Leaking of Rudd outburst does Gillard no favours

Lapun says:

11:42am | 19/02/12

Craig2, I don’t think so.  To me the swearing and anger made him appear much more like a real Australian bloke than the primped up pussy he has always appeared to be, but it wont do him or Julia Gillard any good.  It could possibly help a third person!
If there is any ‘challenge’ this far before the next election, a) Gillard will only have more time to make herself unelectable, and/or b) Rudd will be there long enough to remind those with short memories, just how bad he was!
But the point is missed.  It isn’t about either of them - it is about Labor, being well and truly on the nose.  And even those who are so critical of Abbott will prefer to give the Opposition a go just to get a change from Labor.

Chris says:

12:48pm | 19/02/12

Please do not bring Rudd. He will defeat Abbott. (Keep Julia)

Tony says:

01:10pm | 19/02/12

Boy am I tired of this.  Lets get this straight!  Kevin Rudd was not tossed out by his Labor Colleges because he was behind in the polls.  He was tossed out because he had alienated, infuriated and basically pissed off every single senior member of the party.  The Labor party got rid of him.  They are happy to let Gillard and supporters take the heat but the factional heavies hate and detest him with a passion.  If you think Rudd will be back then you just don’t know how the Labor party works.

luke r says:

02:10pm | 19/02/12

Gillard is to blame for ALL of this.  If she had not stabbed Rudd in the back with her sleazy and unethical white-anting of his leadership none of this would be happening now. You shall reap what you sow. Her contiunuous lies and backstabbing can no longer save her.  It is Gillard that needs to go.

Marilyn Shepherd says:

02:46pm | 19/02/12

No Tony, they got rid of him because of the frigging polls and no other reason.

Our media though are like a row of monkeys babbling in the jungle and picking each others fucking nits.

Why don’t any of them report actual NEWS.

And the question the media morons never consider is why a woman like Therese Rein would stay with the Rudd the media describe to us without a trace of evidence to back them up?

The fact is she would not.

But I suppose if the media endlessly babble and pick the nits they will be right one day.

Sort of like the Howard/Costello challenges really.

atoll says:

03:34pm | 19/02/12

get smart - rudd leaked it; was ready with a sky interview; and then flew off to mexico while julia remains ozside mired in a pit of blood

CD says:

03:35pm | 19/02/12

Evenif Julia Gillard or her office not leaked the “edidted” video damaging Rudd Australians are not going believe her…. just like another lie from julia.. She lost her crediability -

fox says:

04:12pm | 19/02/12

@Marilyn Shephard

The media should report actual NEWS

But Marilyn, what is real news? To you, race riots aren’t news, illegal immigrants aren’t news, what is actual news then?

Northern Steve says:

05:09pm | 19/02/12

I really don’t care either way.  I’m just gonna kick back with the old popcorn and watch.  Federal politics hasn’t been so entertaining for years!

Big Rick from VIC. says:

08:02pm | 19/02/12

I agree. Bring Rudd back, and as sure as night follows day he will also get his arse kicked at the next election, regardless of when its held. This issue is two fold for the ALP. Firstly as a party (& a government), they suck. Secondly, the two leaders who would appear to be the only credible candidates (& I use that term very lightly), well, they also suck. The electorate has not forgotten what an appalling job Rudd did as PM and the general feedback I get is that most of those who followed the Kevin ‘07 “dream” realised they should have stuck with Howard. Then ALP need to give someone else a try. The Australian electorate is bored with these two.

Tony says:

08:44pm | 19/02/12

@Marilyn Shepherd, what an eloquent well written reply!! Such a command of the English language alone convinces me that my information is incorrect.  I had completely forgotten to take the “monkeys picking nits” factor into account! My foolish mistake.  If you must be a blind Rudd fanatic then good for you, but please use some form of intelligent statement to do it otherwise you just support my view.  Your writing makes you sound a lot like him, should I go on?  As for Theresa, well that’s about as relevant as why did Anita stay with Paul?  LOOK THAT ONE UP!  And so you don’t think I am in the anti Labor camp I would support any talk of Simon Crean returning to the leadership.  I still believe he was one of the best Prime Ministers Australia never had. He might know a thing or two about nits as well!

fml says:

10:56pm | 19/02/12

big rick,

If only most people voted on “he sucked” and “give someone else a try”.

Rick of the Dustbowl says:

02:42pm | 20/02/12

Why did Eva stay with Hitler?.....................women, if you work ‘em out let me Know

Aussie says:

05:57pm | 19/02/12

Gillard ‘the angel’ would never do anything underhanded to a rival, LOL!!!!!!
She is the most morally corrupt person on the planet, but luckily she has Mal Farr to support her in the goal to be the worst and most disliked PM in Australian history.

Alec says:

09:25pm | 19/02/12

John Howard is the worst and most disliked PM in Australian history, and the most morally corrupt person on the planet.

AAron says:

09:05am | 20/02/12

Alec, is that why he was the second longest serving PM?

AAron says:

09:05am | 20/02/12

Alec, is that why he was the second longest serving PM?

Alec says:

09:26am | 20/02/12

@Aaron   Yes.

wolf says:

12:35pm | 19/02/12

I think there are more obvious suspects. Wouldn’t be surprised if this was uploaded from outside the country.

Rick says:

02:06pm | 19/02/12

Good, lets hope he gets rid of a swathe of these bureaucrats you speak of, when he get to take over again. What we need is more powerful leaders willing to call a spade a spade, not some pimped up nobody bureaucrat who thinks his position and views are more important than what regular Australians on the street want.

Ros says:

02:51pm | 19/02/12

Right on Ratsonia. For those with very short memories, a report on Rudd in 2008.
“Key decisions are not being made. Rudd, for example, has had in his in-tray since February a list of candidates to replace Richard Alston as high commissioner to London. He cannot decide between three career diplomats - John McCarthy, David Ritchie and John Dauth - and two of his own thoughts for the position, political figures Kim Beazley and Stephen Loosley.
Apart from growing anger from the public service, the Prime Minister’s office is also alienating sections of the Canberra press gallery, particularly some of the women who believe they are being poorly treated.
…
Burke was in Darwin and became sick; he developed laryngitis, and was unable to speak. He received a call from Harris wanting him to do interviews, but Burke told him he was too sick and barely had a voice. Harris was furious and abused Burke. Senior Labor strategists were stunned that Harris felt he could dress down a leading frontbencher, a key figure in the NSW Labor Party who was instrumental in delivering Rudd the numbers to defeat Beazley for the leadership.
Some who worked with Rudd when he ran the office of former Queensland premier Wayne Goss say he is repeating the mistakes that led to the alienation of the public service and many public sector workers, such as teachers, firefighters, police and nurses.
A senior Labor figure who has until now been a strong Rudd supporter predicted the public service would begin leaking against Rudd because of his treatment of them. One senior public servant reflected the anger when he spoke about the two officials being kept waiting. “They were just cooling their heels in the corridor,” the public servant said. “You know, this is not the only time this has happened.”
No one from the Prime Minister’s office thought to tell the two they could return to their offices and be called when needed.”

Julia’s first mistake was to save face for the little worm by not telling Australia that he had to go because he couldn’t manage a chook raffle and Australia was suffering as a result. Then she let him be Foreign Minister. He has said thankyou by underming her at every opportunity. He still can’t manage a chook raffle, just check out his record as FM. It has all been about Kevin mixing with the international crowd, at vast expense to us.

And he claimed he has changed, he screwed Queensland, he screwed Australia, and we are meant to believe he is a reformed character. By the very act of saying he has learnt he concedes his detractors were right.

K Karp says:

04:15pm | 19/02/12

Ros your views are very bias. The entire country has seen our PM lie about policies before the last election. We have seen our PM lie about gambleing reforms. We have seen our PM bring nothing new to the table as every policy our PM is implementing is Mr Rudds. We have seen the look of horror on the PM’s face with the Aboriginal protest. Only to find out it was her office that caused and leaked the information that caused the protest. Can you honestly say with a straight face that our PM has any creditablity left?

Larry says:

03:57pm | 19/02/12

Andrew, I thought from Ireland you might at least get some perspective.  Turn off the newsfeeds and relax and enjoy yourself.  Come back and be surprised or not.  It doesn’t matter.

fox says:

11:20am | 19/02/12

Doubtful.. Rudd would not have included the racial slur.

Martin says:

11:33am | 19/02/12

A surgical strike. After Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd is the most popular PM in Australian history. Like John Howard, he’ll do better the second, or was it third, time around.

James P says:

08:03pm | 19/02/12

Agreed.

Rudd released it.

It has his smirky little fingerprints all over it.  The problem though is that Julia has such a problem with the truth that the electorate will never believe her - this time - when she truly says it wasn’t her.

They deserve each other!

Borderer says:

09:02am | 20/02/12

It is possible that Rudd released it, he would be aware that the PM’s office has a reputation for ham fisted attempts at discrediting people after Australia day and being sneaky.
Then again there is probably an equal chance the PM’s office did release it for the very reasons I’ve already stated.

luke r says:

02:12pm | 19/02/12

But all of Julia’s moves are bad..think attempted riot on Abbott just a couple weeks ago, think of her backstabbing of Wilkie.  She gets EVERYTHING wrong.

nossy says:

01:20pm | 19/02/12

@TimB   sorry to spoil your popcorn arvo Tim but Rudd is getting a Rockstar reception all round the country - poor old Abbott cant draw a crowd no matter how hard he trys - arrivederchi Tones!
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/rock-star-welcome-for-rudd-20120217-1tebg.html

TimB says:

02:37pm | 19/02/12

Note to self. The territory known as ‘Queensland’ now extended to encompass ‘all around the country’. So sayeth Nossy.

If we ever give Queensland schoolchildren the vote, we’re in real trouble.

Ron E Coote says:

03:26pm | 19/02/12

@nossy
Only getting rockstar treatment from desperate rusted on fools who would rather see a Labor government than any Liberal one at any price, while the country goes slowly down the toilet…
Rudd was booted by his own party because he was simply shi*house as PM.
If you and your clealry delusional mates think for one second, that a bloke that selfish he’d screw his own party to be PM again, would actually be a good PM for all Australians, you are even more stupid than I’d previously given credit.

Bruce says:

03:43pm | 19/02/12

@Ron   What toilet? Australia is in fine shape.

Ron e says:

04:51pm | 19/02/12

Haven’t you been paying attention, Bruce?
The party of debt and defecit are living up to their name, big time.
Wasting taxpayer funds is actually the only thing this government has done well.

Ron e says:

06:43pm | 19/02/12

But hey, don’t just take my word for it.
Here’s a great piece by Alan Kohler on exactly my point.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/kohler-debt-doldrums/3831290

Bruce says:

07:26pm | 19/02/12

@Ron

Thanks so much for that link. I could hardly have put it better myself. As Alan Kohler states, “Unemployment is low, the currency is strong, interest rates are coming down, national savings are bulging, economic growth is solid and there’s a mining boom on”. Of course we’re also enjoying record investment, record wealth, and low inflation. Some toilet. Kohler also refers to household debt, but that’s entirely up to you and me, not the Government. I appreciate that you were desperate to find something, but you might want to pay more attention to the articles you link to in future, Ron.

Les says:

08:33pm | 19/02/12

@Ron E, did you even understand that article written by Alan Kohler? The debt he is talking about is household debt, i.e. the debt that you have when you take out loans to buy houses, and investment properties, the debt caused by you buying everything on your credit card. He is talking about how that debt is so extreme, that wealthy families have put themselves in a position where they feel they need handouts from the government to get by i.e. rebates on private health insurance, because people have burdened themselves with household debt.

Not once in his article does he mention government debt.

Next time when you want to prove your point by referencing an article, try reading it first!

Ron e says:

09:43pm | 19/02/12

Have admitted not checking article on link. My mistake. Check Kohler’s numerous previous articles. Have attempted linking directly but editors have not published. Find them yourselves.
Stand by everything I’ve said bar the link. You boys surely must know you’re on a hiding to nothing trying to defend Rudd/Gillard/Rudd.

RyaN says:

11:52pm | 19/02/12

@Bruce: Check your leaders, when a country is functioning ok yet preparing for the worst then clearly they don’t trust the direction the leaders are taking them.

Hey Bruce, what is the highest debt this country has ever run up?
What is the current debt Bruce?
What is this government doing to reduce this all time record debt that they created?

Now you know why its being called a toilet. You might enjoy the bubbles in the flush, the rest of us aren’t going to circle the bowl with you.

Geoff says:

10:10am | 20/02/12

So Bruce, if the economy is in such awesome shape why is this Government borrowing $100 million every day?

It is because this government is s*%t and has squandered any economic strengths this country has. 

Austalia is one of if not the best country on earth. (IMO) And Australians will keep the lights on and the country running without any leadership. Like what is happening at the moment.

The reason why the average Australian does not think we are in good shape is because we have a Government that throws roadblocks at small business and business and adds Tax after Tax after Tax on the general populace.

Thie Government is trying its hardest to flush Australians down the toliet but we are fighting hard to stay afloat!

Bruce says:

11:30am | 20/02/12

@Ron

Briiliant ! Not only do you score a spectacular own goal by desperately linking to an article which states the complete opposite of your fabrication, you then go on to say you’d do it all again, cheered on by couple of your fellow morons.

TC says:

03:30pm | 19/02/12

They threw Rudd out because he was an abusive dictator running a chatotic and dysfunctional government. The people do not vote for the PM, they vote for the party who decides on the leader.  This is Australian democracy 101.

Roger the Astroturfer says:

07:15pm | 19/02/12

@TC - Thats true. The labor party can now decide - Kevin as leader and they might win the next election or Julia as leader and a lonely decade in opposition against an Abbott Government. Their choice….

JTA says:

08:30pm | 19/02/12

@ TC That is a load a crap, people don’t vote for a party but the individual that is leading the party at that time. I don’t believe that for 1 moment that if Gizzard was the face of the party at the time of election against Howard, that the labor party would of won. It was the fact that Kevin at the time was liked, and as so, won the election. Gillard would not have been successful in achieving this, as her face is conniving, and untrusting, all the traits a voter would avoid when it comes to voting time. I dont know about you, TC, but I vote on the leader of the party at the time of election, if that prospective leader looks like a junkie, or maybe decietful, I would vote on any other party other than that one.

Gratuitous Adviser says:

03:10pm | 19/02/12

There is a third option.  What if the Abbott camp leaked it?. 
>Problem, How would they get it?
<A >No, impossible! 
<Oh, what was the name of Turnbulls mate??  Gotcha or something?
=Australian politics is so unsophisticated, but interesting.

Gratuitous Adviser says:

03:10pm | 19/02/12

There is a third option.  What if the Abbott camp leaked it?. 
>Problem, How would they get it?
<A >No, impossible! 
<Oh, what was the name of Turnbulls mate??  Gotcha or something?
=Australian politics is so unsophisticated, but interesting.

James P says:

08:47pm | 19/02/12

It was Rudd.

It has his flabby little fingerprints all over it.

Helen says:

01:15pm | 19/02/12

Not sure why people are so upset about Gillard “knifing” Rudd in the back. Its not like she is the first, or will be the last. Seriously, what is it about this particular knifing that has people’s blood boiling?

olive says:

02:55pm | 19/02/12

Good on you. About time someone gave Tony Abbott a bit of support.I keep asking Sky Nrews to have another vote for preferred prime minister.Gillard and Tony Abbott but so far no joy. He is a gentleman compared to the sorry Labor lot.
Olive .

Jason says:

05:00pm | 19/02/12

Olive is T Abbots’s mum.  You have been outed as only his mother could say Abbott is a gentleman.

Mack says:

11:11am | 19/02/12

There will be no-one left in Julia’s office at this rate…...

poa says:

12:32pm | 19/02/12

Maybe Mal could send in his resume.
After Tony Abbot licences journalists (Labor’s idea) its not as if he’ll have a job anyway.

Mouse says:

01:58pm | 19/02/12

Of course gillard has no idea who released the video to Youtube!  What a ridiculous accusation to make. It has been proven that she has absolutely no idea what happens in her office and it’s not her fault that her staff take it into their heads and do these terrible things without running it by her.  Leave the poor thing alone!!

OR maybe one of her staff heard of a peach position in the US and decided that was their next job. Worked for TH!

A bit cynical I know, but hey, if you don’t laugh, you cry.  :o)

Borderer says:

10:00am | 20/02/12

Maybe it is the office of the Prime Minister…...
Plan is to publicly do something monumentally stupid ‘acting’ in the PM’s interest so you can be rassigned to a cushy job before the Gillard ship sinks.

MatchofBriz says:

03:01pm | 19/02/12

You do realise how hard it is sometimes to read a speech in your first language, let alone second, when written/translated by another person? Political speak turned into Mandarin with some bad grammatical translation is probably a nightmare, yes.

Rose says:

06:53pm | 19/02/12

Mate if this is the worst you’ve seen since school you really need to get out more. This ‘outburst’ was quite tame I thought, I hear worse than this nearly every day at work!

Dolly says:

11:20am | 19/02/12

Waiting for Nossy to blame Tony Abbott as leaking the video. What has happened to ‘media beat up’ by Labor MPs. Lol not ‘media beat up’ anymore!

Vivian says:

11:18am | 19/02/12

Let me add one rider to my own piece. Gillard and her staff have proven themselves stupid enough to shoot themselves in the foot. Although I don’t think this is the case here.

What they need now is another race riot.

(That wasn’t too soon was it ?)

Tracker says:

12:07pm | 19/02/12

Talk about tinfoil hats and conspiracy theories based on personal hatred. Neither Kevin Rudd & Co OR Julia Gillard & Co released it. Neither team has anything to gain by releasing it bar further destabilisation of the ALP.. and there is the hint

Bruce says:

01:29pm | 19/02/12

“changing as a person” ! Leopards do not change their spots, they just disguise them ! Under pressure, the old spots will just re-appear.

Vivian says:

02:39pm | 19/02/12

You silly bot Tracker.

Do you really think Kevin or Julia care about the party?

Rudd is a ego maniac who would torch a village to be back in charge. Gillard has sold her soul to keep power and twists and turns on a whim of the independents and and Greens. Do you honestly think and believe that Slipper, one of the more dishonourable people in parliament was made speaker on nerit?

Please. Spare me.

This video was released for a reason.

1. By Rudd so he could give his “here I am ready to leas” speech on Sky

2. Gross stupidity by the PM or more correctly the PM’s office

If Gillard cared about the party she would resign such is the state she had led it. Get it? Stop being simplistic and starry eyed. This isn’t about “The Party”. It is about power and whatever it takes. Grow up.

I will be laughing long and loud for ages about that. As if Rudd or Gillard care about destabilising the party. My God. What do you think Rudd has been doing ever since he lost the job? Can’t you remember the leaks during the 2010 election? Please do keep up. What an amazingly simple comment Tracker.

John says:

03:06pm | 19/02/12

@Bruce Correct. When Abbott now talks about “flexibility”, everyone knows he really means “WorkChoices”.

Roger the Astroturfer says:

07:22pm | 19/02/12

I for one welcome our new Rudd overlord!

I hate pies says:

12:40pm | 19/02/12

You forgot to add “lefty” economist…are you by chance an academic?
Australia doesn’t need a greater share of mining profits - the government has sufficient income; it just needs to use it more wisely.

Carol says:

01:12pm | 19/02/12

Concur with ‘I hate pies’.  Whatever happened to a sovereign wealth fund for when the mining boom busts??  No, ALP just want to fritter it away and the health insurance means test is another case in point. None of it will be spent on health - it’s all going into internal revenue.  Remember got to get a budget surplus - whatever it takes!! (courtesy of Graham Richardson).

Bertrand says:

01:48pm | 19/02/12

I largely agree with you on the policy comments David. But the issue of who is leader is important. A leader needs to be able to lead, meaning they need to show the path they want us to take and help people see why it is the right path.

Nobody is listening to Gillard. Rudd couldn’t sell the policies you are referring to as well. Instead, they both allowed voters to feel alienated from the political processes. To me, these are massive failings that suggest they aren’t right for leadership.

It’s a real difficult situation for those of us who support having a market mechanism for reducing carbon, or who would like to see the mining boom benefit all Australians, but who are fed up with the poor leadership and constant internal politicking being shown by Labor.

Bertrand says:

01:54pm | 19/02/12

@I hate pies… the share of mining profits that the government received in tax has basically halved since 2000. The royalties system no longer works, and the reform that is being proposed isn’t putting an unfair burden on miners, basically just clawing back what has been lost in the past decade. Not to mention, it actually encourages new exploration and ventures, as unlike royalties, it doesn’t kick in until a certain profit is made. It is good policy formulated by treasury and deserving of bi-partisan support.

Richard says:

01:55pm | 19/02/12

Yes David, we can tell that you support the typical left-wing socialist policy agendas like setting up a Carbon Tax/market, effectively nationalising a large part of the Mining Industry, and setting up a brand new huge inefficient government monopoly in telecommunications, but don’t for one minute pretend that any of these policies are economically responsible.

You know it is possible to be an economist without coming to the conclusion that the biggest problem with our economy is that the Government isn’t BIG enough and that taxes aren’t high enough.

I suggest you go and read the works of F. A. Hayek, Murray Rothbard, Milton Friedman et al to start to gain a better understanding of how economics really works. Cheers~

Gianna says:

02:00pm | 19/02/12

” you know, the ones who can afford their own lobby groups & television commercials & whose interests sometimes conflict with the interests of ordinary Australians & their children.”

Like the unions who spent somewhere between $20million and $30million of members’ money for advertising for the labor Party?.

co2zzzz says:

02:00pm | 19/02/12

If you’re against taxing mining profits to help balance the budget then you’d obviously be happy to means testing the Private Healthcare rebate. The money has to come from somewhere or is there a magic pudding that you guys have invented?

David says:

03:56pm | 19/02/12

I hate pies, no I am not an academic I actually work for a multinational bank if that matters to you, hardly a communist or a lefty. Yes I did go to uni but that is beside the point. Caroll, I would agree with a sovereign wealth fund for when the mining boom busts, but unfortunately thee=re is no party proposing this, so its a choice between what is in place now (and the mining industry seem to be handling this tax juuuuuust fine) or Tony Abbotts poicy of ignoring the Henry review altogether and playing straight to the demands of the mining conglomerates. Richard, yes I have a degree in economics, does that make me an expert? Certainly not but it does help me know an economic con when I see one, for example, ever a favorite among think tanks like the H.R. Nicholls Society, Friedman’s theories are based on some bold assumptions that simply do not hold true, and have had a terrible loss of credibility since the GFC. For instance he takes no account of asymmetric information, besides which, you don’t really make your reason for your name dropping very clear. Are you seriously trying to say that privatizing the nation’s essential infrastructure (oh and Carroll, that was mostly under Howard’s “whatever it takes” surplus - what’s good for the goose) has been good for Australia?

Bertrand says:

05:56pm | 19/02/12

@Richard - “Yes David, we can tell that you support the typical left-wing socialist policy agendas like setting up a Carbon Tax/market”

Comments like this show that a lot of people criticising the establishment of a carbon market have no idea what they are talking about. I support a carbon market over direct action for the very reason I believe in market economics over direct government intervention. ie. Establishing a carbon market is far more right wing economically than direct intervention, which is exceptionally left wing.

The system being proposed by Labor certainly isn’t perfect, but it is widely seen by economists, both within Australia and outside of Australia, as a good model. Many overseas economists actually point to the Australian scheme as a model worth copying, particularly as it is being used to cut funds in income tax for low and middle income workers. ie. it is shifting the tax burden away from income earners and towards polluters who up until now have been able to externalise the cost of their polluting.

But feel free to go on calling the use of market mechanisms to reduce carbon pollution a socialist policy. It simply lets us know that your comments are based on ignorance.

Durr Rick says:

06:30pm | 19/02/12

“Australia doesn’t need a greater share of mining profits - the government has sufficient income; it just needs to use it more wisely.”

It’s got nothing to do with whether Australia “need"s a greater share of the mining profits and everything to do with we are entitled to them, which we absolutely are.

Richard says:

11:54am | 20/02/12

David, so you admit that you work for the corrupt cartel of international banksters… Well that definitely explains why you want to see a Carbon market set up. George Soros himself has said in Bloomberg that the Carbon market will be gamed and defrauded: ““The system can be gamed,”... “That’s why financial types like me like it—because there are ‘financial opportunities’” http://bit.ly/xV8YVk

As for Milton Friedman, I mean you’re so wrong its preposterous. Milton Friedman’s theories have GAINED credibility since the GFC, because it was only his followers and like-minded economists from the Chicago and Austrian schools of economics that were able to foresee the GFC and predict it before the event. People like Peter Schiff, you can see his videos from 2006 and 2007 predicting the GFC on youtube… Where are the records of your predictions forecasting the GFC before it happened? Or Krugman’s predictions, or ANYONE’S predictions from your bunk conventional school of economic thought? So we can see that it is infact YOUR school of economics that has lost credibility since the GFC, not Friedman’s or Hayek’s or Rothbard’s.

I mean, asymmetrical information isn’t even a problem, that’s what the free market is for! The free market collects and collates, aggregates and synthesizes all information across the entire scope of the market and signals (through the profit mechanism) how its participants may most valuably serve one another’s needs and best interests. The purpose of the free market IS to smooth out asymmetrical information!

And furthermore, I AM saying that the transition from bureaucratically inefficient public provision of services to lithe, lean and competitive private provision of services has been good for Australia. How could you argue otherwise? Our telecommunications industry is far more healthy and vibrant nowadays under competitive conditions than it ever was under Government monopoly conditions. Unfortunately, when the Government bullies its way into the telecommunications industry again, and throws its weight around, passing preferential legislation for itself and preventing other companies from competing fairly, the health and vibrancy of that sector will suffer I fear.

Labor is UnAustralian says:

12:02pm | 19/02/12

The problem I see is that some people still don’t realise how dumb Julia really is. She panics and responds without thinking. This leak might seem like a good idea yesterday when she lost the numbers to remain PM, but in the light of today she just looks as brainy as the guy who writes movies for Jim Carrey

I hate pies says:

12:44pm | 19/02/12

hear hear…the lefties don’t seem to understand that the leader of the party has little bearing on why the average Australian hate these labor governments.

Mack says:

12:39pm | 19/02/12

Good one, nossy! 

Rosie says:

12:50pm | 19/02/12

nossy

Your obsession with poor old Julia Gillard is making you behave in the same manner we have come to see. Gillard raves and rants and expects us to believe her. No more nossy! I looked up the link and this is what I got; “The page you requested is invalid.”

nossy says:

01:15pm | 19/02/12

@Rosie   time to trade the old 486 in Rosie - they have new PC’s on the market that work my love - link works just fine.

nihonin says:

02:39pm | 19/02/12

nossy, seems Labor now have the inner machinations of the machiavellian warring leadership parties within itself to titillate and amuse all of Australia.  Who do you reckon posted it nossy?  Personally I don’t care who did, all parties in the leadership tussle are bringing Labor down.  Also does anyone else after watching the video, think it looked like a badly acted scene just for the camera.  There was no emotion, it all seems contrived, reminded me of his attempt to connect with the ‘plebs’ by saying “fair shake of the sauce bottle”.

nossy says:

05:21pm | 19/02/12

@nihonin 3.39pm   how are you guys down at Liberal GHQ taking it nihonin?

nihonin says:

05:50pm | 19/02/12

nossy, I’m assuming Liberal HQ are pissing themselves laughing, the complete opposite of what you and the long faces are possibly doing at Labor HQ, want a kleenex with that? hahaha (c:

Talented Rugby Player says:

07:07pm | 19/02/12

I’ll pay out on that one Nosworthy.  Great one! 

Geoff says:

02:04pm | 19/02/12

“It is (or was) a chance to look all prime ministerial and statesmanlike on TV ...”
That is, Tealady, until she opens her mouth and sprouts that disgusting, bogan accent.

Ken says:

03:36pm | 19/02/12

GOOD ONE GEOFF

Mustn't Comeback says:

07:32pm | 19/02/12

We’re told he mustn’t come back because he’ll treat caucus, the canberra press gallery and bureaucrats like scum….

I'm just a suburban boy says:

02:55pm | 19/02/12

What and see Kevin 07 have a tizzy fit and quite his electorate and the party causing a bye election, it won’t happen. Gillard knows that the govt are on shaky ground and hanging on by the finest of threads, instead she will try and ride the storm out as will the labor caucus who realise their time is up and will be for a very very long time.

Ken says:

03:39pm | 19/02/12

She won’t do that.  That would only give him more time to be disruptive.  She will do her best to keep him overseas.

Mack says:

05:07pm | 19/02/12

Kevin is after a seat at the UN which comes up in October - he won’t quit and lose that opportunity.  It probably gives him more kudos if he is the PM rather than just the Foreign Minister. There is NO kudos in being a backbencher, so he will happily continue to undermine Julia…...which is kind of fun to watch. He also may think he can save Anna Bligh if he is miraculously returned as PM because of his perceived ‘rock star’ status. Delusional, really…..

Helen says:

01:26pm | 19/02/12

Great use of “we, the people” - sounds just like those in government who claim to represent “the people”. You’re not one of them are you Denny?

Please dont claim to represent the thoughts of “we, the people”, Denny. Some of us dont like Gillard, but dislike Rudd more, but nowhere near as much as we dislike Abbott. Its not a matter of who we prefer, but who we dislike the least.
Because there’s really no point in voting based on policies - its not like anyone of them follow through with those anyway.

Paul says:

01:44pm | 19/02/12

@Denny

No, we don’t. Please refrain from ever speaking on my behalf.

Rosie says:

01:46pm | 19/02/12

I knew it, the constant attack on Tony Abbott from the media over anything so trivial like ‘shit happens’ against a dishonest PM is because the opposition believes in conservatism and the government believes in socialism lead by the biggest socialist of them all.

I wonder what was going through Julia Gillard’s head in Darwin when prayers were said and hymns sung to comfort all the families that had a family member involved during the bombing of Darwin? For someone that doesn’t believe in God I hope she wasn’t thinking to herself; ‘Hmmm here I am the PM fooling my people again.”

Please change our PM, replace Gillard for someone that when attending all these services will make me feel comfortable, the fact that I didn’t have the knowledge that our PM was an atheist.

Another reason of many to have her replaced!

Joan says:

02:59pm | 19/02/12

Great to have your bizarre delusional rants back again, Rosie. But you forgot to mention that the Prime Minister’s not married yet.

Denny Crane says:

03:21pm | 19/02/12

Helen and Paul. Look at the polls. Only about 30% of the people agree with you and Mal.The rest of us are grown ups who can see thru the lies and spin of the labor party.

Paul says:

03:52pm | 19/02/12

@Denny

Thanks for your apology, and for never speaking on my behalf again.

The Real Joan says:

05:10pm | 19/02/12

Rosie great to have you back OK - the only delusional post today is from the guy at `Joan` at 3.59pm-  you can always pick the blokes pretending they are girls and `Joan`  at 3.59pm aint no member of the female sex, but more likely to be a male Labor or Union member. who gets a kick out pretending he is a Joan bagging Rosie by pretending he is Joan.  It has happened before and here it is again. Pathetic little fellow.

the_pseudonym says:

05:53pm | 19/02/12

Joan is The Badger cross dressing!

Rosie says:

07:12pm | 19/02/12

It is good to be back! Everything that upset me when poor Julia became our first female PM is beginning to take its toil. I did get over the disappointment, anger, suffering etc and have moved on while poor Julia bears that suffering for the rest of her life.

Yes I remember vividly the run ins I had with Badger the Harass always harassing instead of adding substance to the debate. In this case I have no doubt ‘Joan’ is the infamous ‘Badger the Harass.’

Anyway to Joan alias Badger the Harass to add to my rant the time for a PM of Australia, happily married with loving children is sooner than later. Some say it is only a week away, before Parliament sits again. Oh boy, how I am looking forward to that PM being welcomed in with his loving wife and children on stage. We all remember to well the rejoicing when that happens. Be it Rudd, Shorten, Combet, Abbott or even Turnbull I will be rejoicing for the very fact Julia Gillard has been replaced and a family consisting of a wife, children and pets move into the Lodge.

Joan says:

07:36pm | 19/02/12

She’s still got it ! Hilarious !

Rosie says:

08:35pm | 19/02/12

Badger the Harass Oooops Joan

Poor Julia she must be hurting from the mess she has created for herself but pretending all is OK to keep fooling the people. Worse still hearing from the people she represents and some of her colleagues that it is all over, she must let go and move on. At the same time stubbornly thinking what if it doesn’t have to be over and cling on to power. Resilient and deluded as she is, she will also be thinking what if I fight to regain the respect and trust of the people and win them back? Everyone except poor Julia know that it is over, finished, gone etc.

That Badger the Harass alias Joan is Hilarious! Night, night don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Joan says:

10:14pm | 19/02/12

Great to see you haven’t moved on from your hilarious unhealthy obsession with the Prime Minister.

Harvey says:

01:46pm | 19/02/12

@karl What social experiment?

Labor is UnAustralian says:

04:11pm | 19/02/12

The experiment was allowing an under qualified, incompetent, selfish and communist minded person called J Gillard to be PM. I notice the usual ALP loud mouths have all but disappeared over the last few weeks. Like the party they support there is no loyalty and faith! Bloody UnAustralian bunch they are!

nihonin says:

06:00pm | 19/02/12

‘I notice the usual ALP loud mouths have all but disappeared over the last few weeks. Like the party they support there is no loyalty and faith! Bloody UnAustralian bunch they are!’

But the ones that are here, are going down swinging, only hits they’re making though are on themselves hahaha.  One or two of them are even declaring they’re changing allegiance to other parties, it;s entertaining watching them squirm.  Labor are unfortunately for the party and it’s members, writing the next set of campaign advertisements for the Liberals come the next election.

Harvey says:

07:38pm | 19/02/12

How is that a social experiment?

Pete says:

01:11pm | 19/02/12

There can be little doubt that Julia and her faceless spineless backroom pals were behind the Rudd Youtube release.
The sooner Julia goes the better for the party.
I am sick of hearing Julia’s droning voice.
Rudd is better by a country mile.

JohnG says:

01:16pm | 19/02/12

Yes will be very interesting who is retained in the ministry, with some luck and good management should bring down this lot and let the managers manage.

Matt says:

01:24pm | 19/02/12

Roy, they might resign from cabinet, but they wont resign from parliament, so there would likely not be a quick election. But that is fine, as it will allow Rudd to promote talented MPs who have aspiration, rather than sticking with the deadwood. Rudd will also likely win the support of MPs such as Bob Katter, giving the government an even bigger buffer.

The King says:

11:43pm | 19/02/12

Daffy
You could have just taken notice of what has happened in Australia since 2007 - blooper after blooper from those arseclowns, the ALP, starring K Rudd AND J Gillard, with best supporting clown, W Swan.

John says:

03:19pm | 19/02/12

@Martin

You’d think so until you consider what the Independents’ other option is, and also the abuse and insults they’ve received from the Coalition and their supporters. Then you can see that they’ve been given no choice.

I don’t know what your question, “Who is running the place” is supposed to mean.

Labor is UnAustralian says:

04:16pm | 19/02/12

The Independents are a vile lot who have betrayed this country but now they are lumped in with this incompetent and immature ALP government and have no where to go. They’re political careers are over, the private sector will not touch these toxic lot and history will remember them in the worse way possible. This has ended very, very badly for them.

John says:

07:42pm | 19/02/12

@Martin   See Exhibit A above.

Mack says:

08:18pm | 19/02/12

“This has ended very, very badly for them.”

.....which is awesome! Aholes the lot of them and if they think their constituents will forgive and forget, then they will be sadly mistaken…...

John says:

08:39pm | 19/02/12

@Martin   See Exhibit B above.

Mark says:

03:24pm | 19/02/12

@Jane

Our interests are best served by democracy, not your dictatorship.

Jane says:

09:53pm | 19/02/12

Dictatorship?

My name is not Gillard or Rudd.

Take all the notes you like!

Speak freely!

Tony (real one) says:

03:46pm | 22/02/12

I can’t read crap like this and not reply, before you continue down this Liberal propaganda speech which by the way all it is, how about some facts to back your crap.
Destroyed the reputation of PM office, hmm HOW?
Chaos in political life, hmm HOW?
Brutal political assassination, hmm HOW?
But let me just point out some real truths, what she has achieved as a PM, passed some tough legislations whilst in minority government to me that is a true leader. So before you rant on anymore of your Liberal crap how about backing it up instead of playing dirty politics like you messiah Abbott. To be honest it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Abbott wasn’t behind all this leadership speculation that’s leaked to the media.

Ken says:

03:55pm | 19/02/12

Well folks, I think another worm just crawled out of the woodwork.

Kim says:

03:27pm | 19/02/12

@QE12

Fortunately we live in a democracy. If you don’t like it, emigrate.

fox says:

04:31pm | 19/02/12

The Labor Party will be in opposition for decades after The Red Barren finally gets knocked off her perch.

Something has to happen, she can’t keep up the facade now that two MPs that keep her in public have lifted their veils of anonymity and spoken out against her, ie Wilke and Cheese.

mr g says:

11:02pm | 19/02/12

@fox.  The ‘Red Barren’? If that is, (and of course it is), a reference to her deciding to serve her Nation instead of raising a family, then I guess you have hit a new low. Is that all you can think of? A person who chooses not to have children, Jesus presumably, the Pope certainly, your local group of Nuns absolutely, and every Parish Priest in the world apparently are all tarred with that statement of yours, and you believe that you have credibility?
You choose to ignore the fact that Abbott took the oath of abstinence/celibacy, quickly shook it off when he met the unmarried young lass that he believed may have had his child, and then married and had children.
I don’t necessarily find fault with him for all of that, primarily because I too have faults, but you are so lucky. Aren’t you.
You and the rest of the sad, sick, resentful bunch of superior, (sic), followers of the Mad Monk should concentrate on his filthy mouth, his egomania, his pursuit of the keys to the Lodge at all costs, and just ask yourself if you really think that he is looking to your welfare, your betterment, or is he simply doing what Pell, the lying Archbishop, tells him? Relayed from Rome, of course.
She is the Prime Minister of Australia. Where do you live?

Ken says:

04:07pm | 19/02/12

@ Jim Wiggs.

Don’t think Qld labor could be so desperate as to permit Gillard to cross the border at this juncture.  I think they would rather lose the election.

Mouse says:

04:32pm | 19/02/12

I’m pretty sure Bligh has told gillard to stay away from Queensland until after March 24th!  :o)

John says:

04:05pm | 19/02/12

@nora

You don’t need to go to those lengths to try to portray Coalition supporters as imbeciles.

the_pseudonym says:

06:19pm | 19/02/12

lol@ Disco Stu, yeah, we’ll go with that.

TimB says:

06:34pm | 19/02/12

And the Libs got their hands on the video…how?

John says:

07:55pm | 19/02/12

@poa  

100% BS. The abuse and insults the Independents have received from the Coalition and their supporters since they told Tony Abbott to rack off has ensured that the Independents will never side with them. You’ve made your bed; now you have to lay in it.

cheap white trash says:

07:50pm | 19/02/12

Yes April fools day my guess…....same spin master,just a different smell?

Rick says:

08:24pm | 19/02/12

That doesn’t say much for the only person in Australia less popular than the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott.

Mack says:

09:58pm | 19/02/12

Hey Rick, let’s have an election and see who is more popular with the voters. It won’t be Juliar!

Rick says:

01:22pm | 20/02/12

@Mac

We just did. You lot lost, remember?

Rosie says:

07:55pm | 19/02/12

No Grassy Knollington, I don’t think we even started. We began a new journey because we had lost our way and while trying to find the right way we lost our moral compass. Now we are in a much worse position than when we decided to begin the new journey.

We will just have to wait for those concerned to find the moral compass before we can move forward.

KimL says:

08:51pm | 19/02/12

Hopefully we are moving backward towards Rudd, I never vote Labor in the last election because they ousted him and I won’t be voting Labor in the next election unless they right the wrong, done to this country and to Rudd

Bertrand says:

06:36pm | 19/02/12

I always find these comments that Australia is an international laughing stock to be strange.

Australia is generally viewed in an incredibly good light by other countries. We weathered the GFC better than pretty much every other developed economy and have had something like 17 years of uninterrupted growth, which is basically unheard of.

I’m not sure if you have taken any notice of what is going on in Europe and America, but we are doing fine in comparison to most developed nations. They are envious of our economic position, not laughing at it.

This is largely because we have had good economic policies from both sides of politics since the 1980s with the Hawke reforms which were implemented with the support of Howard.

Mark says:

08:29pm | 19/02/12

@Trevor What did you have in mind? Gas chambers?

Tony (real one) says:

03:51pm | 22/02/12

And only to see another loser take office like Toxic, who himself has admitted being a liar. You Liberal fools think the grass will be greener on the other side, well think again. Unless you want to see double digit unemployment, sky high interest rates, inflated prices for consumers, etc. etc.

Malcolm says:

08:34pm | 19/02/12

@karl   Who’s Julie Bishop pledging her full support to this week?

KimL says:

08:47pm | 19/02/12

If Roxon likes Gillard that is even more reason for me to think Gillard should not be PM, Roxon is only bending over because Gillard promoted her.

Mouse says:

07:45pm | 19/02/12

Sorry Brad,  but they are not the only people/parties that run at election time.  So If you can’t be bothered voting for anyone, what gives you the right to complain about whatever government is in?  A bit hypocritical don’t you think?  :o)

LmyLefty says:

03:54pm | 22/02/12

@Mouse says
Every right if you pay taxes, and maybe you need to get a brain as well.

Martin says:

08:46pm | 19/02/12

Should we just install you as our dictator then, speaking of nobodies?

Plain Jane says:

09:02pm | 19/02/12

As we live in a properly constituted, functioning democracy, we’ll have our next election when it’s due, thanks all the same. In late 2013.

Not at the frantic ravings of some ranting partisan mob.

Try “accidentally” delelting this one, Punch.

Gregg says:

08:58am | 20/02/12

@Tony,
You need to stop kidding yourself in just looking at the here and now, a time when a government is actually borrowing money daily to keep feeding their style of governance and that can not continue indefinitely yet Shorten as Finance minister oversaw having borrowing limits raised.

Take a hard look at the much broader and longer term picture and consider what revenue the government and Australia will have as a carbon tax bites more and more with what industries we have left other than mining and then also have a look at the super profits tax rate and compare that with what resource companies are paying in other resource rich countries.
It’s a bit like if Coles are always so much cheaper than Woolies and what will you do - buy in Coles of course and well exactly the same approach will be adopted by the planets financiers and equity groups, the only difference being whereas you can shop around any day you like to get better pricing, the nature of the international financing industry will mean Australia will see its deterioration over a much longer time frame.

As for the Liberals black holes and sure, all oppositions have always usually had trouble getting cohesive messages out when they are in opposition and right now, whatever they may come out with, the government will be all over them with look how good we’re doing for you, just right now! and the holes will appear in opposition policy making solely because there has to be a lot of belt tightening to occur after any Labor spending years, it always having been the same.

You even see the government and media attacking Abbott because he has used the word aspirational and all that means is there are many things in life that would be nice to have or do but there’s not much point in rushing into them if you cannot finance them in a sustainable way for the longer term and that is what Labor cannot do.
They claim the extra tax from the super profits tax will give better superannuation and lower tax for small businesses but what if the super profits decrease?
Where will be their revenue then and to maintain benefits they will have to find a new tax, that being the labor way and what is Labor’s gigantic unknown black hole.

It’ll not surprise me if you cannot see the future possibilities, one of them becoming more and more like Greece with every passing year under a Labor government.

Just think for a moment about borrowing a hundred million or more each week and so with every increasing interest payment, you have actually lost money that can no longer be put towards improving Australia.

Geoff says:

09:22am | 20/02/12

Doh! Tony Tony Tony…  what a deluded little rusted-on you are.

1/ Labor are on the nose (has been for quite a while)

2/ Interest rates are controlled by the RBA and they have admitted they do get it wrong and they did get it wrong at the end of Howard’s government which is why they corrected it downwards and have kept it down so far.

3/ There was no real GFC it was a Northern hemisphere crisis.  The past Australian governments and the changes they made saved us from being involved…  You can thank Hawke, Keating, Howard and Costello for that.  they even set up the trade environment which was our real saviour via the mining boom and the strong banking environment we have.

4/ Grocery watch and Fuel watch both failures and wastes of money…  where do you live?  My petrol has gone up incredibly since Howard was in and except for specials at Woolies and Coles my food is also more expensive not to mention my electricity, gas, water, rates and phone bills. cost of living in Sydney has skyrocketed.

5/ Your name calling and immature LABOR attitude does you and the party no service.  It would seem you are a tad hypocritical when it comes to personality bashing.

6/ Your ignorance of the real state of affairs likewise.

7/ I used to like Julia but she’s been a failure like Rudd as PM.

8/ Don’t name call and accuse others of things you are blatantly guilty off…  try becoming a swinging voter and vote for policy not personality.