Live blog: The Rudd/Gillard leadership showdown

Little Joe says:

05:53am | 27/02/12

@ SteveKAG when are people going to realise that the ALP does not care about the 1000 ANZ workers, 1452 QANTAS workers, 600 Alcoa workers, nor those that lost their jobs One Steel, Ardmona, Golden Circle, Toyota etc…etc..etc..

Nor do they care about the average Australian!!!

The ALP is a shadow of its former self. The pass legislation and provide grants that provide money to unions so that Unions can provide electoral donations.

Adrienne says:

06:56am | 27/02/12

@ Little Joe back up your statement about the ALP instead of taking uneducated pot shots at what they do and don’t care about or represent. The ALP has always been about business, small and large alike. When are people going to realise without business there are no jobs for “ordinary Australians”. Stop whining about who is getting what if you don’t like it and go see how hard it is to actually run a business nowadays! especially under this tax this tax that and TX EVERYTHING government!

Peter says:

07:01am | 27/02/12

And unions have no interset in helping workers. Unions don’t create jobs they destroy jobs.  Richard Trumpka head of Unions in the US last year admitted, “I did not join the Unions to promote wokers and thier rights I joined to promote the Socialist agenda”. Like the Greens they are not interseted in the Enviroment just a cover to promote thier Socialist (Marxist/Progressive) agenda. These extremist will eventually be exposed but in the meantime they are dragging down the whole country and we will all pay a very heavy price for electiong these extremist pretending to be something else like economic Conservatives.

thatmosis says:

07:31am | 27/02/12

Your right Adrienne, Labor has always been about businesses large and small, mainly in ways to bleed them of as much money as possible, making it virtually impossible to fire staff that are unproductive, allowing increases in pay without increases in productivity, allowing Unions unprecedented powers to actually run businesses out of business if they dont fold to Union demands, yes you certainly hit the nail on the head.
The only thing the ALP cares about is keeping power, keeping their snouts in the public purse and lieing to the people time and time again.

Little Joe says:

08:11am | 27/02/12

@ Adrienne and thatmosis

Thank you for agreeing with me!!!

Albanese was going on about how he likes “fighting tories” ..... what a moron. Without people investing in businesses there are no jobs, no taxes, no social welfare, no public service etc etc

Arthur says:

08:30am | 27/02/12

@Little Joe….So true.

The only thing people can do is vote for independents that have the welfare of Australia in mind. Spread the word. Let’s see an end to party politics. It is not working. They are far too tied to big business, money, favours owed, donations. The system is broken and they can’t fix it. LNP’s no better and has to go too.

john says:

08:55am | 27/02/12

@SteveKAG “So while 1000 ANZ workers, 1452 QANTAS workers, 600 Alcoa workers etc…etc..etc”

@Little Joenor “those that lost their jobs One Steel, Ardmona, Golden Circle, Toyota etc…etc..etc..  Nor do they care about the average Australian!!! “

Australia has a very tarnished history of monumental collapses, HIH, Ansett, compass, onetel, storm ...the list is almost endless and over many decades. Many thousands of smaller companies are defunct over the decades any many thousands have retrenched over the decades.

The reason why no-one really cares is because every person has now been conditioned to fend for themselves, self preservation.

I doubt there is any or much real care factor out there these days.

Its just a token media story now. with many more on the horizon with manufacturing and industry shifting to china. Also the financial white collar jobs are shifting to indian and asian call centers.

Regardless who is PM, Julia, Kevin or Abbott or whatever they will just be the fall guys - someone to blame.

Bye Bye Australia that was once for Australians.

Carol says:

09:05am | 27/02/12

Arthur,
I’d have to agree, the only hope we have is to vote for any one but the two major parties. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have governed this country for too long, what is required is fresh ideas, fresh faces and some honesty in politics.

SteveKAG says:

09:24am | 27/02/12

@john - I guess we just pack up and give Australia back to the Aborigines?  Such a pesimistic view you have young man.

thatmosis says:

09:34am | 27/02/12

Cant say I agree with the Independant scenario, after all we are lumbered with this Government because the Independants went against the wishes of their own voters to prop up this disfunctional mess we now call a government. Without them Joolia would be a name in the faceless Labor party and we wouldnt have been made to suffer under her inspired leadership (sarc).
  Howard did a good job and had most bases covered but true to form the voters, especially the younger ones who had never been subjected to a Labor government before, saw fit to chuck him out and now those people will be and are being the first to feel the pangs of unemployment and dispair hanging over their heads.

RyaN says:

09:43am | 27/02/12

@Arthur: “The only thing people can do is vote for independents that have the welfare of Australia in mind. “
You mean like Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor who barefaced lied to the public claiming that they were choosing to support “stable government” and look at that stable government we have.

No thank you, I certainly wouldn’t want to support another Oakeshott.

john says:

09:48am | 27/02/12

@SteveKAG “give Australia back to the Aborigines?”

before or after we dig up the riches beneath them?

We have a good history of giving back land once we finished with it, like Maralinga!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nuclear_tests_at_Maralinga

Arthur says:

10:12am | 27/02/12

@RyaN

I hear you RyanN, but it can’t possibly get worse than what it is and I believe it has everything to do with party politics.

The best option would be a new party, it just doesn’t seem to be happening though. What if the electorate, organised by some smart bugger, started to donate in to a slush fund for a new party to start that represents us. I know it sounds “out there” that a government would represent us the voters. That’s how bad this has gotten.

dovif says:

10:19am | 27/02/12

Adrienne

The ALP is about business, how to tax business out of existence, the Carbon tax is a $40 billion tax on Australian business, which put pressure on the consumer (us) the suppliers and shareholders and employees

In order for company to survive the blackhole caused by the carbon tax, they have to charge us more, and cut their staff.

That is why thousands of Australia is going to be out of a job, because Gillard wanted to keep hers ad sold us out to the Greens

Shane From Melbourne says:

10:19am | 27/02/12

@SteveKAG- As long as the free trade mantra remains the trade policy of both Labor and Liberal you will see massive job losses regardless of who is Prime Minister. Apart from mining and agriculture, both are which are not labor intensive, there is nothing that cannot be done overseas more cheaply and efficiently.
And for the record, John Howard is the worst Prime Minister of all time. He created the modern middle class family welfare state thus dooming Australia to massive recurrent expenditures for all time. (No politician will ever abolish middle class family welfare and the average voter is addicted to it like a junkie to their hit.)

RyaN says:

10:22am | 27/02/12

@Arthur: Didn’t Bob Katter start up a new party?

Arthur says:

10:50am | 27/02/12

@RyaN…“Didn’t Bob Katter start up a new party?”

Yep, and if it goes federal, AND drops the pro population mantra, he’ll do extremely well. Though the voters collectively don’t seem too smart.

james says:

10:55am | 27/02/12

@Dovif

Get your numbers right champ.
Carbon price costs business 9bn per annum.
GST costs Australia 50bn per annum.

Reader says:

10:57am | 27/02/12

What has any of that got to do with Julia or her allegedly being a ‘liar’? Nothing to do with the carbon tax, even though you might want to believe the Abbott spin, which is, dare I say it, lies!!

dovif says:

11:16am | 27/02/12

james

Get your fact right, the Greens have already said the tax needs to go up yearly in order to stop our use of carbon

The GST is a stupid and awful comparison, The GST applies to imports, while the Carbon tax does not, The Carbon tax exports Australian jobs overseas!!!!

The GST is a flat tax that does not create winners or losers, the Carbon tax will destroy jobs in energy intensive sectors, see qantas, alcoa, car manufacturers and banks who uses offices and computers

The Carbon tax destroys jobs and exports them overseas, which is very different to the GST

JE says:

11:17am | 27/02/12

@james - GST costs business $50bn per annum? perhaps you should brush up on your tax law, business does not bear the burden of the GST the end consumer does. All taxpayers were compensated for the price increases not just those deemed ‘rich enough’ to cop a hit. The carbon tax will be a burden to business because it is only spread over a certain number of businesses. If they want to remain competitive they won’t be able to pass on all costs to the consumer because they would then be at a greater competitive disadvantage to those who aren’t hit with the carbon tax

Aitch B says:

11:27am | 27/02/12

@James

How pathetic. Drag back the GST as justification for just about any tax Labor has introduced since 2007.

I’d venture to suggest that the 27.5% wholesale sales tax (which would probably be 32.5% by now) would be dragging in a heap more revenue than the GST is.

Please tell me how the GST is a cost now when you obviously consider that the wholesale sales tax wasn’t back then?

james says:

11:52am | 27/02/12

@JE

Nice misquote

Dovif

All shrill and no admittance of ones incorrect facts as usual.

The rest of the right wing nutters, I was presenting the numbers for some perspective, I have nothing against the GST.
Take a deep breath and calm down.

Venise Alstergren says:

01:15pm | 27/02/12

STEVEKAG: How well you do Rupert Murdoch’s business. Jump!

Carol says:

03:34pm | 27/02/12

Shane,
Have you noticed most here ignore your posts; reason they love the Nanny state. You are so right, the Howard government killed this country with it’s buy votes at all costs policy. Middle class welfare is a drug and the nova rich love it. Sadly the Howard years destroyed the Australia we claim to love.

Little Joe says:

10:43pm | 27/02/12

@ James

You do relise that the Carbon Tax does nothing but increase red tape on business and increase CO2 emissions.

Australia would be better off not implementing a Carbon Tax and simply pumping $4B into renewable energy programs ..... because that is the size of the hole in the CT Budget and the money would not be sent overseas.

gobsmack says:

06:58am | 27/02/12

You want to replace “these turbulent priests” with an Abbott and a Bishop?

Gravelly says:

07:13am | 27/02/12

Go to the top of the class!!

Tom says:

08:15am | 27/02/12

What a highly intelligent piece of political analysis. You must make your mums proud.

Reader says:

12:18pm | 27/02/12

The Arch Bishop of Canterbury?

Tom says:

08:31am | 27/02/12

Yes, the classic wet dream of a Labor supporter. Turnbull to rock the boat. Don’t hold your breath. Turnbull still remembers the huge caning he was getting from Rudd in the polls.

I suggest he realises that being in government is more fun. My bet is that he will be given a plum job outside politics after doing the team thing.

Greg N says:

09:39am | 27/02/12

The reality is that Labor is in power and they are acting as if they are in opposition. Oakeshot and Windsor picked labor because they wanted a “stable” government which would go the full term even though they admitted it is not what the people wanted.
Time for the self interests to be put to the side and an election called. Now where is the GG, oh that’s right on holidays.

Wynston Cruso says:

11:21am | 27/02/12

Yep, and this is the second time in only a few years that we have had to put up with this bullshit. It says a lot about the Labour party, and more about our collective voting intelligence.

SteveKAG says:

07:36am | 27/02/12

I threw those out when he threw the Home Insulation Program out.
I created 120 jobs with that program and on one black Friday with 2 hours notice i had to retrench 120 staff.
They can all go to hell!!!

L. says:

08:24am | 27/02/12

“we ask for the rightful leader”

Rightful leader..??

Rubbish. Rudd was the leader of the Labor party, noting more, nothing less. He was not voted in as PM, as we have no such mechanism.

Mattb says:

11:10am | 27/02/12

SteveKAG says: 08:36am | 27/02/12
I threw those out when he threw the Home Insulation Program out.
I created 120 jobs with that program and on one black Friday with 2 hours notice i had to retrench 120 staff.
They can all go to hell!!!

Not that I beleive you are anywhere near telling the truth here but gee Steve, what your saying is your one of the pigs that was feeding at the ‘stimulus trough’.

No wonder your so angry at labor, they grabbed you by your grubbly little neck and dragged you out of the trough due to the unscrupulous behavior of some of the companies involved in the pink batts stimulus program.  You were out to make a quick buck and the rug was pulled from underneath you, well, sucked in parasite…

Like I said though, I don’t beleive for a minute you are an employer and business owner, the comments I’ve read of yours in recent weeks not only show you aren’t smart enough to run a business but, like this one, occur at times that a good business operator would be working at running his business not writing crap on the punch.

JE says:

11:21am | 27/02/12

@MattB - regardless of whether Steve did or didn’t have to sack 120 staff, I am aware of a number of insulation businesses who have been running for between 20-30 years have had to close and sack staff. Its simple economics, you artificially inflate demand for a short period of time and you have ended up with demand crashing lower than it was before the program

Mattb says:

12:28pm | 27/02/12

JE

I believe you. I just don’t beleive mr KAG.

I’m sure the ‘20-30 year old’ insulation companies have suffered since the program occurred. Anyone could see that it would end in tears. But the economy needed stimulating and I bet not one of those companies said no to the extra cash flow at the time. It’s hard for any one of these insulation companies to hold the moral highground and blame the government unless they said no to the money the stimulus provided. How many of these companies said no to this money?. I’d be betting that none of them did.

It exactly the same as anyone that comes (and its all the conservatives ofcourse) on here stating that the entire stimulus program ‘was a waste of money’, yet I’d love to see the figures on how many people sent back the $900 cheques they received through it. How many of these whingers sent their cheques back?. The slimey grubs started whining the moment their cheque cleared in the bank.

Boxcar Willie says:

04:44pm | 27/02/12

I would have employed four million people to pick grapes on my farm but I can’t now because of the carbon tax. I did have one million but i had to sack them all because I found out some of them voted Labor in the past. This is all your fault Gillard!!!

Tim says:

07:14am | 27/02/12

It looks like the fanbois are out in force today.

Who cares about the country as long as my team is winning.

Go Libs, yay.

Jay says:

07:25am | 27/02/12

Even if Abbott becomes PM tomorrow he cannot do anything as the Senate does not stand for election for a further 18 months. He will have to force a double dissolution which will take time.In the mean time he will have to live with all of the Labor taxes or face a massive black hole.
One thing Labor has ensured Australia will be wasting time on politics when we should be moving forward as a nation.

Against the Man says:

07:56am | 27/02/12

If you care about Australia get the Libs in. Can you not the Rudd vs Gillard egos that are wasting our monies and time. Labor is all about Australian destruction. Hell Gillard sold us out to the Greens for power!

ps: I’m on team Australia and proud of it!

L. says:

08:26am | 27/02/12

“Even if Abbott becomes PM tomorrow he cannot do anything as the Senate does not stand for election for a further 18 months.”

A DD will sort that out quite nicely.

Gregg says:

08:31am | 27/02/12

What happens after the vote!
Gillard will likely shuffle a few portfolios.
Krudd will if true to his word, go and sulk on the backbench.
Independents will be happy in keeping their seat for another eighteen or so months and Australians will have the same ammount of time with which to suffer this lot.

Erick says:

08:34am | 27/02/12

What would be really hilarious is if Rudd spits the dummy, and chucks a Pete Slipper.

I bet Julia’s having regrets over backstabbing Wilkie so recently. Betrayal after betrayal, now comes the Karma.

Tator says:

09:53am | 27/02/12

79/23, Rudd cops a flogging, now what is his next move???????????

glenm says:

11:16am | 27/02/12

Current results from Courier mail newspoll suggest Labor has lost all support except for Acotrel who has voted 914 times.

Thanks for voting!

Who will you vote for in the next federal election?
Labor 10.32% (914 votes)
Coalition 73.72% (6532 votes)
Greens 6.15% (545 votes)
Other 9.81% (869 votes)
Total votes: 8860
.

Against the Man says:

07:24am | 27/02/12

As Abbott said today. The Australian people want to decide, they want an election now. The Independents can give the Australians what they want. The Independents can clean up the mess they made and save their political legacy.

Knemon says:

07:50am | 27/02/12

@ Mahhrat - I doubt Rudd would resign. He will do a Keating, sit on the back bench for about six months, and muster more support, all the while hoping Labor keep sliding in the polls. In saying that, the latest polls today are surprising.

Knemon says:

07:57am | 27/02/12

@ ATM - Are you serious?

How do you reckon the independents would go if an election was held now?

Who in their right mind (especially a politician) would throw their job away because Tony Abbott says we should have another election now?

Against the Man says:

08:15am | 27/02/12

The Independents are goners no matter when the elections are held. Like I said it is about saving their political legacy. The shame is something they and their families have to live with forever…............

Gregg says:

08:27am | 27/02/12

@Mahhrat,
Just like a dingo taking the baby and there being no direct evidence other than Lindy allegedly seeing one and hence her cry, do you not wonder why Gillard has said any journalist is completely free to report anything I have ever said and yet Krudd has not been so liberal, expecting that journos will stick by their ethics, ie., not revealing sources.

Do you not wonder why he would take that approach?
I agree, the guys a loser and will likely lose.

Mahhrat says:

10:14am | 27/02/12

@Gregg: I agree with you, there is strong circumstantial evidence and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he is in fact the leak (or controls it).

That isn’t the point.  He’s been accused - directly by other members of the ALP, by people in the media, by the general public - of being the leak.

If I were in his boat, I’d be calling for the proof, demanding to be put up or shut up.  Especially in the (unlikely, I know) case that he ISN’T the leak.

marley says:

08:22am | 27/02/12

My fear is that the “internal distraction” is going to be a bit like a cockroach - unsquashable.

iansand says:

08:31am | 27/02/12

But Rudd comes from Queensland.

Throw me down the stairs my hat there you. says:

08:53am | 27/02/12

Poor weak marley, can’t even crush a cockroach.

antman says:

12:15pm | 27/02/12

That jsut shows the stupidity of the average Australian voter that they have already forgotten that they’d had enough of Rudd in mid-2010 and want him back despite those who actually worked with him (not just watched him on Sunrise) detailing just how poor a PM he was in practice. In any case, the poll numbers would only be relevant is there was an election to be held this week; the next election is 18 months away - plently of time for a Rudd-generated popularity bounce to dissipate once everyone remembers why they went of him in the first place. At least under Gillard, something will get done in the mean time instead of 18 months of policy gridlock.

Majong says:

05:09pm | 27/02/12

When are people going to realise we do not have a presidential system.  You need more than a team of one to run a successful government.  All this mythologizing about the brilliance of Rudd - he’s a narcissist obsessed with his own popularity and celebrity.  He can’t make a tough decision to save himself.

Al says:

07:57am | 27/02/12

So Tim, you fail to realise that we NEVER vote for a prime minister?
We only vote for parties (or Independents) and the party with majority support (including from those independents) decides who will lead.
We have never had the power to vote in a prime minister in Australia.

Trish Hunt says:

12:34pm | 27/02/12

@Al: The office of the Prime Minister is not in the consitution of Australia, but it exists.

On the subject of public perception, both political parties influence it with their advertising:
1. Read the how to vote card and look at the placards at your local electrol booth. “<name of local MP> part of <Leader’s> team. Vote for the <Leader’s> team”.
2. Then there is the advertising (the media doesn’t pay for it): Kevin ‘07, John Howard: Work Choices, Say No to Tony Abbott. These were very successful campaigns and they are all based on influencing the public’s perception of the party on the basis of the leader.

So to say we want the public to vote on the basis of our Leader / the other side’s Leader but when they public does so they are fools is not a very nice way to address to the public. If business did this it would be deemed misleading and deceptive conduct and they’d be fined or hauled off to the courts.

antman says:

12:37pm | 27/02/12

Even more amazing that people actually think that a position that is not even recognised in our Constitution could, legally, be elected by the people. The idea that people can elect a PM presupposes that the system will be dominated by political parties who can form majorities in their own right or in very lop-sided coalitions. The Westminster system is designed to work with a Parliament filled with independents, obviously it can work with large groups of party-affiliated members, but they are not necessary and it was never intended that the Parliament must produce majority governments.

Gillard was voted in by the people in August 2010, to the extent that the people vote in the PM. The PM is not a popularly elected position; it is merely the chief Minister of the Crown (Ministers of the Crown are recognised by the Constitution) chosen to lead the group of Parliamentarians, each elected by the constituents in thier electorate, who collectively hold the confidence of the Lower House - that is all.

It may be that a majority of people did not vote in favour of the ALP, but more people voted against the Lib/Nats than against the ALP.

Mickey T says:

08:04am | 27/02/12

Interesting comment NigelC - Judging by comments on The Punch, most of the hate appears to come from the conservative side of the political fence!

marley says:

08:18am | 27/02/12

@Mickey T - but the conservatives aren’t criticising their own.  The ALP types are.

Aitch B says:

08:26am | 27/02/12

@Mickey T

You conveniently ignore the anti-Abbott vitriol constantly put forward by the Labour supporters. Not to mention that thrown at the Bishops, Hockey, Pyne, etc.

It works both ways….....

Gravelly says:

08:30am | 27/02/12

C’mon Mickey. If conservatives are angry, it’s because this Labor circus has been shielded by Fairfax and the taxpayer funded ALPBC for 4 years!  It’s about time this dysfunctional band of misfits was exposed for what it really is!

Chris L says:

09:40am | 27/02/12

@Marley - I would suggest being uncritical of one’s own preferred party to be a bad thing, but each to their own.

@Aitch - “It works both ways….....” - I suspect that sums up Mickey’s response to Nigel.

I often see people who speak with any favour of Labor being ganged up on with bitter recriminations, name-calling and seldom any actual facts by Coalition supporters. Naturally this does not describe the actions of all conservatives (or even the majority) but it demonstrates that hypocrisy is yet to go out of fashion.

SimonFromLakemba says:

10:43am | 27/02/12

@Gravelly

Wasn’t it ABC News who broke the story of Rudd being sacked by Julia in 2010?

And you think somehow News Ltd doesn’t hide some Liberal mishaps? Bit hard to pick winners when it comes to the Australian media.

marley says:

12:21pm | 27/02/12

@Chris L -  my comment was about “hate,”  not “criticism” - and I was pointing out that it’s one thing for conservatives to express hatred of the ALP and its ideals, but it’s quite another for ALP types to engage in a hate-fest not against the opposition but against one another.  If you don’t think that represents a problem for the ALP, well, I do.  But each to his own, as you say.

Chris L says:

04:24pm | 27/02/12

Apologies Marley. One little word makes all the difference.

I still disagree with the assertion that the left hate any more than the right.

Erick says:

08:03am | 27/02/12

@Al - “I find it completely irrelevant who leads as there will be no real change either way.”

Completely right. The only relevance is how the outcome affects Labor’s re-election chances - and it looks bad for them either way!

I expect that Gillard retaining the leadership would hurt the ALP more in the next election, but the party room can’t stand Rudd so they will choose her anyway.

Ben C says:

08:48am | 27/02/12

I especially love how Marles is talking up Gillard’s negotiations with the Independents - “Julia is the first Prime Minister since Curtin to have been asked by the Australia people to lead a government of negotiation: a minority government.”

Here’s news for you Richard: If Julia was any good at her job, she wouldn’t have had to negotiate with the Independents in the first place - the ALP would have retained a majority in the House to govern in their own right.

Rachel says:

10:41am | 27/02/12

entirely agree

B2 says:

08:57am | 27/02/12

How exactly do you force legislation through B1?
Mummy told you about exaggerating and what would happen.

Robert S McCormick says:

10:28am | 27/02/12

Joel B1
Sincer when was the NBN & CO2 Legislations “Forced through the Parliament?. Politicians & the public have been debating the CO2 thing for at least 5 years. The NBN has been debated. The difference with the NBN thing is that the Government refused to subject their plans to “Cost/Benefit scruitiny”. We can only imagine why. Possibly because there are a lot of ALP MPs with direct financial interests in companies which will or may supply the NBN with expertise, knowledge, equipment etc? Conspiracy Theory” Possibly BUT it would not be the first time politicians have arranged things so that, if not them directly, their families have benefitted from Government decisions.

Arthur says:

09:16am | 27/02/12

Correction….... 30/1 now.

Mickey T says:

09:18am | 27/02/12

Same here, it should be a hoot.

Against the Man says:

09:07am | 27/02/12

Of course Gillard staying on is great. She can do far MORE damage to the ALP compared to Rudd.

TimB says:

10:20am | 27/02/12

Yup Knemon. She’s hated far more. Tony can probably win against Kevin (as long as he sticks with the ALP’s ‘Policy of Failure’ platform), but he’d absolutely trounce Gillard.

Kevin could pull that Kevin07 garbage again to sway star-struck voters and make a fight of it. Gillard has no chance.

That’s why I’m expecting a second challenge- From someone other than Rudd.

Ben C says:

10:57am | 27/02/12

@ TimB

When Bryce steps down as Governor-General, I’m counting the days that it’ll take Shorten to launch a challenge.

@ Knemon

Given the way that the ALP’s majority was eroded at the 2010 election, the Coalition see Gillard as a rabbit in their headlights.

Max Redlands says:

11:17am | 27/02/12

The idea that Turnbull would mount a challenge is a bit fanciful in my opinion.

Turnbull is a smart man. He , indeed all the Libs , would realise particularly given the events of the last week, that the last thing the voters would be impresssed with is a show of internal disunity in the Liberal party.

My guess is they (the Libs) all realise all they have to do is keep things ticking over at their present clip and a victory at the next elction should be there’s for the taking.

Regarding the results of today’s vote it seems my bet with my mate that Rudd will not lead the ALP to the next election is looking pretty safe. But to be fair I have said the bet is payable on the calling of the election.

Max Redlands says:

11:37am | 27/02/12

oops!! “theirs” not “there’s”

Mitch says:

11:57am | 27/02/12

Julias a dictator? This the death of democracy in Australia? We have an unelected government? Some of you people need to get a grip. The language coming out of the “caravan of inconsequence” or, as I prefer, “dumb f#cks with trucks” group is astounding.

Sizzle Chest says:

10:57am | 27/02/12

And the Greens would like it to be released into the community as soon as possible please….....

Wynston Cruso says:

11:34am | 27/02/12

Err, I believe a leadership balot between Mr Sheen and Ronald McDonald is far more important than the discovery of typhoid some place.

nihonin says:

10:12am | 27/02/12

‘Julia, if she is a true ALP person would relinquish the leadership.’  The question has to be asked,why?  Labor MP’s have voted for the leader, so all sides of Labor now have to get behind and support Julia Gillard for better or for worse.

RyaN says:

10:15am | 27/02/12

Where are you going Ned?

nihonin says:

10:18am | 27/02/12

Only if you are a paid up member or sycophant of Labor Nick and any other tissue holders who say it’s Tony Abbott’s or the media fault.  Personally I think many undecided voters have now decided who they’ll vote for at the next election.  This comment is not a preference for Tony Abbott, just an opinion, many may yet swing to Julia Gillard.

Hamish says:

12:11pm | 27/02/12

I reckon all Rudd’s supporters - the ones who had Labor’s best interests at heart - like Ferguson, Albanese, etc, will start trying to convince a third party to run for the leadership. Gillard is so toxic people preferred Rudd who in reality was (also) a massive failure as PM.

Caroline says:

11:00am | 27/02/12

Totally agree Maryem.

To Ms.Gillard, you have only won a battle, not the war.

Monty says:

12:29pm | 27/02/12

Thats just Australian politics in general. Whoever wins, we lose.

GB says:

11:01am | 27/02/12

Oh don’t worry. ATM. Bligh and her band of incompetent, bumbling fools will be wiped out like we saw in NSW. The dirty tricks smear campaign they are running up here against Campbell Newman is beyond astonishing. The problem for them is that the public sees through it. Their own candidates have removed the “Labor” branding from all electoral advertising for crying out loud. They’ve had upwards of 10 sitting members “retire”. What does that tell you.

AdamC says:

10:40am | 27/02/12

Why does Labor expect their abusive attacks on Tony Abbott to suddenly start working, when they have failed thus far. Is Tony Abbott the PM, or the Opposition Leader? Laborites seem to be acting as if he won the 2010 election and is running the country. Intellectually bereft indeed.

LostinPerth says:

10:51am | 27/02/12

@thegoodtimes It’s not often you hear a Rhodes Scholar and the holder of several university degrees described as “intellectually bereft”.
I wonder what your “intellectual” qualifications are??? Judging by your post, if Abbott is bereft, yours must be infinitesimally small.

Gillard had over 30% of her party’s representatives prefer a person who other senior members rate as incompetent to lead. Less then 40% of people prefer her as prime minister to Abbott and you are celebrating? Gillard is a “dead women walking” and the sooner we have an election to clear out this rabble the better.

Joel B1 says:

10:53am | 27/02/12

Funny how the ALP supporters always have “throw-away” usernames…

Maybe there’s only one of them feverishly typing and submitting away? Sticking a pin in a newspaper to get the next “name”.

If we get a “Julia is the best PM 4 eva” comment from “Flea Market Ads” you’ll know it’s true.

RyaN says:

10:55am | 27/02/12

@good times: sniff, sniff its all Tony Abbotts fault, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

jaki says:

11:06am | 27/02/12

Abbott haters a rather nasty little bitches, aren’t they ? Bitch, moan, bitch, moan….......It’s actually quite funny. I can only imagine the amount of foaming-at-the-mouth when he becomes PM !

Shane From Melbourne says:

11:08am | 27/02/12

Abbott is intellectually bereft whether he is an Opposition Leader, Prime Minister or a common citizen, any way you cut it…...

james says:

11:20am | 27/02/12

49% of the LNP caucus voted for Turnbull to lead them.

Kika says:

11:28am | 27/02/12

@Jaki - Abbott haters? It’s called a democracy! We are entitled to not like Abbott as much as you don’t like Gillard or Labor!

@Simon - Couldn’t agree more… the fact he thinks that the public should be able to vote for the leader of a party makes me cringe, blood boil and feel incredibly sad for him. He must also have short memory span. He also booted Malcolm Turnbull out the same way. Can’t remember whether I had a say in that!

SimonFromLakemba says:

11:39am | 27/02/12

Better then being named after a banana.

jaki says:

11:54am | 27/02/12

@Kika
Hating someone you don’t know is democracy ? Oh, sorry, I always get democracy and spiteful bitchiness mixed up !

Wynston Cruso says:

12:47pm | 27/02/12

To think Tony Abbot couldn’t be better than the worst PM we’ve ever had is foolish, and I’m not sure the prerequisite for becoming a Rhodes Scholar is to be intellectually bereft. The desperation inherent in the comments of ALP supporters is amusing to say the least.

Your ALP tears sustain me. Om nom nom.

GB says:

11:07am | 27/02/12

Clear air?????????? LMAO!!!!!!!

That was just Phase 1 in the process Ned. The fallout from this will be massive. If you think that is the end of it, I have some prime waterfront real estate for sale that might interest you.

RyaN says:

01:17pm | 27/02/12

@Ned: Clear air is a bit useless don’t you think. Not sure what sort of clear air I have ever seen crush anything.

Larry says:

12:01pm | 27/02/12

Tony Abbott’s biggest danger may be from the hubris that comes from knowing that you are a shoo-in.  While I can hear the sound of champagne corks popping on this site the LNP will need to be disciplined and not appear to be measuring the curtains 18 months from an election.

The certainty of an LNP victory will also begin to draw the scrutiny of the media on what they will due when (not if) they get in power.  That means policies and their impacts on individuals.  While it is unlikely that Labour can win there is still a lot left to play out.

Abu The Goat Boy says:

10:59am | 27/02/12

Kiml, Oh come on, you’re a Labor Supporter? Come to think of it you most probably are. Rudd looks more and more like Charlie Sheen every day. He has had a lobbyist running a campaign of leaks and destabilisation since the last election. Why, oh why, would anybody, even a rusted on Labor voter think this man was a worthy leader?

Fed Up says:

11:31am | 27/02/12

Actually it just shows how strong a straglehold the right faction has over Caucus.
If they wanted it so…Idi Amin would be PM.

Get It Right says:

11:39am | 27/02/12

The ALP Caucus obviously want two things. 1) A parliamentary leader they can work with and 2) to avoid another mid- term leadership change, with all the disruption and re-acclimatization which that entails. It’s Business As Usual they prefer. Whether Kevin will allow that to happen for longer than 9 mths or so is yet to be seen. It is curious that the public perception as Kevin as the only leader who can win them government in 2013 means little to over a third of them. It’s a measure of how much they loathe him.

NewsNinja says:

11:40am | 27/02/12

Yeah, forcing the rest of them to actually do some work would make him disliked . . . what an a-hole!!!!

David says:

12:15pm | 27/02/12

With all of his peers coming forward over the last few days telling of how much of an impossible egotist he was to work with when he was PM, you can’t deny that there must be some truth in it.

Andrzej says:

12:34pm | 27/02/12

@ ashley - “the poles showed that i wont be voting labor”

Are you Polish?

NewsNinja says:

11:44am | 27/02/12

and how did he rise . . . oh is that a knife in his hand! Short memories!!!!
Hypocrisy, hypocrisy, hypocrisy thy name is LNP!

Steve says:

12:10pm | 27/02/12

News ninja we agree with you the party is in labour and in need of c section.

Get It Right says:

12:23pm | 27/02/12

Cheryl Kernot has about as much Labor cred as my pooch. She’s the turncoat defector from The Democrats, remember? That said, she’s right. We don’t elect a PM, we elect a government, although The Kevin 07 campaign made it seem that way. We do NOT, repeat, NOT have a presidential system. The Parliamentary Leader of any party is always For caucus to decide. This is our system at work, sans bloodshed. Ain’t it grand?

Monty says:

12:46pm | 27/02/12

Cheryl was being pretty generous to most Australians with the 3 minutes a week figure there.

David says:

02:38pm | 27/02/12

@Mitch

You really think that this government will be able to get the NBN completed before Tony Abbott kills it off? Going by Labor’s track record the NBN will be well and truly cocked up by 2014 and then the Liberals will knock it on the head. It’s as good as dead, you can put money on that.

NewsNinja says:

01:29pm | 27/02/12

I like your style Mitch, good call.
But at least Steven was up on his feet giving it a go, Tony hasn’t even got his skates on or got out the locker room yet.

St. Michael says:

04:36pm | 27/02/12

What, vote for the Australian Democrats instead of the Greens?

Hope says:

05:21pm | 27/02/12

That was the most intelligent commentary I have seen
You have summed it perfectly .