Only the electors of Rudd’s seat voted for him.
      In Australia, we vote for the party.  The party we voted for in 2007 is still in power.

    • Ryan says:

      10:06pm | 24/06/10

      @Laborgal : I believe the slogan was “Kevin 07”... so care to explain that or should we just put that down to yet more Labor lies. While on lies, I personally liked the recent “I will not challenge for the top job” not to be outdone by “I would be more likely to line up for the Western Bulldogs than challenge for leadership”.. more lies. All class there. I wonder how many lies we shall expect from Gipettos wooden daughter in the future?

    • Jane says:

      10:08pm | 24/06/10

      Too funny….those trying to re-write history and pretend it wasn’t all about Rudd.
      The back peddling and fervent pretence that he wasn’t number 1 voting issue is hilarious. The whole campaign was based around him.
      It was one hell of a ‘one man’ campaign that Kev ‘07 gig….complete with t-shirt.

      Hmmm - Where are those t-shirts anyway?....LOL

      Voting for the nameless/faceless/irrelevant Labor candidate was a means to getting Rudd the messiah in for most of the easily deluded that voted Labor.

      Don’t kid yourselves. Labor would NOT have won the ‘07 election had it not been for Rudd.
      Labor were happy to ride in on his back…and they can ride out on it too. smile

    • DC says:

      10:51pm | 24/06/10

      I hate to state the obvious (but it does seem as it’s not that obvious to you) that unless you are actually a Griffith constituent, you never voted for the PM anyway - you voted for your local member.

    • tony from lawson says:

      12:01am | 25/06/10

      So Labrgol, if the party leader is an absolute tool but your local member is OK, you still vote for that particular party knowing that the absolute tool leader will be running the country.  Yeah that makes sense.

    • Laborgal says:

      08:25am | 25/06/10

      @Ryan - Yes, there was a Kevin 07 campaign; there was also a campaign based on policies, abilities and a team.  Your supposition that Gillard lied about her ambitions is very narrow.  If you take a proper look at the events over the last two days, I think you will realise the leadership spill wasn’t as Macchiavellian as you have indicated.
      And if she is a puppet as you describe, who pulls the strings?  Gillard is much stronger than that.  Play the ball, not the woman.
      I find this all a tad irritating, this criticism of changing Prime Ministers before an election, considering the immense push for Costello to take over the leadership from Howard pre-07 - from all corners.  No one congratulated Costello for waiting for the people to decide - they derided him for being a coward in not being strong enough to challenge Howard.
      Gillard and the Labor caucus have called it - and acted.  Quick and decisive action that is good for the party, good for the government and good for the Australian people.
      @ Thomas - I’d certainly support a move for an Australian Republic with an Australian Head of State - and I don’t intend to leave my country until this happens, but work towards making it a reality.

    • Adam Diver says:

      08:33am | 25/06/10

      You know what is worse then someone who doesn’t get thier point across 100%?

      A: The tool who goes by the letter of the book. You know the type they usually work in middle management and just look at you blank faced when you show some initiative or make a decision based solely on common sense. They then proced to the manual to find out how to discipline you for your excellent customer service.

      Yes we use the westminster system, but we have evolved to assume that the elected head of the political party will do the job they are elected for. I am not going to vote for my best local candidate, I am going to vote for the party that I believe shows the most competency nationally. After all its not my local candidate who decides tax rates, implements laws, starts wars, creates and implement policies etc.

    • Dan says:

      02:59pm | 25/06/10

      Roy - I’m unsure if you are typing with your tongue in your cheek, but in case you aren’t…it’s disgraceful anyone would denigrate the work of our defence forces (by way of trivialising their sacrifice) to make what only amounts to a very pitiful and ultimately boringly ignorant point.

    • Holly says:

      05:42pm | 24/06/10

      I agree she speaks a little more plainly and slowly but I do take issue with her point that the government had somehow lost its way and she would get it back on track.  Since she was party to all the decision making so far I wonder exactly what she means.  I sincerely hope she does not intend to match Abbotts asylum seeker policy. I appreciate that she has already acted as a circuit breaker in RSPT debate but negotiation a little more dangerous than consultation.  Interesting times.

      I have seen comments on this site to the effect that people did not realise Rudd government had done so much.  The media, shock jocks and Abbott would have had us believe this was a do nothing government when nothing could be further from the truth.  They have had an agenda of bringing fairness back to our country,  and rebuilding our neglected services and infrastructure, and they have worked very hard towards achieving that achieve that.

      Reply

    • Brad Price says:

      06:30pm | 24/06/10

      I agree thaey did work very hard at achieving, he just wasn’t that good at it!

      Plus no one doubts that Labor has done a lot. The question is more around the hollowness of meaningless apologies, signing defunct protocols and back flips on moral challenges.

    • Andrew says:

      07:22pm | 24/06/10

      You are having yourself on. If that were the case, instead of putting us in to debt for handouts they could have undertaken real nation building programs like roads, hospitals, rail, port, housing etc. They didn’t all they did was try and put batts in roofs (fail) and build school halls (neccessary but no value for money). Don’t eulogise a government. If they were so good why did his own party assassinate him. You are living in a dreamworld if you think anyone but the unions are running the labor party. Its not about fairness its about mediocrity.

      The most disloyal machiavellian party in history. How would you like Swanny in the trenches next to you? Ha Ha

    • Freeman says:

      09:43pm | 24/06/10

      “They have had an agenda of bringing fairness back to our country,  and rebuilding our neglected services and infrastructure, and they have worked very hard towards achieving that”

      wow…. that’s rudd and gillards mantra almost word for word.
      Holly, thats the kind of nastalgic talk you get from a goverment that doesn’t want to talk figures beacuse the figures really tell the story. rudd was a disaster and labor was facing defeat.

    • DC says:

      10:57pm | 24/06/10

      @Andrew:

      “The most disloyal machiavellian party in history. How would you like Swanny in the trenches next to you? Ha Ha”

      He’d be dead in two seconds flat - what you call a “friendly fire” incident.

      I haven’t seen a treacherous little worm like that since…well, John Howard.  Think back to the 90’s when he came to power.

      Actually - I’m going to correct myself - I haven’t seen a treacherous little worm like that since Tony Abbott.

      Remember how Abbott lied to the Australian public about his belief in climate change, and how he lied to his own party so that he could seize control from Turnbull?

      And then he suddenly believed in climate change again.

    • Greg says:

      01:36am | 25/06/10

      You might mean that many Labor stalwarts did not want to admit to realising the Rudd governement has done so much quite badly;
      . indigenous Sorry and even one year in Rudd was sorry again for not being able to report progress.
      It was only after the Sorry scene that Jenny Macklin did some field trips and started saying how not much would change in a generation!
      . 2020 junket for what exactly
      . the greatest moral whatever of our time!, oh yeah
      . the GFC and jobs - for how long and at what cost? $100B?
      . insulation program
      . NBN - ask yourself whether it is worth $35-40B and as an example ask whether you need super fast transmission as you type up a comment
      And on Gillard specifically
      . Work Choices! and here is where Unions/lefties do not really get it at all for why do you think manufacturing plants keep closing up shop to head offshore? , perhaps because of lower wages, much much lower and one weapon to combat that would be more flexible working arrangements.
      So we’re left with resources, not so much a massive labor intensive industry because of machinery but ask yourself how it affects our balance of trade.
      All of this stuff that Rudd/Gillard/Labor etc. has supposedly done not very well at all has cost us the billions that they are now trying to squeeze out of an industry that needs to compete on the global scene and so what do they want to do? - just hobble it.
      And then Gillard reckons it’s Ok to have some problems with the BER just because of the program size and why was there not better oversight from the word go rather than now attempting to play catch-up.
      . Are school halls and libraries so essential anyway?
      So what are the services and infrastructure to be rebuilt and how is fairness returned just by racking up a massive deficit in budgetting.
      If you think that can go on forever, just consider what is happening in Europe.
      It is called living within ones means.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      02:16am | 25/06/10

      Andrew says:07:22pm; you’ve obviously been living with your head in the sand, maybe you should pull ya head out and smell the roses instead of being a sheep

    • Ben says:

      08:29am | 25/06/10

      Gillard pulled the ads because 1) They were ineffective 2) They we’re being gouged by the mining ads - Blind Freddy can see this was a back-flip in disguise! Not to mention that only weeks before had she demonstrated her full support for Labors use of public money to fund the ads.  On that point, we’ve already paid for ads, we’re not getting that money back - More tax payer money down the drain from a wasteful Labor Government

      Furthermore Holly, it’s not that media, or Abbot that necessarily picked on Rudd’s failures, it was simply a case of the media highlighting what Labor has done best - failed to deliver. After all, this is one of the primary roles of the media, no?


      Furthermore Holly, it’s not that media, or Abbot that necesscirally picked on Rudd’s failures, it was simply a case of the media highlighting what Labor has done best - failed to deliver. After all, this is one of the primary roles of the media, no?

    • Kate says:

      09:04am | 25/06/10

      Andrew,
      If you had bothered to do any research you would find that there has been massive spending on infrastructure as a long-term stimulus measure. As an example I work in rail and the scope of projects we have received funding for is very impressive, and they are designed to move freight more efficiently, increasing our exports, and hence increasing our GDP! The cash handouts and pink batts were merely meant to act a short-term measure.

    • Robert Smissen Rural SA says:

      05:45pm | 25/06/10

      She speaks plainly & slower than most people, yes, she talks to you like you talk to a sloooooow person. Yep just what Oz needs, NOT! ! !

    • Don says:

      05:45pm | 24/06/10

      Let us hope that Julia Gillard will embrace that common sense and do what is right for the nation, not what the ‘party’  wants.
      The national interest for the best for all Australians, not just horrible politics.

      Reply

    • Against the Man says:

      06:11pm | 24/06/10

      She became PM due to the ‘party’ and she will toe the ‘party’ line. If you believe otherwise let me sell you some swamp land in Queensland.

    • Ben in Canberra says:

      06:30pm | 24/06/10

      Don, great sentiment, but why do you think she’s there in the first place? She is not a consensus candidate like Rudd; she is firmly entrenched in the union side of the Labor party. That being said, she is an impressive performer, usually well thought and widely regarded as the best parliamentary performer since Costello. Interesting times ahead me thinks!

    • Dan says:

      05:55pm | 24/06/10

      Are we missing the issue that in the 11th hour the Labor Government, knowing full well that they couldn’t win with their current leader, have thrown him to the wolves to put in fresh blood?

      Whether GIllard can make witty remarks at question time is another issue, what about voting in a government who backed someone they don’t trust to do the job for so long? With that in mind I think the title of this article is misleading. Julia Gillard makes sense for the Labor Government sure, but with a move like this so late in the game, has the Labour Government made any sense this last term?

      Reply

    • DC says:

      11:06pm | 24/06/10

      @Dan

      “Whether GIllard can make witty remarks at question time is another issue, what about voting in a government who backed someone they don’t trust to do the job for so long?”

      Oh, you must mean like Costello did with Howard - or Turnbull did with Nelson - or Abbott did with Turnbull.

      They all do it - stop the whining.

    • Jordan says:

      05:57pm | 24/06/10

      Yip. Called this 3 months ago. Here’s another call for ya. Gillard will cut a deal with the Greens to get the ETS through. It will be Gillard’s first major move and it will need to happen soon. She’ll also increase the threshold for the SPT to kick in at around 17%.

      Reply

    • Jane says:

      09:22am | 25/06/10

      I don’t doubt you Jordan….considering the ETS was and is global based Socialism by stealth using the environment and guilt.

      Tagged as the core reason Labor has lost support, she’ll cut a ‘deal’ alright. ‘Whatever it takes’...and bugger Australia.
      Right up Red Gillard’s alley. Control of the economy by government. Socialism on the way to Communism….just like the RSPT

      Red Gillard is well on her way to realising her long held ( and carefully concealed) agendas.

    • Dan says:

      03:48am | 26/06/10

      You are so paranoid Jane, it’s not funny.

      ‘global based Socialism by stealth using the environment and guilt’, ‘Socialism on the way to Communism’, ‘Red Gillard is well on her way to realising her long held ( and carefully concealed) agendas.’

      Putting aside that you probably don’t even know what socialism is, other than imagining it to be the monster under your bed, the ETS is necessary to tackle climate change. It has nothing to do with socialism.  As for the PSPT, WE (the people) own the resources which are not infinite, and we are perfectly entitled to seek more from the people who are selling our resources. We are not the only country who is doing so. You may call it socialism, however that does not lessen the justness of it.

      As for Gillard being a communist with ‘carefully concealed’ agendas, to describe you as paranoid and ignorant would be a compliment. You need to join reality!

    • Jason says:

      05:58pm | 24/06/10

      She was put their by right wing hacks.. rudd was leading in the polls he had a mandate by the people. This is a disgrace. Perhaps the media will be more cosier with her media people or something. Bloody shocking. Now julia will have to kowtow to the nsw right.. they have already ruined our party there.

      Reply

    • nic davies says:

      05:58pm | 24/06/10

      A picture speaks a thousand words.  The photo for this article is inappropriate.

      Reply

    • tony from lawson says:

      12:06am | 25/06/10

      Chik chik, BOOM!  Goodbye Kruddy.

    • Benjamin says:

      08:33am | 25/06/10

      Yet so aptly appropriate.

    • Steve Turner says:

      06:02pm | 24/06/10

      “New leadership speeches inevitably have a shiny freshness to them that kicks off the honeymoon.”
       
      Why is it that media honymoons are only ever given to new Labor leaders but never to new Liberal leaders.

      Reply

    • Timmy says:

      10:38pm | 24/06/10

      Hmm…mainly because having Tony Abbott as Liberal leader is like jumping forward in the marriage to the bit where you find all your stuff out on the lawn and have to move into a motel…

    • Timmy says:

      10:39pm | 24/06/10

      Hmm…mainly because having Tony Abbott as Liberal leader is like jumping forward in the marriage to the bit where you find all your stuff out on the lawn and have to move into a motel…

    • DC says:

      11:04pm | 24/06/10

      Really?  That’s funny - Latham was caned from day one and so was Crean and if I remember correctly, so was Beazley.

      I get a bit tired of the “woe is me” attitude from the Liberal supporters and their incessant whining of “why is everyone always picking on us?”

    • JJ says:

      11:40pm | 24/06/10

      Because unlike Liberals, members of the Labor party actually have charisma.

      For all of the constant derision of Labor by what I think is a very vocal minority lately, it’s important to remember that Australia and every state except Western Australia is governed by the Australian Labor Party.

      It is the natural party of government - let’s face it, if the Liberals and Nationals weren’t in bed together like a loveless middle-aged couple then Labor would win almost every election.

      I mean, Labor gave the Liberals government in Tasmania and they still couldn’t get into office. Isobel Redmond won the popular vote and still Mike Rann sticks around for the ALP in South Australia. Anna Bligh - who’s getting roasted like Rudd at the moment - has already won an election. And despite her government and party reeking to the high heaven, Kristina Keneally’s far more popular and appealing than Barry O’Farrell. Don’t be surprised if Kristina pulls off the unthinkable.

      Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, me - anyone could have led Labor to victory over Tony Abbott. Arbib and Feeney should be put out to dry for acting so rashly so close to an election. They at least could have waited a year into the new term to pull out the knives.

      These figures should have been noted more closely: no government with a 52% two-party preferred vote six months out from an election has lost; no opposition leader with the disapproval rating as low as Tony Abbott’s has won an election; and Rudd is still the preferred prime minister over both Abbott nationwide and Gillard (nationally and in crucial Queensland). Idiots.

    • Steve_of_Cornubia says:

      06:07pm | 24/06/10

      Well that’s it then. Election done and dusted. It appears that just saying stuff that sounds good will get her elected.

      Reminds me of whatsisname. You know, the guy who used to be PM…....

      Reply

    • Victor Meldrew says:

      06:17pm | 24/06/10

      Why all the indepth attempts to find merit in all this? Julie gillard is Prime Minister because the Labour Party machine was frightened for their jobs! No more, no less, visions of the gravy train running out of steam and the trough drying up are the reasons for the change not some sudden vision for the future.
      Politics these days is not about the people (voters, tax-payers etc) but about keeping the pollies in the greed to which they are accustomed.

      Reply

    • Lee says:

      12:18am | 25/06/10

      The trough drying up? We have the lowest public debt compared to GDP in the OECD. Australia’s public debt is the least of its worries, it’s a non-issue.

    • Bob H says:

      04:21pm | 25/06/10

      “We have the lowest public debt compared to GDP in the OECD” well lets keep spending foolishly until we are in the same basket case situation the other economies are, shall we?  You must be a public servant to be so flippant with others hard earned taxes.

    • Tony Cooper says:

      06:19pm | 24/06/10

      Good on ya Julia, you do it gal!

      Reply

    • Rod says:

      06:25pm | 24/06/10

      Who’s going to talk to the Chinese now?

      Reply

    • nosthow says:

      06:54pm | 24/06/10

      A wonderful and dignified start to what should become a long and dedicated time as our PM. It must have been very difficult and I think she has shown she is more than up to the task - later on she easily handled the Coalition during Question Time deflecting with ease any criticisms that this forlorn bunch of rabble were able to muster. Poor Joe Hockey looked close to tears - time to “consider your future” Joe! Julie Bishop as usual made a fool of herself and Abbott just appeared dazed - the keys to the Lodge had slipped away - only yesterday this poor wretch of a man with a mortgage that would choak an elephant declared “victory was within grasp” ! Then .... oh damn it all slipped away !

      Reply

    • Wayne Fehlhaber says:

      10:25pm | 24/06/10

      Nosthow :  tell the truth !  She refused to answer Abbott’s questions on the $ 12Billion R.S.P.T. projected revenue which was included in the current budget projections.
      Gillard has stated that the tax will now be up for consultation and negotiation which indicates a big shift in what the real projected revenue may total.
      That being the case , the current budget is shot to pieces. !
      Your description of what occurred in the House is mighty differrent to reality my friend.  You should stick to fact and leave your imagination in your comic books.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      08:30am | 25/06/10

      Totally right nosthow, loved the come on Bishop after she accused Julia of being the same old government, Julia came back with same old duty leader of the opposition. Bishop looked like a total loser. And interesting to see all the righteous greater than thou men of the liberal party and there supporters getting there knickers in a knot now we have a woman in the top job. The liberal party is becoming so yesterday, they cant bring themselves to do the right thing when they needed to ie: get rid of Howard, appologise for past wrongs, push Australia onto the world stage (G20), spend money on much needed infrastructure and do anything that might put the big end of town before it’s constituency just to name a few.

    • Wayne Fehlhaber says:

      09:30am | 25/06/10

      Rob r Charteris :  The opinion poll results are pouring in my friend and it’s all bad news for Gillard . 
      The electorate has turned off Labor , the damage is done and no amount of simpering from Gillard will change the electorate’s course of removing Labor from office.
      What she would have gained in the ” gender ” vote she has lost with her complicity in Kevin Rudd’s political assassination.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      12:33pm | 25/06/10

      Wayne Fehlhaber says:09:30am Nice try, I’m still trying to find all these opion opinion polls that are apparently pouring in, I see one but parhaps you can point out all the others. Besides there isn’t any indication they’re heading off to Abbott that one thing we do know, so I wouldn’t get too excited for your mad monk just yet fella. Lets wait until Julia kicks into gear, we’re already seeing Abbott coming out with the cheap shots, the poor boy is getting confused. It must be a real shock to his well being see a woamn in the top job. Oh yeah you can whinge all you like about factional unionism in the Labor party…. what do you expect from a party all about the worker, I mean really!!! where the hell have you and every other wind bag been??? living on Mars for the last 100 years?? Rudd wasn’t ousted he stepped down when he found out the party was behind him and he didn’t have the number to support him as leader, it’s a lil thing called democracy, parhaps Howard could of learned from the Labor party.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      07:37am | 26/06/10

      Wayne Fehlhaber says:09:30am; the latest Nelson poll looking pretty good fella   ; ) Primary vote up 14% two party prefered up 8% and Abbott has dropped 5% as prefered PM. So I’ll say again what polls are you looking at Wayne??? some obscure herald sun poll maybe??? like I said Julia will wipe the floor with Abbott the rabbit.

    • Janis says:

      06:54pm | 24/06/10

      The ugliest picture I saw today was that of the imperial Quentin Bryce sitting smugly opposite Miss Gillard during the official signing-over ceremony.  It was even less palatable than last night’s televised rant by the AWU’s comparatively under-educated Paul Howes. 

      Quentin Bryce is the mother-in-law of one of today’s shady union/faction   henchmen who think they run our country:  Mr Bill Shorten. 

      Who do these Labor mates think they are?  Our masters?

      How much more politically manipulative can Labor unions be? 

      I did not support Rudd due to his Gang of Four’s excessive errors of judgement, including billions of our dollars wasted.

      But that memorable picture of Shorten’s Governor-General mother-in-law bestowing the ultimate power upon a left-wing Labor mate so soon after Shorten had helped engineer the most tacky political assassination in Australian history, is a sight I will never forget.

      Polls are already showing that Gillard’s team will not be re-elected.

      That would indeed be justice.  I truly hope our Aussie brothers and sisters will ensure that those Labor/union/faction mates and the Gillard Labor sideshow will be thoroughly humiliated at the polls, just as we have been scorned throughout this entire episode.

      Reply

    • Mark Chapple says:

      10:16pm | 24/06/10

      “Who do they think they are? Our masters?” Whoa, that’s a bit rich. I’m imagining a Liberal supporter who has fond memories of Bob Menzies and John Howard, and the conga line of suckholes to big business who have forever thought it is they who are the chosen ones. Love it. Boots on the other foot.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      02:12am | 25/06/10

      Janis says:06:54pm; these so called Union masters have done more for you than that liberal rabble will ever do. Just remember nearly every aspect of your comfortable working life was faught for you by some union you ungreatful fool. They’re no more manipulative than that right wing religious monk you have to stupidity to call a leave. Julia Gillard will wipe the floor with him. Really some people should try to find some substance in what they say instead of finding on the back of some liberal spin card.

    • WKH says:

      05:44am | 25/06/10

      Here here…..

    • Jane says:

      03:47pm | 25/06/10

      Totally spot on Janis.
      That Union thug Shorten is paving HIS own way…..using stupid Labor ‘females’ to do so.

      If Rudd was so bad Bryce should have sacked him…ala Whitlam….and forced an election…that Labor would lose. But Bryce was ‘jobs for maaaaaaaaaaaates’ Labor insurance via Shorten that that scenario would never occur.
      Dirty stinkin’, True Deceivers Labor…the political arm of the Unions.

    • Elizabeth says:

      07:40pm | 24/06/10

      We should learn from the NSW state Labor party, just how Rees was becoming increasingly unpopular, he was replaced by a woman to change the ‘image’ of the Labor party to make voters seem Labor is there for change. Wrong. Since the Penrith by-election it shows that it doesn’t work. I hope Australians come to their senses and not be persuaded by having a woman as a leader but look at what her party and the policies her party brings forward. Labor is becoming increasingly unpopular not because of the whole mining tax but it runs much deeper than that.

      Reply

    • Bob Higgs says:

      07:48pm | 24/06/10

      Here we go, on an adrenalin high we believe all the fine words and actually believe her and look to a shiny new Labour party.  She is another politician who will manipulate, wriggle and stretch truth in order to get re-elected and cling to power in order to enter the history books, we voters are irrelevant.

      Reply

    • Belle says:

      12:12am | 25/06/10

      Mark Latham, Kevin Rudd and now Julia Gillard…....“style” over substance hasn’t been too successful for the Labor party, thankfully the masses don’t seem to be that easily fooled anymore.

    • Belle says:

      12:14am | 25/06/10

      Mark Latham, Kevin Rudd and now Julia Gillard…....“style” over substance hasn’t been too successful for the Labor party, thankfully the masses don’t seem to be that easily fooled anymore.

    • iansand says:

      07:56pm | 24/06/10

      Message to Julia - I know Mr O’Brien’s christian name.  Mmkkay?

      Reply

    • nosthow says:

      08:08pm | 24/06/10

      Ms Gillard is a smart lady and is above all a winner ! She will lead Labor to a resounding election victory over what is really a 2nd rate Coalition led by a 2nd rate leader ! Today is “goodbye Tony Abbott” day !

      Reply

    • Julia says:

      08:08pm | 24/06/10

      Honeymooner.

      Reply

    • Peasant #3167 says:

      08:12pm | 24/06/10

      I’ve been a Liberal voter, but after watching her tonight with ACA and then the punishing Kerry O’Brien she has won me over. She is smart, no BS, and I think really cares. I think Mr Abbott will have to earn his money this year.

      Reply

    • Benjamin says:

      09:33am | 25/06/10

      Peasant, you’re fooled by the wolf in sheeps clothing.

    • Belle says:

      10:11pm | 25/06/10

      She is very slick but is she genuine? I see a practised, plastic person speaking lines. There is no warmth or human-ness there, very much like Rudd.

    • Super D says:

      08:18pm | 24/06/10

      I have no doubt that Julia Gillard was told that Rudd was gone and she either took the job now or forfeited her chance.  As a NSW resident I’ve watched head office demolish two premiers in the past 2 years and when the labor machine moves it is unstoppable.  That being said Gillard is a lady with talent.

      Her talent is truly on display when it comes to the refugee issue.  Not once has she used the word compassion.  This word was obviously a huge turnoff in the focus groups and indicates that the ALP is going after the centre and sacrificing the left to the greens in the knowledge they’ll get most of it back.  The ALP Head office will let retaining power trump principle every time.

      It will be interesting to see how long we will be hearing about how a good government lost its way without questions being asked of the navigation skills of the co-pilot.  I would argue Gillard is up to her gills in it.

      Reply

    • Seano says:

      09:01pm | 24/06/10

      She’s already proving her worth. Abbott will now have to give up his tactic of staying quite for fear of putting his foot in it yet again and actually come up with some sensible policy.

      By policy I mean something that he arrives at with costings and the agreement of his shadow cabinent, rather than something he’s pulled out of his….hat.

      Reply

    • Ryan says:

      10:11pm | 24/06/10

      Yup just so that the Labor party will have a clue as to what they might actually need to do to run the country.. Mr Mee Too did a great job of that, I wonder whether the Red Barren will be aiming at the same tactic. What is hilarious is how hard the Laborites whine when the Liberals don’t give them policy ideas, we have seen one of their leaders eventually hang himself with bad ideas, I think that Tony Abbott might just sit back and watch this one do the same.

    • DC says:

      11:11pm | 24/06/10

      You noticed that too, hey?

      Abbott has been very quiet since his interview with Kerry O’Brien - I think someone must have told him that every time he opened his mouth, he lost votes.

      The next few months should be very interesting - I think Abbott has a thing for Gillard so he’ll be putting his foot in his mouth even more than usual.

    • Seano says:

      10:06am | 25/06/10

      Absolutely. Abbott realised that Rudd was self destructing and that he was only keeping him in it by opening his mouth.

      He now has to work for a living, against someone who is tougher, smarter and a better communicator.

      @Ryan - I see you agree that Tony is a policy vacuum.

    • Ryan says:

      12:44pm | 25/06/10

      @Seano : ha hardly but nice try, I am 110% positive they have some very good and helpful policies, just not so sure they want to donate them to the Labor party who is clearly devoid of any ideas they can actually deliver without sending us bankrupt.

    • Seano says:

      04:41pm | 25/06/10

      @Ryan - 100% the opposition have some good policies - and yet unable to produce any. Glad to see you barrack your team regardless of how they’re actually doing on the field.

    • Steve_of_Cornubia says:

      09:03pm | 24/06/10

      Gillard must think us all fools with short memories if she believes the past two years can be dimissed as a “good government that lost its way”. What cobblers.

      Unfortunately, many people WANT to vote Labor but were turned off by Rudd, and they will flock back, eager to keep the Libs out of government.  Once agin, we will be saddled with a government voted in for all the wrong reasons, and no doubt we will return to this exact same place in a year or two, asking who the hell voted this Labor trainwreck in.

      Let’s face it, the ‘must vote Labor’ mentality saddled poor NSW with an apalling, incompetent and corrupt government for far too many years, so there is a precedent.

      Reply

    • Ryan says:

      10:08pm | 24/06/10

      Does no one find it strange that there is no persephone on here? Co-incidence even?

      Reply

    • BobM says:

      07:16pm | 27/06/10

      Her other name was probably Therese - but she’s too busy packing…...

    • Peter says:

      10:16pm | 24/06/10

      Let the media suck up begin !

      Reply

    • Paul Phillips says:

      01:22am | 25/06/10

      Today some factions of the Australian Government have signaled by their actions that big business and money will determine the landscape of both this country and government. The democratic process has been removed from the hands of the people and is now clearly in the hands of those with the most cash in the bank. Every Australian mining executive should feel ashamed, that they have today destroyed a centuries old system of mateship and Australian honor and replaced it with their new false god they have dug from the soils of Australia. Money!
      This is not about Gillard or Rudd this is clearly a question of whether money or the people decide our government.
      We are Australians. That is what makes us different. This could happen in America or somewhere else but we should never let happen here. If we let this go unchallenged we will have set a precedent that we will never be able to reverse.
      An election needs to be called immediately so the people, not business, or money can decide. This is not about Labor or Liberal. Not about Gillard or Abott. It is clearly about what Australians and Australia stands for.
      I believe Gillard has totally mis-judged Australians and what we stand for, if she believes we would sell our country, principles and people for any amount of money. That is truly un-Australian.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      11:07am | 25/06/10

      I agree! You have to ask who is running the country? Is it the mining companies, or the government? It’s pretty obvious Labor couldn’t go to the election with the fight with the miners hanging over their heads. The backbenchers faced with loss of their seats have turned on Rudd! The mining companies have thus effectively deposed Rudd, and shown themselves to be more powerful than the democratically elected government. The simple fact is that regardless of risk considerations, if you earn money in Australia, you must pay tax, on it! I would hope that future negotiations involve a ‘value adding’ component. If massive profits are being made, jobs should be brought to Australia. Processing offshore to exploit the ignorant natives should cost more to the miners.

    • Greg says:

      12:07pm | 25/06/10

      Oh come now acotrel, it’s not the mining companies that have deposed Rudd.
      Rudd and his mob developed their spending habits, their budget.
      They were out of money and wanted the mining companies to cough up.
      Have a look at what resources company taxation is like globally.
      They have expressed their dismay and have wanted to make the Australian people aware.
      The right thing to have been done would have been for Rudd and his mob to take test their standing and proposed policies with the electorate.
      The Labor heavies are the ones who have chosen the interim assassination course.
      Developing onshore processing has been tried btw., BHP having lost billions on an iron ore pelletisation concept and Newcastle mills closed down decades back.
      Nevertheless there is still already other minerals processing onshore .

      But ultimately, we are part of a global economic scene and it’ll be global economics that will decide just as much as anything what happens, the very reason why much manufacturing is progressively going to asia - lower wages my friend.
      Believe it or not, Work Choices delivering more flexible working arrangements may have helped save some of those jobs for at least companies could have remained more competitive.

      The same with the RSPT and do you not think that international mining companies are also not competing with oneanother and when something becomes less profitable in one location they will shift to another.

      Labor do just not understand economics too well and that is not surprising at government level when you have a whole heap of former anti business unionists as the team and now a former Union employee as their leader.

      Julia may be an athiest but if you’ve ever been anything of a church goer and believe in the benefit of prayer, now’s a great time to start.

    • Mandy says:

      03:39am | 25/06/10

      It seems a lot of Australians don’t have the first idea when it comes to how our political system works. In a Constitutional Monarchy, such as our own, we do not ‘vote in’ the prime minister. We vote for the party. Whoever happens to be the elected head of that party (elected by the party itself) then becomes prime minister. Therefore it is well within the party’s rights to change whoever that may be as often as they like, and to whom they want.

      Reply

    • Belle says:

      11:17am | 26/06/10

      Labor was swept into power by the Kevin 07 con. The blinded masses voted for the Labor candidate in their electorate because they wanted Rudd to be their PM.

    • Marian Dalton says:

      08:00am | 25/06/10

      You just have to love the vitriol and the paranoia, don’t you? ‘She’s not elected ... she’s a puppet of the unions/the Labor Right/the Men in Black’, etc.

      Not to mention what looks a lot like sour grapes. Some posters - the ones yelling loudest about some imagined loss of democracy - really seem to be saying that they have been cheated of their opportunity to ‘teach Labor/Rudd a lesson’. Nothing could be further from the truth. All they have been cheated of is the opportunity to continue complaining about Rudd as PM.

      Here’s a novel suggestion. How about judging the new Prime Minister *on her merits*? It’s a pretty wild idea, I know, but just maybe it’s worth a try.

      Stop with the accusations of puppetry and start looking at what she *does*. If her actions as PM show her to be irrevocably tainted or hopelessly incompetent, then there is a remedy - the same one available to all Australian voters. Gillard has already confirmed on the 7.30 Report that she will call an election this year, so no one has been robbed of their chance to send Labor any kind of message.

      Is this simply a case of playing the man? Does it mean so much to these posters to be able to attack Rudd directly? Can they not see beyond him to the party in government? Or is it a case of not understanding the Westminster system of Parliament? Perhaps a little less US television and a little more study of their own country might clear things up for them.

      Reply

    • Steve_of_Cornubia says:

      09:55am | 25/06/10

      What a refreshing idea. It would have been nice to see Tony Abbott given the same courtesy when he took over, instead of all the childish ‘Mad Monk’ and ‘Budgie Smuggler’ personal attacks. He wasn’t given a chance to prove himself, either.

    • Christian Real says:

      04:34pm | 28/06/10

      Steve_of Cornubria
      Tony Abbott has already proven himself - As a liar, and whether it is a written or unwritten speech, it would still be hard to tell if he was actually telling the truth for a change.
      Plus he breached the Parliamentary rules covering MP’s pucuniary interests by failing to declare a $710,000 mortgage to Parliament for almost two years, for which he should stand down and resign from his Leadership position, seeing that the Liberal party forced Joel Fitzgibbon to stand down and resign as Defence Minister for failing to declare ‘gift ’ overseas trips on the MP’s pecuniary interests register in Parliament.
      Or does tony Abbott think and believe that the rules don’t apply to him..

    • Onthesideline says:

      09:17am | 25/06/10

      What a stroke of political genius.  Flick the source of the problem (no matter how “grateful” you might be for past success and them kick the two really difficult issues, carbon reduction and the mining tax way into next year.  No wonder Gillard was invited on to the football team,  She kicks to touch better than Matt Gitau (mixing my footy metaphors).  But forget the ‘female” thing.  Gillard is easily the hardest, toughest pollie in the country.  She’ll have the likes of Bob Brown and the rest for lunch.
      In fact, If you search for “Parliament Deathmatch” mashup, you’ll see exactly what we are in for.

      Reply

    • Doh says:

      09:34am | 25/06/10

      I have to hand it to the Labor fans, you sure know how to move your allegiance quick!  Only a couple of days ago you were all defending Rudd to your bootstraps.  Now you seem to be relishing in his defeat & humiliation all while cheering on his hit squad.

      Meanwhile, this is going to be an interesting space to watch.

      Reply

    • Christian Real says:

      06:19pm | 28/06/10

      Doh,
      It doesn’t mean that allegiances to Kevin Rudd has been moved, it just means that we are more adult then Liberal supporters and are able to move on and support the new Leader.
      It is called unity, something that is unknown in the Liberal party, three Leaders of the Opposition in less than three years, Nelson, Turnbull and Abbott .
      Wouldn’t be surprised if Hockey or someone else takes over the Liberal Leadership just before the next Federal Election

    • John Betchamin says:

      10:35am | 25/06/10

      Blubbering Rudd
      your name is Mudd

      So here’s Gillard
      She’s well ‘ard

      Reply

    • dead to me says:

      02:18pm | 25/06/10

      The fact that the Labor government has given us Gillard and very little policy ideas makes me think that the last 2 1/2 years was a total waste. I’d rather give the Libs a chance; they have a better track record.

      Reply

    • Polly says:

      03:03pm | 25/06/10

      Is this site sponsored by Abbot’s reactionary right-wing party aka The Liberal Party? If you vote for Abbott remember the old proverb: ‘Married in haste, we may repent at leisure’. Abbott is intentionally keeping very quiet before an election about his deeply-held religiosity which drives his extremely conservative, bigoted beliefs. If he gains power those beliefs would drag us all back to the insular and small-minded 1950s. He knows that, if his views were common knowledge, he would get very little support indeed from the Australian public. Research his history and views thoroughly before voting for him.

      Reply

    • BobM says:

      09:32pm | 27/06/10

      Polly is a dolly who is sick, sick, sick…....

      Update on the SMH Poll -

      Are you more likely to vote Labor with Julia Gillard as leader?
      Yes   42%
      No   58%
      Total votes: 144,722.

    • ivote says:

      05:39pm | 25/06/10

      Benjamin, appearances can be deceiving.
      If you haven’ t been following Julia’s progress then you may be surprised, but she has always been a wolf and poor Tony Abbott is her next meal.

      Reply

    • paul Phillips says:

      08:37pm | 25/06/10

      Many have missed the point of my comments.
      Gillard’s first action was not to help or change health care or education. Her first action was to hand an olive branch to big business: The mining companies. She surrendered the government, If it was not about this issue why was it her first action?

      Reply
 
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