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Gillard lets Rudd warm the backbench

Leo Shanahan

by Leo Shanahan

28 Jun 01:52pm

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Filed under: Election 2010, Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Simon Crean, Stephen Smith

66 comments

Julia Gillard has announced her new cabinet line-up today and it was pretty reflective of the new Prime Minister’s behaviour since taking the top job: smart and cautious.

The lesser known breakfast table cabinet. Photo: Ray Strange

Prime Minister Gillard has left Kevin Rudd to warm the backbench till after the election. It’s a harsh move but it’s a smart one given how angry Rudd must be at his cabinet colleagues at the moment.

Gillard has also not given in to the temptation to reward those MPs who were behind the Rudd coup, namely Victorian right faction leader Bill Shorten.

Former Trade Minister Simon Crean has taken Gillard’s ministerial duties of education and industrial relations, while Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith increases his role taking on trade.

But the important thing to note about the current cabinet is only a short term fix till after the election.

Gillard has indicated that Rudd was none too pleased to find out that he won’t have a cabinet post, namely the Foreign Minister’s job which he wanted:

“There is nothing about this period that is happy or easy for Mr Rudd it is obviously a very, very stressful and difficult time.”

But Gillard has said that she would be “absolutely delighted” to have Rudd serve in the cabinet after the election if they win.

One questionable decision is to leave outgoing Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner where he is.

Finance Minister is a central portfolio, and Tanner has been part of the “gang of four” or “kitchen cabinet” that has been blamed for the over centralisation of government and subsequent poor decision making in cabinet. A new face going into the election to indicate a full break with the past would’ve been preferable.

The point here though is that the current cabinet is all about keeping a holding pattern till election takeoff, and the way Gillard is talking that is looking imminent.

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66 comments

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    • Chris says:

      02:07pm | 28/06/10

      She said Mr Rudd would be welcome to take up a senior Cabinet position if Labor was re-elected…. she is afraid she wont be re-elected, so she is using rudd as a insurance policy… coward!!!

      Reply

    • Bleeemo says:

      02:39pm | 28/06/10

      How does that at all meen that Rudd is an insurance policy? Where exactly is the insurance? Either they win at the next election and he gets a seat or they don’t win and he get’s nothing. Keeping Rudd out of it at the minute is the smartest thing to do. I think you just hyper flame for the sake of it.

    • Juan says:

      04:20pm | 28/06/10

      She want’s to keep him quiet and under control

    • Seano says:

      06:49pm | 28/06/10

      That makes no sense. It is only logical to leave Rudd out so his demotion wont distract from the up coming election. Screaming coward is just plan silly as well as wrong.

    • zzzeano says:

      09:22pm | 28/06/10

      Coward is right, but not cause Rudd will distract. She’s a coward cause she doesn’t want him there as a reminder to everyone that she was right by his side and equally responsible for every dumb-ass stuff up that this government has been responsible for !

    • Jane says:

      11:05pm | 28/06/10

      It’s gutless and ‘cowardly’ of her because she’s hoping there’s enough hate there in his own electorate to not to have to deal with him after the election…and to capitalise beforehand on the pretence of generous conciliatory intent.
      She’s a player…another Labor actor.

      Gillard will say anything to get over the line…and as quickly as possible so as not to lose the momentum of the ‘novelty bounce’.

    • Seano says:

      02:45pm | 29/06/10

      Funny I don’t remember you guys screaming coward when Abbott refused Turnbull a seat on his front bench. But please don’t let the political realities intrude on your narrow world view.

    • MarK says:

      10:42pm | 29/06/10

      See the difference is Seano is that Abbott didn’t say he would be happy to have him there.

      She is like Rudd just says something and walks away from it. All to be dealt with “later”.

      Please get the context right

    • Press says:

      02:10pm | 28/06/10

      Sensible, practical, brief. And this PM turns up on time, too.

      Quite a constructive change.

      Reply

    • Mojo rising says:

      02:13pm | 28/06/10

      Gillard is shrewd she wont reward her coup compatriots until after the election - after that her true colours will become apparent

      Reply

    • Julie Coker-Godson says:

      12:08am | 29/06/10

      I’m not so sure Labor will be re-elected despite all the “popularity” of the new PM.  There is more at stake here than a popular PM.  I don’t fancy voting for the Labor system of factions and “You got where you are because of us” principle.  I don’t believe that is a good way to govern a country and since it is Labor’s preferred method of choice, I believe if Julia were to lose her popularity to the extent that Rudd lost his, she will be gone too, regardless of whether or not Labor win the election.  It is this uncertainty that I don’t like and it makes our country look like rank amateurs in the political world.  I wonder what the *real* reason was that Obama cancelled his two proposed visits to Australia?  Sure would love to have been a fly on the wall.

    • Andy says:

      02:15pm | 28/06/10

      Tony will only give Turnbull a position on the front bench after the election. Me Too! Cries Joolia. Kevin will stay on the back bench too until after the election too.
      Tony doesn’t believe in a big Australia which is popular with the voters.
      Me Too! Cries Joolia.
      Tony doesn’t like the tax on miners.
      Me Too! Cries Joolia.
      Tony says border protection policies aren’t working.
      Me Too! Cries Joolia.
      And on and on this will go for Joolia.
      Thank God she has Tony to copy!

      Reply

    • Press says:

      02:29pm | 28/06/10

      Try to re-write history as much as you like, Andy.  You won’t make it so. The population problem won’t be going away any time soon. Why do you think the Intergenerataionl Reports were started?

    • Steve says:

      05:09pm | 28/06/10

      oh dear Andy….. who oh who would want to copy Tony ??
      you have got to be having a laugh.

    • Seano says:

      06:52pm | 28/06/10

      Who’s opinion do you think you are challenging with this work of fiction?

    • DD Ball says:

      02:27pm | 28/06/10

      This cabinet throws into sharp relief what it was that Gillard hoped to achieve in becoming PM. Had she wanted to make a change to policy and start making the ALP the dynamic force in politics she claims it is then she wuld have had different people in. Instead, she has opted a do nothing approach, in line with her own policy making. She was a failure in each of her portfolios before the revolution. She failed IR, as she had failed the IR challenge which DDBall1 made on youtube Gillard Sunrise. She failed education with the BER, but also with her lousy web page which failed to give much information useful to parents to improve the schooling experience of their children and communication with their school. She failed to support Rudd and she failed child care reform and she failed to provide the intellectual support the cabinet needed to make important reforms work, like tax reform, health reform, insulation, petrol prices and more. But on the other hand she is a woman born of whales. Pity the government’s bungling means Japan and others have open slather on Wales.

      Reply

    • Doug says:

      02:58pm | 28/06/10

      Shock horror!  is Japan invading Wales?

    • Tracker says:

      05:29pm | 28/06/10

      She also failed Kevin Rudd when she was Deputy PM. Stabbed him in the back i hear wink

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      06:39pm | 28/06/10

      You sound like an english tourist on a trip to Cornwall, non stop whinge. You wouldn’t know what failier was if it smack you on the nose but you certainly know how to follow like a highland ewe.

    • Against the Man says:

      02:37pm | 28/06/10

      A long time ago in a magical airport a wonderful man called Peter Garrett told someone ’ it doesn’t matter what we say, once we get in we will change everything.’ And none was evermore true. So I believe the PM will say and promise us whatever we wants but in the end she will only be doing so in order to win the election not because she cares for us enough to want to do a good job.

      Reply

    • dovif says:

      02:39pm | 28/06/10

      Umm biggest winner was undoubtedly Simon Crean, who was whiteanting Rudd on Gillard’s behalf for the last 2 month

      Good to see ALP under Gillard has not changed from the NSW model, reward for kingmakers

      Reply

    • David says:

      02:40pm | 28/06/10

      Our new PM has to be held accountable for her previous actions, not just the present actions. It is as simple as that.
      The public needs to be reminded that she was a member of the Gang of 4. They made the decisions. They supported the decisions. They implemented the decisions. They have to be held as accountable as their former leader. Why are we behaving as if everything that went before is now nothing to be concerned about? If that was the case Rudd would still have the job.

      Reply

    • Steve says:

      07:08pm | 28/06/10

      Accountability indeed David Spot on as your friend Skippy says. There should always be accountability in politics and we should not have a short memory either! That is why we should never let Abbott and his cohorts back near our monies ever again you must agree yes? They were part of the gang that presided over huge surpluses set up by their very hard working predecessors vision of Australia. Did not build a thing of value towards the country at all built middle class welfare systems inflated the price of housing with the first home buyers grant killed off the car industry in Australia then did some sweet deal with George W to flood our markets with those fuel guzzling V8 Chrysler jeeps and big RV from the good old US of A. The education system was a crying shame… well that is if your name was not Bartholomew, or Alistair! I do tell a mistruth there guys they did build lots of flagpoles apparently. Lets not forget the AWB fiasco either what did happen there? Oh yeah we had an terms of reference investigation where nothing would ever come out about that as you could only ask questions that were not questions on anything to do with who was Accountable… there’s that word again good you brought it up. It was a little like the inquiry into National Textiles’ management and Directors, of which Mr Howard’s brother, Stan, was one.  It would be a poor use of $6 million in public funds even if the Prime Minister’s brother were not involved, but he was involved and it must raise accountability (that word again) issue of favouritism, if not corruption, despite Mr Howard’s deserved reputation as a decent and honest man(!).

    • kp says:

      02:42pm | 28/06/10

      This government is a farce.  It has made too many mistakes and will continue to do so.  From my own point of view, Gillard is as guilty in making those mistakes as was Rudd and his cronies.  There is nothing new here.  It is just a disguise to try and get the Labor government in for another term.  Make no mistake people of Australia, this is all about lies and deception. Nothing more and nothing less. Oh, but do not forget, this time we have to deal with more union/socialist behaviour. BEWARE !!!!!!

      Reply

    • Justin says:

      02:54pm | 28/06/10

      Of course Rudd was left on the back bench. If they considered him toxic enough to roll him, they’re hardly going to give him a prominent position in the lead up to an election.

      It’s a “good government that’s lost its way” or “more to do, but heading in the right direction” reshuffle.

      Reply

    • Skippy says:

      02:55pm | 28/06/10

      Spot on David, let’s not have a short memory Australia

      Reply

    • Pauly says:

      03:03pm | 28/06/10

      IYour comment: i hope she did Gymnastics when she was a kid as she needs to learn how to back flip. She needs to ax the mining Tax, ax the spending on so called consultants who’s sole intention is to look after thier mates, ax the current policy on boat people and then give a clear concise opinion and policy on climate change.If she dosnt there was no point sacking Kevin Rudd, becouse nothing will change.

      Reply

    • BobM says:

      10:22pm | 28/06/10

      Oh she will apply a bit of lip gloss to them to make them look pretty, talk a lot, smile a lot, shake a lot of hands - but nothing will change. All smoke and mirrors, my friends, smoke and mirrors - get used to it.

    • thatmosis says:

      03:12pm | 28/06/10

      Gunna Krudd left on the back bench, who’d thought. Of course he was left out. This is another ruse by the Wicked Witch of the West until after the election when all will be forgiven and old Gunna will get the portfolio that he wants. To do so now would send the wrong message but if and I say if they are re elected all bets are off. We will have the Gang of three back together again making more ludicrious policies and wasting more money than ever. Only the sheeple will fall for this ploy as most thinking people know that its same policies different leader and business as usual except the Unions are actually now running the country.

      Reply

    • Greg says:

      03:33pm | 28/06/10

      Of course Krudd was going to be left not just because he isn’t left enough but Julia is certainly wanting the losing of the way to be seen as something on which Kev left them behind if to the left.
      It didn’t take too long for the self deprecating words of shared responsibility to morph into Rudd’s plan and responsibility and now we need to get back on track.
      Interesting too that getting back on track with the miners has had the point man on negotiations over in Toronto.
      I suppose the next announcement will be that negotiations over revenue not just for a budget we had to have but the country’s current budget will be put on hold because there is not sufficient time if the people want an early election.
      So here we’ll have a PM and deputy PM having finances in a black hole somewhere, the Finance Minister to bail out to a farm and the other gang member carved up and we’re supposed to have confidence in voting for a party that has the country in total economic dissaray.

      Reply

    • Sandy says:

      04:04pm | 28/06/10

      So GILLARD will be happy to have RUDD back after the election so something is starting to stink and I do not like it. Seems someone else is in control here and we have a puppet who follows orders. I hope whatever happens this GILLARD will never get in and I do not care who will win as long as its not GILLARD and her machine

      Reply

    • David says:

      04:12pm | 28/06/10

      Just how toxic was Rudd?  Will he hold his seat? There’s a thought.

      Reply

    • Harriet says:

      05:00pm | 28/06/10

      Was he as toxic as Howard? Now that’s a thought!

    • Richard says:

      06:54pm | 28/06/10

      Of course he will hold his seat! There is alot of sympathy for him up here in Qld over the shabby way he was treated… Will Labor will hold all those other marginal Qld seats they picked up in the last federal election? There’s a question….

    • BobM says:

      10:25pm | 28/06/10

      @Harriet - Howard was PM for over a decade. Rudd could only manage 2 1/2 years. Gillard will be lucky to make 2 1/2 months. Now there’s a thought.

    • Dockey says:

      04:18pm | 28/06/10

      Everything is the same expect a new person in the position all policy are still the same get rid of Labor altogether that is what really need. Come on Liberals win the next election or other wise we will be still in this rut.
      regards
      Mrs C Yuile

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      07:57am | 29/06/10

      Yes Despot Gillard has not included Rudd in Cabinet because there will be nothing new said or done in Cabinet and Rudd would only remind her that it is all same as usual. With Rudd out of the way she can pretend something new is happening.

    • weevil says:

      04:25pm | 28/06/10

      You can’t just have it one way David.

      Our opposition leader has to be held accountable for her previous actions.  Big cuts to health, big cuts to education, work choices…the list goes on…

      Yes, let’s not have a short memory Australia.

      Reply

    • jack says:

      04:56pm | 28/06/10

      well, the IOSP program was actually a huge success and a model as to how to run an education grants program.

      Unlike the BER.

      So, yes, let’s not have short memories.

      And btw, the IOSP was run by Bishop, not Abbott, as she was the Education minister. And work choices has been catagorically ruled out by Abbott this time around.

    • mags says:

      05:37pm | 28/06/10

      Weevil, don’t tell me you’re still parroting that old chestnut. In fact, Tony Abbott wasn’t even in favour of Work Choices. The so called ” billion dollars ripped out of health” occurred BEFORE Tony Abbott was Health Minister - it wasn’t ripped out of health anyway. As for education, the major players there are the states, all Labor except one, who can’t get their priorities right and spend the money on helath and education as they are supposed to. The Federal Government has minimal responsibility for education. Get your facts stright before mouthing off. Don’t you rabid Laborites EVER do your homework before you get into print?

      And what list goes on? The Coaltion governent paid back the $96 billion + interest that the last Labor government left behind. It took ten years. How long is it going to take to pay back more than $300 billion + interest that this one leaves behind do you think?

      The assassination last week showed Australia who really runs the government.

    • Sirro says:

      04:37pm | 28/06/10

      What has actually changed in a week??

      We still have an incompetent government. The Unions are still in control though I think that imbecile Paul Howes has been told to pull his head in for a couple of weeks.

      Dumb as mud Swan is still Treasurer (and now deputy PM). Apparently his last two months of bagging and insulting anyone who dared to suggest the mining tax was flawed is all completely forgotten and now he is a negotiator for the best outcome for all.

      The Prime Minister is a woman instead of an old woman.

      Anyone but Labor. Surely even the mad old Greens wouldn’t think they could get away with treating the public like fools like this mob do.
      Anyone who feels they should now vote for Gillard/Swan should come and take a look at the disgrace of a Labor government we have in NSW. That is a great case study of what will happen federally if we return these mung beans to government.

      Reply

    • Jason says:

      04:50pm | 28/06/10

      I love the fact that ‘mothers’ have all warmed towards Joolya since she became prime minister (as in the Sunday Herald-Sun yesterday).
      Not one of these mothers mentioned anything at all about policies or her past failures.  It was all about her being a female…  Well I can remember Joan Kirner becoming the first premier and Christine Nixon becoming the first police chief and after experiencing their tenures, what possibly could go wrong??? 
      I can see it now in 3 years time.  We will have suffered from more woeful policies and wastage and guess what…..Wayne will replace Joolya and lets start again fresh…..Wake up Australia.

      Reply

    • Lisa says:

      07:04pm | 28/06/10

      Have to agree Jason, the education spending has been an incredible rort, Julia Gillard is a reflection of her student politics days, where the policy is not nearly as important as the power.
      I can understand the media wishing to celebrate the ‘first’ of being female, but symbolism is empty within itself. 
      I’m hoping her extreme politicking skills will put everyone on notice, thereby resulting in a nice little side benefit - good policy - but from whom?

    • Henry says:

      05:05pm | 28/06/10

      Gillard was there shoulder to shoulder with Rudd during all of his catastophic blunders.  She is up to her neck in failure and waste.

      If people really think this weird looking and sounding person is Australia’s saviour they are quite simply insane, blind or both.

      Reply

    • Bob says:

      05:22pm | 28/06/10

      she"ll keep the mining tax-it will just be a smaller %-and nothing wrong with that.Climate change is a huge challenge-and needs a steady head-With tony youll get none of these and just a whole bunch of reactionary stuff from the Howard era.But tony aint gonna get in now nowise because JGillard is in every way his intellectual and political superior.This horse could run and run.

      Reply

    • Seano says:

      06:54pm | 28/06/10

      Absolutely. Tony is going to go back to rattingly his sabre now he can no longer sit around and watch Rudd self distruct but the day after the election he’s going to be desperately looking for a job. Apparently he’s got a big mortgage to pay.

    • Greg says:

      07:06pm | 28/06/10

      So bobby, what programs are you going to have cut from an already declared budget?
      And then a few mine expansions and/or new mines not going ahead will be great for Australia will it not?
      Then there’ll be still more programs and wastage.

    • Richard says:

      07:09pm | 28/06/10

      Bob says “tony aint gonna get in now nowise because JGillard is in every way his intellectual and political superior.” How do you figure that one Bob? Was Gillard a Rhodes scholar? Has Gillard penned a published book? Or is Gillard just a trumped up nasal-whining Labor hack? ...

      Tony is underated because close-minded left-wing nutjobs won’t give him a chance, but for your information Bob, Abbott is the best qualified person for the role of P.M in the whole country at this point in time.

    • Jason says:

      10:45pm | 28/06/10

      Now Bob - “she’ll keep the mining tax- it will just be smaller”  you say.  Has anyone actually told the miners that.  They don’t want the tax full stop and just because they pulled their ads doesnt mean everything’s rosey again - trust me.  I’d also suggest that everyone reads Laurie Oakes’ interview with Jools from yesterday.  Nothing has changed and just when you thought K Rudd was the best spinner since Warnie.

    • Toby says:

      11:27pm | 28/06/10

      Replacing Tony with anyone - Lib will win the next election.

    • wake up says:

      03:05am | 29/06/10

      “Climate change is a huge challenge-and needs a steady head”
      WHAT?
      Are Australians still not aware of the corrupted scientific data that is the basis for this ‘global warming’ hogwash?
      PLEASE do some research on this topic and get informed before it is too late.

    • Seano says:

      03:44pm | 29/06/10

      I think many in Australia are aware of the smear campaign run by many economic conservatives over climate change because the scientific data strongly suggest a problem for their bottom lines. Hence they expect you to do their research for them and/or provide right wing opinion as fact.

      http://www.csiro.au/science/Changing-Climate.html

    • weevil says:

      06:56pm | 28/06/10

      Health and Education were in great shape before Abbott and his mates ripped them up.

      He rings Johnny regularly for advice.  The Coalition changed their salesman they have not changed their policies.

      Reply

    • Tony H says:

      09:46pm | 28/06/10

      Health and education? Those are state government responsibilities. Although Gillard has supplied some schools with million dollar BBQ sheds.

    • BobM says:

      10:36pm | 28/06/10

      @weevil - good nom de plume - shows what a giant intellect you have.  Both health and education are managed (or rather mismanaged) by the STATES not by the Federal government. And the reason they have been in a pitiful state for the past 10 years or so, is because the LABOR STATES have not spent the money allocated to them on either health or education.  So don’t blame Abbott, blame the incompetent, corrupt and broke State Labor governments.

    • Steve_of_Cornubia says:

      07:49pm | 28/06/10

      Gillard isn’t being smart but cynical and sneaky. I think she knows that the gratitude of lefty types, who see her as rescuing them from the embarrassment of the Rudd era, will se her elected - provided she hides her real MO and agenda from the swinging voters. Hence, she is busy doing not much at all, putting off the real stuff till after the election. In the meantime, with the media’s cooperation, she will dodge and weave, obfuscate and waffle, avoiding questions about how she differs from Rudd. Why? Because she doesn’t really differ; after all, his policies were her policies. In fact, Gillard deserves more blame than Rudd for the stuff-ups, for she not only helped design the policies, she also managed one of the worst - the extraordinarily wasteful BER.

      Reply

    • Rod Hagen says:

      07:50pm | 28/06/10

      Rudd will, no doubt, be a very, very good Minister in the next Labor Government.  He is anally attentive to detail, clearly very bright, and won’t let things get away from him.  He is, though,  obviously not the person you would want to have leading the team. You have to understand things like people, politics, factions, public opinion, to do that.  Gillard has such abilities in spades.

      The fact that Rudd had such trouble dealing with someone as “basic” as Abbott says it all.  A Gillard, Swan, Tanner, Smith, Faulkner, Crean, Conroy or even a Wong, Roxon, or Macklin or the like would have destroyed him long ago.

      Reply

    • Peasant #3167 says:

      07:53pm | 28/06/10

      I had lost my way. I had become a cynic who lost hope in this country and the people who we elected. I considered them all corrupt and self centered. I have voted Liberal since Hawke. Then Julia came along. Now I feel hope and excitement that maybe this country can be positive again. Please Julia follow your heart, listen to your parents. You have millions of people depending on you.

      Reply

    • BobM says:

      02:17pm | 29/06/10

      @Peasant #3167 - you have never voted Liberal, why lie? Too gutless to admit that you’re a Labor voter, perhaps. I would be ashamed to admit it too, come to think of it….

    • Pete says:

      07:54pm | 28/06/10

      Is she smart and cautious, or dumb and callous in not giving Rudd a job? I would have thought Qld voters, which deliverd Labor government at the last election, will be mighty pissed off. They take slights against their sons very seriously up there, and Labor might just get hammered in Qld.

      Reply

    • Richard says:

      04:07am | 29/06/10

      Exactly: Labor can poll 53% 2PP in Victoria and South Australia all they want, but if they lose marginal seats en masse in WA & QLD, the gig is up.

    • True Blue says:

      11:47pm | 28/06/10

      While intellectually bright Abbott has not got the rigour required of a PM.  As his former cabinet colleagues know he couldn’t always successfully prosecute a case in cabinet and when knocked over would go to Howard to get his way.  Not a promising guide as to how he would run a cabinet.  However, the chances of that happening are slim at best so it isn’t really a cause for concern.  Turnbull is just waiting for the election result so that he can throw Abbott over and regain the leadership.  The election after this next one will be the contest - Julia and Malcolm.  It will be worth waiting for.

      Reply

    • Rosie says:

      01:01am | 29/06/10

      “I will be absolutely delighted to have Kevin Rudd on the front bench if we win the elections. ” HOGWASH!

      Full marks for the way Julia Gillard expresses herself in front of the cameras. I am impressed but that is as far as it goes.

      One thing with Abbott that I feel irrates Julia and her team are the “one liners that Abbott has become very good at. “Dump the big bad tax” These one liners make it very easy for the average Australian to understand straight away that it is a bad tax reform. Like Barnaby Jones said tonight on ABC Q & A they have to use these one liners because the Liberals do not have the air time privilege of the Labour ministers. Probably just as well as they need plenty of time to justify the ousting of Kevin Rudd and replacing him with his Deputy. Even Wayne Swann had to explain at the G20 in Toronto. After all it is historic, Australia’s first female red hair PM!

      I have mentioned this before and will mention it again. My 2 grandchildren attend a Private school and the fees are $15.000 per year. 2 months ago the 5 classrooms and a library was completed for the sum of $3million. It was wasteful spending as the old classrooms and library was functional and I couldn’t see how it would improve the children’s eduction. Ask yourselves why such a large amount of money was allocated to a Private school? Maybe to win the votes of the majority of parents that have to have two incomes to enable them to send their children there.

      By the way, my daughter sends her children there for her peace of mind. She seems to think that that there is no bullying, touch wood, so far we have had no experience of it.

      Reply

    • weevil says:

      06:05am | 29/06/10

      Love the way the spin merchants try to rewrite history and change the subject.  The coalition rip a billion out of health and then try to pretend that it was the state’s fault.  Amazing stuff.

      I suppose the states threw the babies overboard as well.

      Spin of the highest order.

      Reply

    • Rosie says:

      08:15am | 29/06/10

      Love the way the Rudd Govt when took over from the Howard Govt of 12 years spent all the surplus and put our beloved nation into debt through wreckless spending! Oh yes the finacial crisis but the Rudd Govt had an advantage, they were left a surplus by the Howard Govt. Now the Gillard Govt is saying that the Rudd Govt was a good Govt but lost its way. How did Julia and her Union Power gauge that the Rudd Govt lost it’s way and how could it be a good govt if it has lost its way? Doesn’t make sense?  It is common knowledge that Gillard and the Union Powers were spooked by “Polling Results”  Now we have to wait until Gillard and the Union Powers are confident that the “Polling Results” have reached a level of a sure “famous win”  for Australia’s first elected female PM.

      If Julia Gillard wins the elections she will get into the history books as the first red hair, unmarried, childless female PM who with the Union Powers were spooked by the “Polling Results” and carried out a political assassination on Australia’s elected PM, her boss of 2 years 8 months! Wow what an achievement and a great way to get into the history books!

    • www.thepunch.com.au says:

      11:02am | 24/06/11

      Gillard lets rudd warm the backbench.. Great! smile

      Reply
 
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Paul Colgan

Colgo 25 May 12 10:37PM

Greece makes the final and Ireland gets in on a golden ticket. How awkward and embarrassing. Love it. #sbseurovision

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 25 May 12 10:00PM

Every single #eurovision band is roxette #sbseurovision

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 25 May 12 09:58PM

The weird thing about #eurovision is you've got this massive collection of dorks in a room and no one is wearing Spock ears #sbseurovision

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 25 May 12 09:52PM

Europe has the large hadron collider which is light years ahead of its time and #eurovision, where the eighties never die

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