Scorched earth is all that will remain if they keep this up

Super D says:

06:03am | 23/02/12

There was once a political force in Australia known as the ALP until in 2012 it finally disappeared up its own arse.

Make no mistake, Kevin and Julia are fighting over who gets to be the last Labor Prime Minister.

Tony of Poorakistan says:

06:39am | 23/02/12

Swan has got a bloody cheek saying that Rudd puts himself ahead of the party. The party seems to only exist at the moment to provide employment for union heavyweights who put the unions ahead of the electorate.

I hope Rudd has enough sense not to put himself forward at this time, but to continue to whiteant from the back benches until *he* chooses his time.

TChong says:

06:54am | 23/02/12

TOP
I can see you hate the idea, but unions represent part of the electorate, and represent more people than “Business Councils” , or any employer group, ie those the LNP represnts, before the electorate.
Workchoices was proof of that..

Timmy says:

07:33am | 23/02/12

Ahhh TChong.. another sad pathetic Labor voter… my bet is you have no real idea what work choices was even about and just believed the scare campaign run by the Labor party because you, like most Labor voters, are mere frightened sheep that are too afraid to think outside the box. Don’t forget it is those ‘business councils’ and those horrible Liberal bosses and company directors that keep you employed… or at least until the Carbon Tax comes in and drives what few manufacturing jobs offshore.

Hank says:

07:35am | 23/02/12

This is absolutely fantastic.  Seeing all the Labor stooges turn on eachother warms the heart.  Now its all in the open how much bitching and infighting there has been in the last 18 months.  The party is imploding on itself and hopefully the unions will go down with them.  Welcome back Liberals and stability.

MarkS says:

07:51am | 23/02/12

Political stories in Punch are so dull because from the very first all we get as comments are the haters shouting loudly at each other with their eyes closed & fingers in their ears. You stink, no you stink. Boring

Tony of Poorakistan says:

07:52am | 23/02/12

Tchong

I see the faceless men from the unions are demanding that certain MPs have to show their ballot papers… doesn’t sound like democracy in action to me. Sounds a lot more like their usual standover tactics

unions at work says:

08:06am | 23/02/12

Tchong

Some of the places in the world where employee makes the most money are also places where unions are banned or have no power, ie Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai

Unions and there corruption (Thompson) are a large part of the problems, I know of union leaders who drives BMW to “their work” They rarely have member’s welfare on their priority list, they are more likely looking for a safe ALP seat and a public pension

Anne71 says:

08:17am | 23/02/12

I just love his line about not being party to a stealth attack on a PM democratically elected by the people.  Anyone else see the loopholes there?

TChong says:

08:24am | 23/02/12

Timmy
No, ,I dont owe business councils my job.
I get paid by the taxpayer, your money , in particular .
                         
Now be a good minion, get back to work before your manager catches you wasting their time and money.

Do Ron says:

08:41am | 23/02/12

TChong, unions represent a very very small part of the electorate.

don says:

08:51am | 23/02/12

““mutually assured destruction””  , ha ha ha , it is funny to see these fools put themselves , then the Labor party first .

It will be lovely to see the people’s of all voting habits interests put first .

hahahahahahahahahahhhhhh

Toady says:

08:57am | 23/02/12

Do you think you’ll have your cushy job for much longer, TChong?  The writing’s on the wall for the pack of grubs who are (allegedly) running the country.

Bitten says:

09:00am | 23/02/12

@TChong: and those taxes are paid by whom exactly and as a result of what??

By the actual workers (not you and your union mates) employed by private enterprise. Not to mention by the private corporate entities themselves.

But don’t let logic and facts get in the way of good old-fashioned ideological obstinance.

Rob Ratten says:

09:46am | 23/02/12

Rubbish!!! I think Rudd has the public on hes side.
The proof is in the pudding.I cant Imagine the legacy that Tony Abbott would build for him self and our Beautiful country, Rudd on the other hand has done so much in such a short time amount of time.Hes Job as prime minster was out standing and the job he had as foreign minister was even better. I Believe if Rudd was to take office again he has the potential of becoming one of the Greatest prime minsters the country has ever seen and also becoming one the worlds most predominate, out spoken but loved voices. He has the potential of joining the greatest people and leaving legacy that has changed and shaped western society
as we know it today
Go get’em Kevin you have my Vote!

TChong says:

09:58am | 23/02/12

Do Ron
Maybe, but they still represent more people then Business Councils
Toady
Public services are going to be abolished , really?
When?
TOP
faceless men, thats party machinations, diddly squat to do with me
unions at work
a union official acting corruptly is no more indicative of what unions represent , than crooked company directors ( plenty of them), represent capitalism, or the private sector.
Bitten
“You cant hurt me, I’m part of the union…”
Hahaha.
Now, ,I’ll get back to my commie manifesto,  while bludging with union mates.
Life is grand

Trojan_Dog says:

10:11am | 23/02/12

@ SuperDave…....Gold mate, pure gold…..

@ TChong…...Youre a goose mate, get back to the pond with the rest of the geese…..

Dissident says:

11:32am | 23/02/12

Erick, the part that confuses me is that all these people are surprised when this happens. The ALP is an inherently unstable beast. In the 80’s people voted for Hawke and got Keating. Then we (collectively, not I!) voted Rudd and got Gillard. Why aren’t the electorate learning this lesson? I guess you can never underestimate the capacity of large groups to make fundamentally stupid decisions…

The saddest part is that in 2007 the ALP got massive traction in the electorate saying ‘vote Howard and you will get Costello’.

It would be interesting to see what fellow Punchers think causes this in the ALP. The tensions may simmer along in the Coalition, but they keep it under wraps. Certainly everyone changes leaders while in opposition, but that isn’t about scorched earth, rather a party trying to define its identity in a format that is palatable to voters.

My theory is that when you are controlled by unions you end up acting like unions. Given that unions threaten strike action (scorched earth?) for the most trivial issues - remember the angst because some FIFO workers weren’t going to have personalised dongas, they expected the company to have empty dongas while they were on their time off site? - maybe the ALP guys just can’t help themselve and end up doing the same?

Brian Taylor says:

01:45pm | 23/02/12

I’m still waiting for nossy to put his two cents in, think maybe rudd resigning caused him to have a heart attack?

acotrel says:

07:33am | 23/02/12

It is not about sharing a favourite toy.  Rudd was rolled by hiis troops because of his demeaning authoritarian ego-driven management style, and now he’s trying to make a comeback !

They mess up big time says:

07:54am | 23/02/12

The Labor party and the Faceless men did it to themself. They did said they were planning to kick him next week while they all rally to support Julia. They gave him no option but to resign as minister of foreign affair. He new again the knife on him the last time they assasinate his Prime minister they did it last minute without giving any warning this time he gave up and has enough. After the ballot next weak if he lose the PMs who supported him live with him because they will never be able to work with these bloaters and vindictive Seniors PMS because they are trouble. Jullia will have no choice to call an election and this time the Julia government lose in shame all their seats even Green and Independance because the People of Australia will punish and correct them for their backstabbing, betrail, hungry for power and did not care who they walk other and hurt to get it. They show their true colour. They are jealous of Kevin Rudd because voters will never reward they spoil brat behaviour and they know they mess up big time.

Nafe says:

08:06am | 23/02/12

I would love to see some ministers resign, Bourke and Swan are no loss, but a gain to Rudd, they are both as incompetant as eachother. A front bench cleanout is what the ALP desperately needs.

Anubis says:

08:38am | 23/02/12

@ acotrel - no he’s not trying to make a comeback - it is Julia who has called for a leadership spill in Caucus NOT Rudd. Up until last night Rudd continued to state that he fully supported the Prime Minister. Please point to a single recent event of Rudd stating that he was going to challenge for the role of PM.

The dysfunction that is Julia Gillard and her supporters is the driving force for these events.

Borderer says:

08:52am | 23/02/12

I’m hoping Gillard slaughters Rudd, not for the reasons you think either. A disillusioned Rudd, stripped of the Prime Ministership, Foriegn Ministers job and cast to the back benches never to return decides to leave the party and we get the election we want to have. Best of all with Gillard at the helm, it will be a bloodbath.
From that I hope to see a change in the party and the factions rethink their positions so that they can provide a credible opposition in the future. Good government is about balance, Labor has swung too far left to be effective, the need to be broken and remade.

Toady says:

09:11am | 23/02/12

Borderer, the ALP is not about good governance and never has been.  There’s a reason why they spend so long in opposition.  The ALP is there to look after union hacks and quasi-commies, many of whom move up the ranks and into politics, to perpetuate the cycle of selfishness.  Voters get sucked in every time - this party hardly ever acts in the best interest of workers, but always in the best interests of the unions.  They should spend less time lying and deceiving, provoking class warfare, undermining business, and trying to destroy people who don’t share their ideology, and focus more on being an effective organisation that governs for everyone in Australia.  Until they change their ways for good, they will never be able to govern effectively.

James in Brisbane says:

09:14am | 23/02/12

The point being made is that Gillard is a party person. If she loses, she’ll do the right thing by the party and sit quietly on the back bench. The complaint about Rudd is that he has put himself in front of the party, he has leaked, has spent over a year speaking to journalists to attack his own party, has fomented discontent. Politics (both sides) is a bloody business.

Just about the only time a leadership change is at the point of a metaphorical knife - but there’s one rule. If you lose, you go away and shut the hell up in the interests of the party. Turnbull has done it, Downer did it, Crean did it, Howard did it multiple times. That’s Rudd’s problem, he has a messiah complex. And if he loses this challenge, he will continue to leak, white-ant, destabilise because he doesn’t care about the party, only himself.

The only way to have Rudd put to rest is to have him reassume the leadership and get trounced at the next election. It takes a massive ego to soldier on and believe the voters got it wrong (although Howard comes close). But, despite her faults, Gillard won’t do to Rudd what he’s done to her, she’s a team player.

James in Brisbane says:

10:22am | 23/02/12

@Toady, you realise that everything that you criticise the Labor Party for applies equally to the Liberal Party from the other end? People like you don’t care about ideology and good governance, you care about ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘it’s my side’. Both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party are a disgrace to their founding ideologies. Labor has forsaken the working person for the well-off, the Liberal Party has forsaken sound economic management to pour bucket loads of money wastefully at interest groups. The reason both parties get away with that trashing of their values is people like you: people who will keep voting for their party forever and a day regardless. You will never, ever vote Labor so the Liberal Party is off the hook, it doesn’t need to try to keep your vote because it owns your soul. Same goes for one-eyed Labor voters who’d rather died in a ditch than vote Liberal.

The only saving grace is that the morons on both sides cancel each other out so the swinging voters can make the decision.

Bertrand says:

11:13am | 23/02/12

@acotrel - “IT is not about sharing a favourite toy”

No, it’s not. It’s about governing for the best of this country. And yet we see behaviour that resembles that of petulant children.

Tony says:

11:25am | 23/02/12

@James please name just one time that the Liberal Party has acted like this? That tired old line ‘but they are all the same’ is just a lazy man’s way out of having to make an informed decision. I have said many times that nobody hates like Labor and here it is being demonstrated before your eyes.

James in Brisbane says:

10:08am | 23/02/12

People like you on both side of the political fence represent everything that is wrong with party politics.

sir ronald bradnam says:

11:00am | 23/02/12

Actually James I didnt realise there was a law that required me to pick either one of the dominant parties and their corresponding leaders, when I despise both. This country needs a leader with morals, honesty and charisma unfortunately I dont see any on the horizon.
Whats actually wrong with the political system is the rewarding of mediocrity, the dishonesty and behaviour of the majority of poiticians who are really in this to serve their own interests not the actual needs of the country and its citizens.

ZSRenn says:

01:19pm | 23/02/12

He’s a KIwi! Says it all

sir ronald bradnam says:

04:00pm | 23/02/12

Thats is an excellent contribution as always from a delusional sky fairy believer. Where do you get these witty one liners from ZSRen they’re gold. Very pleased to see my personal stalker is still keeping tabs on me.

Tom says:

05:51pm | 23/02/12

sir ronald bradnam, ... “crazy religious zealot”? ... your bigotry has no place in this country.

sir ronald bradnam says:

09:27pm | 23/02/12

Tom, freedom of speech is not an issue as long as it is not racist or derogatory. Religion is different as anybody over the age of 7 who has an invisible, magical, imaginary friend that no one has ever seen or can see, should be certified and locked up. Just saying.

Jane says:

07:25am | 23/02/12

It is sexism because she is better at the job, by far. She is not incompetant at all according to all CREDIBLE sources. In fact it is often quoted the months it took for her to clean up his mess. She also got the carbon tax through, he was Carbon man, greatest moral dilema and all that rot but went running from the moral dilema as soon as it threatened his fan polling ,even though he had locked us in to a target..

Many forgive him because he is a while male as we always do, the disgusting way he treats people is “human”.?  For crying out loud, it is not more human or less offensive as you put it. It is double standards. You cannot justify at all why she is more offensive so She oly is due to bigotry.

Anne71 says:

08:21am | 23/02/12

Jane, please do not trot out that hackneyed cry of “sexism” - it is nothing of the sort.  Gillard’s policies are receiving no more scrutiny and criticism than any male Prime Minister’s did.  I seem to remember some pretty nasty things said about Keating and Howard during their respective terms in the office.

Julie says:

08:23am | 23/02/12

Jane -  she stabbed him in the back to get his job. Not a good look, dumb move and has since been proven to be a sneaky, untrustworthy, unpopular bitch.
She probably would have made a reasonably good PM if she waited and learned the ropes as deputy.
Now it’s all going to end in tears for her and the Labor Party.

Osiris Fox says:

08:42am | 23/02/12

Jane… Bitter much for being born a woman and not a man? Sounds like it. Also somewhat blinded by the hypocrisy of Gillard and her gang.

As for the carbon tax… Feel good nonsense for hipster greenies that will have virtually zero affect on global climate change but will place significant pressure on employer’s. And I’m sure you know what employers do these days to cut costs and preserve profits don’t you?

Do Ron says:

08:45am | 23/02/12

Jane, name one credible source.

Bob says:

08:48am | 23/02/12

Jane: No, she’s incompetent. The Carbon tax is also not something that’s in her favour, seeing as she explicitly stated, with no loopholes, that there would not be a carbon tax under a government she leads. They both ran in opposite directions from their promises. Another example of a thing she’s incompetent on is illegal immigration. How many half-baked attempts did she have at that? Including but not limited to saying she’d use East Timor before actually asking anyone relevant in the East Timorese government. (Or was it PNG? Either way..)

Toady says:

08:50am | 23/02/12

Oh yes, if the racism card isn’t available, pull out the sexism card.  Failing that, pull out the ‘public tears’ card and the ‘I’ve learnt from my mistakes’ card.  If she is better at the job by far, it is because Rudd was terrible at it in the first place, but history already shows Gillard is monumentally incompetent.  Face it Jane, these clowns aren’t fit to run the country, and to top it off we are being held to ransom by three selfish independents.  Bleat about sexism all you want, but all you do is prove your argument for her has no substance.

me my mo says:

12:45pm | 23/02/12

@SteveKAG, “I also think the reason he is more populer than Julia is that he is simply less offensive to us” I find Rudd far, far more offensive. I cannot fathom how the Australian public can stomach the condescending way he speaks.

Nathan says:

06:05am | 23/02/12

I have not heard Gillard and co blaming Rudd for anything other than his actions being destabilising. Rudd has been giving as good as he got, he needs to be stood on once and for all and is clearly not a victim here.

” he is being stabbed repeatedly and insulted by his colleagues at every turn’” maybe if he stopped leaking everything and could shut up and actually do his job he might get the respect of his colleagues.

Maybe if he wasn’t such a terrible people manager in the first place he would not of been replaced. The guy is an ego maniac who only cares about HIS right to rule. He is just a two faced little maggot

Nafe says:

08:13am | 23/02/12

Tha think is Nathan, The public don’t care how Rudd is behind closed doors, we don’t care he is hard to work with and work for, He was a better PM than Gillard and the people should get their leader back.

Tom says:

07:31pm | 23/02/12

Nathan, “I have not heard Gillard and co blaming Rudd for anything other than his actions being destabilising.”  Miss today’s news by any chance?

SteveKAG says:

06:30am | 23/02/12

“She allowed Rudd to have a seat and allowed him to leak.”

Just wondering when you received his last leaked e-mail Craig?
That is a beat up by teh faceless men of Labor and the NSW Right…...How can you beleive anything this woman and her cronies tell you, Swan, Crean, Garrett, Gillard - all liars and now it is Kevin the Dudd’s fault…..pffft

Fairsnotfair says:

07:34am | 23/02/12

@ SteveKAG - you are correct in your summation. However, don’t forget the sneaky destructor: Tony Burke. This man is the silent destroyer of Australia. He has finangled more power & control than any other over-paid public servant.

Get rid of Tony Burke and you will get rid of a good portion of the evil, self-interested direction this party displays.

Bruce says:

08:53am | 23/02/12

I feel that a third option is the only solution. On one hand we have one of the most unpopular PMs of all time, against the smiling incompetent lemon Kevin Rudd. Steven Smith or Simon Crean seem to be their best option. Otherwise, its game over for this government.

Mouse says:

11:31am | 23/02/12

SteveKAG, at least Krudd has taken the blame off of Abbott for a while! :o)

QE12 says:

06:31am | 23/02/12

There are six people of various voting ages in our household. Five women, and one male.  In this neighbourhood we hear only disparaging comments about Gillard’s incompetence and manipulative style.
No-one around this locality likes her style, the way she got the job and no-one trusts her. I think she has been Labor’s worst nightmare.

Nathan says:

06:34am | 23/02/12

There is a reason they got rid of Rudd and that is because he cares very little for anyone other than himself. Having come across people who have dealt with Rudd before he was PM i can now see what they where on about. This man is as slippery as they come and can never be trusted.

If he was this great guy why did the party get rid of him? If he was that bloody great it would not of happened.

Ben says:

06:39am | 23/02/12

Thats how Labor does it’s business but we finally have someone who is prepared to say so in public. Rudd was their Messiah. If thats how they treat their deliverer from the political wilderness, God help those they hate. Rudd does not deserve all this crap being heaped on him and I hope Crean, Swan and Gillard all get their come uppance one way or the other !

Nathan says:

06:40am | 23/02/12

@QE12
“No-one around this locality likes her style, the way she got the job and no-one trusts her. I think she has been Labor’s worst nightmare.”

I find these comments amusing, Gillard got on with it announced she was running and it was over quickly. Rudd on the other hand has done what ever he can do to discredit the government for his own personal gain and has dragged this out for way to long. This is manipulative not the other way around.

Rudd won’t get close and the reason being that no one in their right mind trusts him. Gillard ousted Rudd then took the country to the polls then was re-elected this stabbing him in the back is rubbish. Anyone who thinks we vote our PM in and not a government needs to learn a little more about our political system.

Anyone in politics to the private sector who has anything to do with Rudd cannot stand him. He is manipulative and two faced used car salesman

Nathan says:

06:42am | 23/02/12

oh and the press release coming out at around 2am in Washington to make the 6pm news wasn’t manipulative

gobsmack says:

06:52am | 23/02/12

I applaud Swan’s blast.
Everything he said was true.
The two-faced sanctimonious bastard deserves to be exposed.
I would vote for Abbott before I voted for Rudd. and I can’t stand Abbott.

Against the Man says:

07:24am | 23/02/12

Any one who believes Gillard isn’t in it for herself needs to have a reality check. Watch Four Corners and ask why she is still PM of a government that has soooooooooooooooooo lost its way. She is as selfish as they come. She never cared about Australia or Australians. If she was doing a good job this would be a non-issue.

8 boats in 8 days - only the blind would still defend Gillard and the ALP.

acotrel says:

07:28am | 23/02/12

John Howard recently criticised Julia Gillatd saying that she ‘has no authority’.  An authoritarian ego-driven management style mght work in a party where democracy is stymied, however the ALP is internally democratic.  The fact that Rudd’s troops rolled him is an indictment in itself.  He was on TV two days ago admiting his shortcomings and promising to improve - he knew that his failing to consult was a problem.  Yesterday he resigned as Foreign Minister, sent a letter without even the courtesy of a phone call to Gillatd to discuss his actions.  It was all about himself, nobody else.  If his type of managment style is accepted in the executive of the Australian government, what hope have the rest of us got when we encounter these self-serving ego driven bastards in our own workplaces ? If Kevin Rudd is really as smart as he is painted, he will go back to being Foreign Minister, and keep his head down. If the Australian public believe he is suited to leadership, they are being wildly optimistic, however I suppose they are comparing him to Tony Abbott !

Nathan says:

07:47am | 23/02/12

@ATM
You are the one who blindly follows the LNP, and if you looked at the comments it was to do with Gillard or Rudd not about supporting the Labor party.

Anything that comes from 4 corners i will take with a grain of salt anyway. Poor excuse for journalism and have lied many many times, not only do they manipulate the story they make it up as well

Bob says:

07:49am | 23/02/12

acotrel: You sound as if Gillard expected him to behave differently since she knifed him. If she did, she clearly doesn’t have the brains to be PM.

Bertrand says:

07:59am | 23/02/12

@Acotrel - “An authoritarian ego-driven management style mght work in a party where democracy is stymied, however the ALP is internally democratic.”

The ALP is far from democratic. To vote against party lines is automatic expulsion from the party. Internal decisions are made along factional lines, in which members fall into line whatever their personal views are.

The role of caucus is negligible. Personally, I see Labor’s undemocratic internal nature as one of its major problems.

marley says:

08:01am | 23/02/12

@acotrel - if you believe the ALP is internally democratic you are frankly delusional.  Read the ALP National Review Report.  It was pretty frank in underlining how undemocratic and faction-ridden the Party is, and why that is costing it members.  And I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that Messr Faulkner, Carr and Bracks have a much better understanding of the Party’s workings than you do.

Austin 3:16 says:

08:07am | 23/02/12

Nathan if Rudd had a daytime press conference in Washington that was broadcast here early in the morning you’d probably be complaining that he snuck in his attack in the dead of night.
Rudd, Crea, Combet, Smith I don’t think it matters anything would be an improvement on the current “leadership” of the party.

Craig2 says:

08:11am | 23/02/12

@acrotel, just the once, a faint hope reading your labor loony views, that tony would not be mentioned and as I read further, my hopes soared and then the last line, there it was, tony abbott. Fuck, what a let down :(

Against the Man says:

08:21am | 23/02/12

Thank you Nathan. You have just shot yourself in the foot. Thanks for playing enjoy the nice parting prizes…...NEXT!

Matt says:

10:07am | 23/02/12

Kevin didn’t get them into power. Work Choices did.

frankr says:

03:43pm | 23/02/12

No Matt,
Labors scare campaign on workchoices did

TChong says:

06:35am | 23/02/12

Kiplling
You are probaly correct with ( the party machine)” is not interested in natinal welfare, health or safety , it is fully self interested. “
You can also apply that to the Libs, Nats, Greens,One Nation, DLP, Katterers,  Dems, Republicans, Whigs, Tories , and any and every political party that has ever existed in Oz, and everywhere else.

SteveKAG says:

06:36am | 23/02/12

“Oh and of course, let’s not leave the media out of this. The mass market media probably to a large extent holds the greatest responsibliity for undermining our poltiical system…”

I have to agree they hold some responsibility here (including writers here), it is about ego for journalists, no different than it is for the politicians…..........little men at the trough, trying to see who’s is bigger.

lHP says:

06:56am | 23/02/12

Of course the labor machine is completely self-interested; it’s the unions, they know no other way. Our country is being run by unions, hence the attacks on business and the wealthy, and the overriding self-interest.
The Labor party at present is not fit to govern our country.

acotrel says:

07:59am | 23/02/12

@1HP
Do the unions rum Germany, which has the most successful economy on the planet.  They seem to get by without the stupid adversarialism of the type promoted by the LNP to retain it’s relevance.

Chris says:

08:05am | 23/02/12

@ Kipling and Ors
I expect you’re right.  As a collective, the party [insert name of party here] is almost always self-interested.  It is about both preservation and power.

However, within parties there are strong minded, smart and dedicated individuals who still believe in serving the country before they get caught up in the mess.  Those are the ones I would like to see in power - of course that doesn’t usually happen.

IHP says:

09:01am | 23/02/12

Acotrel, adversarialism is the last tactic left for the unions. They know that they are no longer relevant (thanks to legislation now protecting workers), so they continue the us vs them tactic to keep a grasp on their diminishing power.
By the way, Germany has no relevance to this conversation.
Also, the LNP is only in Queensland and again, they are not relevant to this conversation - we are discussing the Labor party and the influence of the unions on the Australian political landscape.

St. Michael says:

11:33am | 23/02/12

@ acotrel: if you Google “are german unions militant?” one of the first search results is a judge’s commentary “there is no place for small, militant unions in Germany”.

By definition, the combined union strength in Australia amounts to less than 1 in 5 workers.  That is, small.  They are also rather militant.  The analogue is not the same.  Although knowing union officials in Germany are often on the boards of the companies they have members in is probably part of that: unlike here, if a union strikes in Germany its own officials will wind up being held responsible for the company’s own losses, since they are on the board.  Here a union that strikes—lawfully or not—does not suffer in any way the losses of the company (it might be fined for unlawful industrial action, but as we’ve seen with the CFMEU, some are so well-funded fines really make no impact at all.)

TChong says:

06:46am | 23/02/12

Viv
Whats Palin got to do with it?
Palin would hardly fits in to any rational political debate, or party, including the Libs.
As a Mad Katterer, or One Nation, she would probaly be considered their intellectual base.
If you are a Palin fan , check out her latest defence of Santorum ,( use the HuffPo links)
Even I give Abbott and the Libs credit in being several steps up the evolutionary chain above Palin, and her opportuism.

Aitch B says:

07:06am | 23/02/12

@Chongy

Mate….. either you’re very short or you ducked at the wrong time. You know…. tongue, cheek, etc.

Perhaps Vivian couldn’t find a [wink] smiley.

TChong says:

07:28am | 23/02/12

Possibly Aitch
But as ATM will shrill, I have been in Canberra, or Washington, all nite, trying to shore up or destabilise Rudd and/ or Gillard.
Those red eye flights to and from washington are a killer,I need some coffee .
In reply to your 7:34 post , didja see the cricket scores.?
NewSouth.  Triumphant. Again.

Against the Man says:

07:53am | 23/02/12

Hey TChong will you disappearing at noon time after you get cornered by the majority’s opinion? You always do

Amazing a paid ALP employee as bad as you should be working directly for the PM hahahaha

VVS says:

07:59am | 23/02/12

Swan’s gone full retard? No Oscar for him then…

Mouse says:

08:08am | 23/02/12

swan showed his true colours with his over the top rant against Krudd last night.  Doesn’t poor swanny realise, if Krudd quits politics, he may lose his cushy gig. No more “World’s Best Treasurer” or acting PM, he must be terrified! lol Crean should have more sense and keep his mouth shut. That stupid David Bradbury will get a tattoo! Oh please…. Wasn’t he the one that sailed with gillard in the naval boat to sell her East Timor thought bubble? As for the Independents and their supporting a stable government.. Really…. no I mean REALLY!!?

Unfortunately, these are the people that are supposed to be running our country. Honestly, I have seen better behaviour in school yards. gillard has shown, yet again, that she has no idea how to handle any sort of emergency until being given her script. Her “team” don’t know how act as a team. They have all shown that there is no such thing as comradeship with Labor and if you don’t follow party line they will all gang up on you, with gusto!  What a joke they all are. It is a real shame what they have done to the Labor brand in such a short time. 

Of course it is Abbott’s fault, has to be, he is so negative! lol   So Viv, you supply the popcorn, I’ll bring refreshments, it should be a great show!! lol :o)

Aitch B says:

08:39am | 23/02/12

@TChong

Hehe…. I always take a tablespoon of salt with ATM’s comments.

Honestly haven’t caught up with what’s happening in the Shield but I will now. Thanks for the heads up.

Aitch B says:

08:43am | 23/02/12

Oops…. my bad, Chongy. Make that the one-dayers.

Yeah…. a good win. Not sure that 58 off 81 balls is going to get the selectors turning their collective heads his way, though.

Highly Amused! says:

08:45am | 23/02/12

What really infuriates me in all of this, is the self interest of the Independents to hold white knucked onto their seats no matter what.  They wanted a stable government and this is anything but, but will they do anything about it?  No!.  Then there is the non response of that useless wooden duck, the GG.  Remind me what we are paying her for again?  We have an unstable government who is squabbling amongst themselves and not doing their job of governing the country.  We, the people have no confidence in them, but the GG is too busy trying on new hats to do her job.  The role of GG has to go, it’s a completely useless and unrequired roll in this day and age.

Now, I don’t like Rudd at all, but I’ve got to hand it to him, this was a brilliant move.  The writers of Yes, Prime Minister couldn’t have written a better script if they tried.  When this is all over, someone needs to write a musical.

Kelly Cox says:

04:17pm | 23/02/12

TChong really disappears doesn’t he. Low self esteem or just full of hot Labor air?

Vivian says:

06:38am | 23/02/12

“A press conference should have been called by her last night, instead she’s waiting for today so she can receive and memorize a script from the “faceless men”.”

Awesome money line. I never thought of it in that context. Very apt and prescient.

Nathan says:

06:47am | 23/02/12

” If we were to behave in a workplace like this we would be reprimanded for bullying and even fired”
Rudd would of been fired in any workplace for his inability to people manage, his rude attitude to staff and on top of it all would likely be sued by many private enterprise for releasing sensitive information to the public which would breach any contract.

I would prefer Abott than Rudd and that says allot. That is what we will end up with any way no doubt

Helen says:

08:02am | 23/02/12

“Rudd would of been fired in any workplace for his inability to people manage, his rude attitude to staff…”
Nathan, unfortunately, that is not the case in a lot of workplaces. I’ve been in teams where team leaders act like this, and are rewarded by being moved up the chain. It didnt matter that they were totally inept, or that the team refused to work with this person. It did matter, however, that they looked the part.
So why should government be any different?

Lori says:

06:40am | 23/02/12

Too right. We used to choose to elect on the basis of which policies would be better for our country.
Now we have to guess which obnoxious prat will stuff it up the least.

Muzz says:

08:14am | 23/02/12

Swan and Crean just make themselves look like nasty little children in the play ground joining in a fight for the fun of it.
Their actions and words are not that of professionals, it just goes to show how juvinile the Labor Party front bench are. They’re a pack of foolish loud mouth dills.

Stiffy says:

07:26am | 23/02/12

That’s not going to happen.

Helen says:

08:04am | 23/02/12

It looks obvious from where I stand….. he wants to be PM. They took his toy away from him, and now like an angry child, he’s going to try to snatch it back.

Bob says:

07:43am | 23/02/12

That’s unfair. Caesar was competent.

patsy says:

08:35am | 23/02/12

@PsychoHyena-too right. But I can’t figure who’s stabbing who. Might be a first in mutaul stabbing or even payback?

stevem says:

08:58am | 23/02/12

...and Brutus was an honorable man

St. Michael says:

12:14pm | 23/02/12

I don’t really remember that part of “Julius Caesar” where Caesar’s corpse punched its way free of his grave and tried to wring Brutus’s neck.  Although his ghost still hanging around pointing fingers on the eve of Phillippi is an apt image.

SteveKAG says:

07:42am | 23/02/12

I have been saying the same thing, Nathan keeps regurgetating stuff that he is hearing from those “fceless creatures” as fact…....

I have not seen the fact of him being rude to staff, difficult to get along with, authoritarian, memo leaker, destabiliser…..

I have a feeling there is a fair bit of spin here and not much fact.

SimonFromLakemba says:

08:17am | 23/02/12

@SteveKAG

“I have not seen the fact of him being rude to staff, difficult to get along with, authoritarian, memo leaker, destabiliser”

It was well known that he was all of those, remember when he blew up at the air hostess?, called the Chinese ‘rat f*ckers’, he burnt through so many ministerial staff in his 1st year of Parliament I think it was some record.

And I’m saying all this being a Labor supporter.

“I have a feeling there is a fair bit of spin here and not much fact”

News Ltd have been doing that since Gillard took over.

Mahhrat says:

09:36am | 23/02/12

@SimonFromLakemba - Really?  Do we “well know” these things?  They’re not proven.

I’ll grant you the man has a temper, but i’m a public servant who wants to actually serve the public, and I get incredibly frustrated by some of the attitudes I have to deal with.  To someone with his office, it must be hair-tearingly frustrating.

We know he went through a lot of “office staffers” who then bitched about his leadership.  There are long-standing and well established protocols in all public services I’ve ever served in regarding raising official complaints about workplace harassment, bullying and so on, should you be the victim of such behaviour.  Why has none of that action been taken?  Where is the corporate psychologist’s intervention in the goings on of Kevin’s office?  Why haven’t we heard peep about this since, except for a late-night rant into a turned off microphone - which is something nearly anyone in an office is wont to do, forget a senior Minister for a moment?

Even were any bad behaviour he’s engaged in since his first stint as PM not news, it’d be coming out in spades now if it existed.

No, I had the thought then and I’ll have it now:  While I’m sure he can be an irasciable child at times, I do think he simply worked his office harder than they were used to, but not necessarily any harder than they should be, considering their office.

SimonFromLakemba says:

09:47am | 23/02/12

@Mahhrat

“Really?  Do we “well know” these things?  They’re not proven”

They were proven those examples I gave, I’m not into beat ups.

Well apparently they called him 24/7 Kevin because of his work hours and what hours he wanted people to work for him to work.

It’s a shame about Kevin, so many ideas, heaps of passion but just got caught up in his own hype and micro management I guess.

mahhrat says:

10:44am | 23/02/12

I know he blew up at an air hostess etc.  I’m not arguing that the man is volatile.  But to be honest, I’d rather a volatile but effective leader than a quiet ineffective one.

In terms of things done though, I’m wondering - who leaked all the stuff?  Who designed all these things?  We just don’t know, and while everyone is happy to assume it was Kevin, there’s no proof of any of it.

What we DO know is that he was removed from office with ninja-like stealth over the course of a single evening, because those in his office didn’t like him.  That would never happen in any public service office, for good reason - these people are elected by use and answerable to us, not some faction boss.

SimonFromLakemba says:

10:58am | 23/02/12

@Mahhrat

Thats it, we don’t know. We rely on the papers for that information unfortunately.

Mahhrat says:

02:00pm | 23/02/12

@Simon, which is why I think it’s no contest.

We the people voted him into office (say what you like about who elects the PM, we vote for Kevin or Julia or Tony or John, then the parties).

I feel that since we voted him in, we should also vote him out.

SimonFromLakemba says:

02:15pm | 23/02/12

@Mahhrat

Correct!

Gary B says:

07:44am | 23/02/12

Because a lot of us cannot be assured of where our next meal is coming from. Certainly not from the policy antics of this clap-trap government. I wish you well in your insulated contentment.

Bob says:

07:45am | 23/02/12

What other oppositions have released full details of all their policies months or years ahead of an election? I know the opposition in the 2007 election didn’t do it.

SteveKAG says:

07:49am | 23/02/12

“An Abbott government will put Australia back ten years.”

Do you mean a time where we had a stable federal government, a federal governement that came to power by a vote, not a deal.
Back to a time where we had a surplus not a deficit, a much more terrible time where Australia chose who was goign to come to the country through its proper legal mechanisim instead of desperate people payigj srupulous people smugglers, back to a time where we 3 people in detention instead of the thousands.

Yes who would want to go back to a time where there were no strikes, back to a time where companies put on people instead of laying them off…......

If this is progression, you can stick it up your bum, take me back 10 years…......pleeeeeeeeeeease!

Darryl says:

07:55am | 23/02/12

Linko all you labor types rave about the great things, 70% of the population don’t agree with you. In respect to great things all I see a wall of failed decisions, government waste and poor administration. I can understand the left leaners talking about ‘progressive government’. Currently we are trying that and it has been proved a failure. Why does progress always cost so much and only represent a fraction of the real populations wants?
The mountain of waste associated with the GFC and the debt we are now saddled with should be enough for a thinking person to call out for an election. I understand that you may not like or vote for Abbott but realise the bulk of Australians will vote for Abbott simply because of the problems labor has created for itself.
It will take Abbott ten years to get Australia out of this mess and back to the very good shape Howard left Australia in.

Timmy says:

07:56am | 23/02/12

Linko,

By progression do you mean putting industry back and risking jobs with a wealth redistribution tax placed on our already struggling manufacturing industry? Or do you mean removing the incentive to have private health cover to put more burden on the public health system? Or do you mean p!ssing our surplus against the wall on pink batts and overpriced tuckshops? Or do you mean the roll out of the most expensive capital works project in Australia’s history with no cost benefit analysis or transparency? Or do you mean the thousands of illegal immigrants that cue jump and cost the tax payers billions of dollars? Which one of these great things are you talking about?

jg says:

08:03am | 23/02/12

An Abbott government will put Australia back ten years. I am horrified at the prospect. Why can Australians not embrace progression?

Compared to what we’ve currently got, I’d call that massive progress.

Chris says:

08:20am | 23/02/12

I am amazed that you describe accepting the ALP (a party that embraced progression by removing the “u” from labour in 1912 and adopting the American spelling…) as progression.

A party that is based on democratic socialism, that holds back wealth creation for people who work hard by giving it to those that don’t, a party that has been responsible for the largest series of economic failures and country-wide financial spending ever.  A party that “progresses” us all by spending millions upon millions of dollars doing reports, surveys, studies and talking about stuff - without ever actually achieving anything (oh wait - the carbon tax is an achievement).

If that is progression, I’d rather not embrace it.  If “progression” is to take my hard earned money and give it to people who deliberately bring the country to a halt when they want something, where overpaid union officials get government positions for which they are not qualified, and where the leaders of our country spend more time arguing with each other than looking after the people, then send me back to the old days.

Yes I know - all the parties can’t stand each other and you all have a laundry list of complaints about the Libs.  But either way I don’t think you can call the ALP progressive…

AJ in Perth says:

12:05pm | 23/02/12

Linko, agreed, they’ve fucked it up enough that Abbott will have to start from 10 years back again.

Joel B1 says:

07:28am | 23/02/12

The only “chicken littles” are the doomsayer AGW supporter.s Like the Greens and ALP.

Troy says:

07:40am | 23/02/12

Not if Rudd quits Parliament. In the “Scorched Earth” game he has the ultimate nuclear option, he quits, LNP wins the by-election and with Wilkie no longer supporting it’s Hung Parliament, even with the turncoat Slipper, therefore election

Bertrand says:

07:43am | 23/02/12

True, but they are in opposition. Opposition parties tend to rotate through leaders as they search for a new direction to take. A governing party needs to be a bit more consistent and stable.

Bob says:

07:46am | 23/02/12

The Labor apologists should remember that Labor has delivered twice as many PMs in less than three years than the Liberals did in the preceding 12.

Matt says:

07:51am | 23/02/12

Apathy, the difference is that the LNP isn’t in office.  If you want to compare the change over rate of leaders whilst in Opposition have a look at Labor whilst Howard was PM - Beazley, Crean, Latham, Beazley then Rudd.

TimB says:

07:58am | 23/02/12

“The Liberal sycophants commenting here should remember that your own party has had *more* leaders since 2007 than what the ALP have. There is a fair amount of hypocrisy being shown here, or perhaps it’s just plain ignorance”

That’s to be expected when you’re in opposition dummy. It gives you the freedom to experiment and see what works. You want to take this back to 1996? The count then is Liberal leaders 4, Labor…6. And thats only because Beazley had two cracks at it, could have easily been 7.

Huh. It’s almost as if you’re quoting meaningless statistics in lieu of a point.

“Listening to Abbott talk about stable government is laughable when his own leadership is not even guaranteed.”

Says who? You? I haven’t seen any rumours of leadership challenges on the Liberal side. Just wishful thinking from ALP sycophants.

“Even more laughable is Abbott saying we should have another election now…Why Tony? Because you lost the last one?”

No it’s because this government is more concerned with petty power squabbles instead of governing the country. It’s shambolic and we deserve better.

“The next election is due in 2013…until then the “Chicken Little’s” will have to wait. “

Technically correct. But try not to cry if we go to the polls early.

Jason says:

08:04am | 23/02/12

@Apathy Rules…..I’m not sure if you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years but it is LABOR that are running the country (well…them and the greens). So when the leader of a democratic goverment is constantly changed or challenged from within their own party it makes it much more significant. You’ve obviously forgotten that before the 2007 election Labor continually changed their leader, Beazly, Crean, Beazly, Rudd. As for Abbotts leadership not being guaranteed, who is challenging him….No one? Even if Rudd loses his PM bid and only gets about 30 or 40 votes from the Labor caucus, it still means at least a third of her own party don’t want Julia Gillard to lead the country. Given this, and the amount of infighting in the Labor party and the fact that this Labor government is quickly becoming a national laughing stock I think it’s pretty reasonable to ask for an early election.

TBargh says:

09:50am | 23/02/12

TimB
Get back to work! There are exception baskets to be cleared and there is a meeting to attend in 10 minutes! No time to be slacking off.

Mahhrat says:

08:08am | 23/02/12

Oh yes: They should have a fish-slapping dance, winner leads.

Bitten says:

09:08am | 23/02/12

And all ministers should be forced to enter Parliament singing “We are the knights who say…”

Aitch B says:

09:27am | 23/02/12

There is definitely no cheese in the ALP cheese shop.

Re: the government:

“E’s passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! ‘E’s expired and gone to meet ‘is maker! ‘E’s a stiff! Bereft of life, ‘e rests in peace! If you hadn’t nailed ‘im to the perch ‘e’d be pushing up the daisies! ‘Is metabolic processes are now ‘istory! ‘E’s off the twig! ‘E’s kicked the bucket, ‘e’s shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!”

Mouse says:

11:59am | 23/02/12

“Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!”  :o)

Hamish says:

08:18am | 23/02/12

Good point. Maybe the Murdoch press staged the whole thing with a Krudd look-a-like cyborg?

There’s not much funnier than wool-over-the-eyes ALP stooges.

SimonFromLakemba says:

08:21am | 23/02/12

Since Murdoch press is so on the ball, why didn’t they know Rudd would do this?

“Will they have to think for themselves for once”

LOL ask the people who read News Ltd and take it as gospel, or better yet the blue rinse set that listen to Alan Jones and read Bolt religiously.

AdamC says:

09:11am | 23/02/12

Hamish, indeed.

Simon, oh please. According to the Laborites, in mid-2010, Kruddy was really going fine, there was just a poll blip, no apetite for a Gillard challenge at all. Then there was the night of the long knives and, of course, Kevin had ‘lost his way’. Gillard was a ‘new broom’ who was going to right things.

Oh, and there would never be a carbon tax under a government she led. Until there, um, was. But, let’s not forget some weasel words she uttered in an obscure interview about thinking about ‘pricing carbon’ at some stage after a people’s convention or some such. So she wasn’t lying about a carbon tax, it was just creative honesty. And, by the way, isn’t that Tony Abbott a negative nelly. And all those sexist critics of Gillard should really stop being such mean misogynists.

Anyway, there is certainly no prospect of a challenge from Rudd. It is all a media beat up, or a News Limited conspiracy. One or the other. Even both. Oh, you say Kevin Rudd is giving a press conference at 1am in Washington DC. Why, he’s obviously just going to share his latest muffin recipe. He’s quite a baker, our Kevin!

You can dispute it as much as you like, but Labor syncophants here and elsewhere have been embarrassed yet again by Labor’s consistent ability to deceive their own rusted-on acolytes.

Emperor Nero says:

09:13am | 23/02/12

So do all of the Labor luvvies who have been posting to Punch lately still think that the Gillard / Rudd situation is just a media beatup?  I’d hate to think how much toxic “carbon” is being pumped into the atmosphere from Kevin’s hissy fits, Julia’s whining and fibbing, and Simon’s huffing and puffing (along with other headless chooks like Swan & Gibbons).  Someone really ought to slap a tax on that ... I’m sure that our real PM Bob Brown would approve!  Oh what fun it is sitting back and watching the treacherous liar, the “happy little vegemite” egomaniac and the rest of the clowns in the ALP devour each other while there’s a country to be run.  Thumbs down ... send in the lions to eat the lot of them!

AdamC says:

09:24am | 23/02/12

Nero, that has to be the comment of the day!

SimonFromLakemba says:

09:51am | 23/02/12

Thanks both for not reply to my comment, so I must be right!

No idea what carbon tax has to do my my comment, but oh well.

James1 says:

10:08am | 23/02/12

That’s easy Adam.  They will simply claim that the “beatup” by the “hate media” is actually the cause of this.  That is, if we didn’t have the Australian et al constantly focused on the ALP’s leadership problems, the ALP would have no leadership problem, and as such they will blame News Ltd for confecting the whole crisis.

AdamC says:

10:13am | 23/02/12

Simon, I did respond to your comment. It wasn’t one of your best.

Emperor Nero says:

10:38am | 23/02/12

I wasn’t replying to your comment either, SimonFromLakemba; I was adding my endorsement to AdamC’s initial posting.  The carbon tax doesn’t have anything to do with your comment either, other than its dishonest introduction against the wishes of the majority of voters being the main reason why your beloved ALP is on the nose with the public so much, which is one of the key reasons for their current leadership (for want of a better term) implosion.

Bob says:

07:57am | 23/02/12

They’d both lose, the real question is who would lose the least badly? At least those who remain to be in opposition are still in government. 15 MPs remaining is better than 14.

Chris says:

12:43pm | 23/02/12

I’m not convinced it matters.  In Australian politics individuals don’t really have any opinion or ability to form independant thoughts (at least without permission to express them), so 15 versus 14 shouldn’t make any difference as they’ll all be signing from the same hymn sheet anyway.

AdamC says:

07:51am | 23/02/12

Of course, that is extremely wishful thinking. In my view, a third candidate less tainted by either Gillard’s betrayal or Rudd’s scheming would be the ideal ‘cleansing’ agent. But any such candidate would need to get moving fast on building caucus support.

Bob says:

08:01am | 23/02/12

There’s a word for that type of cleansing that I’m trying to think of. Like ethnic cleansing, but based on political views or alliances rather than ethnicity.

SimonFromLakemba says:

08:23am | 23/02/12

Leave Gillard in, she has the numbers, let her get her arse kicked at the election. Once the election is done sack her and put Smith or Shorten in and stick with them.

Shouldn’t be to hard to form a credible opposition against the current Liberal mob.

Bob says:

08:03am | 23/02/12

Murdoch: What you’ve got there is that one of the independents said that Abbott said that. Which is very different to that Abbott said that. Think of the “tear down the tent embassy” farce as an illustration of the difference.

Helen says:

08:10am | 23/02/12

Finally, someone who isnt so tainted by their own bias.

Keith says:

08:10am | 23/02/12

You believe the independents are a reliable source of information ?
LOL !

Aitch B says:

08:55am | 23/02/12

@Matt

So we come fourth.

Pretty much says it all, doesn’t it?

Helen says:

08:12am | 23/02/12

Well, she’s damned if she does, damned if she doesnt.

If she sacks him, she’ll have people like you claiming she’s kicking a man while he’s down. If she doesnt, then its weak leadership.

Donny says:

08:07am | 23/02/12

@James “Meanwhile in the real world we have problems that need fixing “
- there has been no truer word said this morning.  The current Govt spend far too much time worrying about themselves, instead of the people they are meant to govern for.  There needs to be a change. Will Abbott be better or not ?, can’t say but it has to be better that what we have got now :-(

Keith says:

08:23am | 23/02/12

In the real world, the current situation validates the idea that life goes on in spite of government.

Rosie says:

08:43am | 23/02/12

Totally agree!

The more we watch the blood bath the more we know in our guts they are all nuts! LNP might have the born to rule mentality but this mob definitely has deceit, win at any cost, eat each alive running through their veins.

SimonFromLakemba says:

10:03am | 23/02/12

@Rose

“this mob definitely has deceit, win at any cost, eat each alive running through their veins”

Unfortunately that is correct.

Andrew says:

11:12am | 23/02/12

In the real world they werent fixing anything before this mess, so why would they be fixing anything now. In fact, looking at there record all this infighting is stopping them from wrecking the country further, not stopping them from fixing it.

James says:

12:56pm | 23/02/12

I would generalise this by asking the question, when has a government action, on either side, actually made a positive difference in your life?  Taking into account the fact that it takes time for their policies to show results. 

I am not trying to be a smartarse but you have to ask that question. I think the answer might be that Federal poltics ain’t working that well.

Rosie says:

05:25pm | 23/02/12

I have no idea why they have to go through all this humiliation, them and us to change leaders so as to beat Tony Abbott come next elections. What a dumb excuse when a leader is only as good as his or her team!

Once again Gillard is rushing things before considering what is best for the public. She was always in the low levels when it came to making the right judgement. If she thinks having the ballot on Monday will result in ending the chaos she is more stupid than I thought. Might solve the problem personally for her and then what does she do with Rudd, lock him up in the closet until she decides to take the nation to elections. Sooner, if a miracle happens and Labor’s primary votes suddenly shoots up to 45% from 30%. We have been conned again, if the polls were reversed, Gillard would have not hesitated but taken the nation to elections which is the only way to stop Rudd and the chaos we have to endure from the Gillard Labor Party! There is no way the aggressive Julia would humble herself, step down and give the job back to Rudd, after all it belongs to him. After Monday, we would not have achieved anything.

SteveKAG says:

10:42am | 23/02/12

Yes they have subjected this country to a liberal government that has to wind back the carbon tax, the mining tax, the NBN, pay the deficit and turn it into a surplus, stop the boats, creat jobs, control the banks….................subjected to the above or what we have now….....your choice jg

Bob says:

12:32pm | 23/02/12

This is why them “winning” the last election was brilliant for the Liberals and the Australian people. We’ve got a decade or more of competent government to look forward to and maybe, just maybe a collapse of the Labor party.

jaki says:

03:19pm | 23/02/12

Agree ! It’s like watching two disabled seagulls fighting over a rotten chip.

JT says:

09:08am | 23/02/12

@TW says: I am a liberal supporter

No you’re not. Why do Labor hacks feel the compulsion to lie so often? Every word you say in your post illustrates your bias and proves your lie.

Vote where it counts for once Australia says:

09:21am | 23/02/12

TW, how can you be a Liberal supporter and say you won’t vote for them while Tony Abbott is leader? Look beyond one person and look at the party. Think out of the square for once. It is people like you who flip flop on personalities rather than the big picture. That is why Labor scraped in last election. Who are you going to vote for, the Greens, one foot either side of the fence Independents, or will you vote for JuLiar of Krudd? Labor has stuffed this country. We need a decisive vote that will have the Liberals in power for the good of the country and it’s people. We cannot afford this instability and increasing union power to take us that far down the road that a u turn will become impossible.

SteveKAG says:

10:47am | 23/02/12

Another liar….......your comment are not even Liberal comments.

Andrew says:

11:27am | 23/02/12

BS TW. Im a liberal supporter LMFAO. For someone that is a liberal voter you dont seem to have much love for Howard and seem to have a lot of love for labor party members. Yes we all lie, some more then others, but we arnt all PM, if you cant trust your PM to be honest about her policies then what is the point, why have election campaigns, why have policies because you cant believe them anyway. Its people like you that except out and out lies from our politicians that allows us to have the politicians we have. Situations do change, but if they do we should expect our PM to explain why, or to wait and take the new policy to the next election, but this lot didnt explain anything, they just tried to deny what was obvious to everyone (well everyone except the labor zealots), that they had said one thing before the election and then changed it afterwards (Funny that, Garrett wasnt joking afterall)

Bob says:

12:35pm | 23/02/12

@JT he lies because honesty and answering questions is a bad for the Labor party - Gillard isn’t a cause, she’s a symptom.

sunny says:

09:48am | 23/02/12

I’m not a Rudd fan either @Sunny except I couldn’t care less about his bloody memoirs!

razor says:

08:56am | 23/02/12

Abbot—That grand impostor, that loathsome hypocrite, that detestable traitor, that prodigy of nature, that opprobrium of mankind, that landscape of iniquity, that sink of sin, that reamer of jason rectum ,that compendium of baseness who now calls himself our saviour??—please give me a bucket!.

stevem says:

09:39am | 23/02/12

Razor, put you book of quotes away and look at what is happening. See that the dishonour and stench from coming from Canberra today is ALL Labor’s doing. Abbott is irrelevant to the undignified spectacle the Australian “government” has become. They are incapable of governing themselves, let alone a country.

It is appropriate, however, that you chose a quote from a time the church was imploding due to it’s own internal power struggles; no boubt the irony would be lost though.

Aitch B says:

09:47am | 23/02/12

@razor

“That grand impostor” - Rudd or Gillard…. take yer pick
“that loathsome hypocrite” - Gillard hands down
“detestable traitor” - would have to Rudd, woudn’t it?
“that sink of sin” - Craig Thomson by the length of the straight
“that reamer of jason rectum” - WTF?
“that compendium of baseness who now calls himself our saviour” - er…. Bob Brown?

See…. I can make that sort of comment too!

Anubis says:

08:54am | 23/02/12

She can’t hold her press conference until she receives, and memorises, the script provided by the “faceless” ones. I’m pretty sure Arbib has writer’s cramp by about now.

Sandra says:

10:54am | 23/02/12

Anubis do you think any of them write their own speeches? The reason the press conference would have been this morning would be to actually have time to read KRudd’s letter/speech and then to watch it to match the words with the emphasis and meaning.  A reasoned and reasonable response is then possible.  Perhaps it was also necessary to consult and consider the opinions of other members of the caucus and the party.  These might be considered reasonable actions under the circumstances. Better than shooting from the hip and hitting yourself in the foot.

GB says:

11:41am | 23/02/12

@Sandra…...........Or doing a quick whip around the party room to make sure she had the numbers before annoucing a spill.

Chris says:

09:27am | 23/02/12

lol I thought the same thing…

Hamish says:

09:36am | 23/02/12

ALP ‘policy’ is what got them into this trouble in the first place. If Gillard’s policies weren’t such utter crap, she wouldn’t have to worry about the Kruddster.

Brodo says:

10:03am | 23/02/12

Well said. Everybody sits on the sidelines having a go when they have no inclination to get involved and try to make things better. I have to feel for pollies sometimes. The media in this 24/7 news cycle do nothing but focus on negatives and then have a go at the Government for not getting their message out. How the hell can they?!

Everyone complaining about the Government’s policies too offer no alternative. The opposition don’t have them. Their climate change policy would cost twice as much for the same gains (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-02/opposition-climate-plan-costs-twice-carbon-tax/2868852). The High Court’s ruling on assylum seakers has even thrown Naru into doubt so “stopping the boats” doesn’t fly any more. They want to keep all the wealth from the mining boom in the hands of the miners when it should rightly be distributed to the rest of Australia.

Seriously all the opposition has is what the media and many
Australians have at the moment and that is a constant focus on unsubstantial issues as an excuse to have a go at the Government when in reality they are doing quite well. I know it’s easy to feel POd at the state of the world right now but we’re doing very well in the scheme of things. Many countries would gladly swap their problems for ours.

St. Michael says:

03:25pm | 23/02/12

“And I disagree that politicians are just in it for themselves. Its a 24/7, thankless job.”

I call a parliamentary pension and preferential selection for high paying jobs with the people who liked you most while you were in government a pretty nice way of saying thanks to a politician.  Indeed most of them think the same, which is why they’re in Parliament to start with.

marley says:

09:17am | 23/02/12

@razor - when you appropriate someone else’s speech word for word, it’s usually considered good form to put quotation marks around it. 

Even better, try coming up with an original thought instead of ripping off a great American statesman writing 200 years ago.

/shrug says:

09:09am | 23/02/12

James F, couldn’t agree more.

We are looking at making a change now merely by default and not due to the other side displaying “better” qualities.

Winning PM by default, what a joke of a country we’ll become.

ZaSaMa says:

11:46am | 23/02/12

@youdy beaudy. Check your inbox. i just sent you a cyber box of tissues. Let me know if you run out and need more.

colroe says:

03:03pm | 23/02/12

Yes Aitch B, you are spot on!!!
He is useless, and the current state of our national debt is all due to him and Labor borrowing more and more to keep themselves afloat.    If it were not for China buying up our country we would be bankrupt.  He won some obscure award for his role as Treasurer,  he should have openly shared it with previous Liberal Government.

Jay says:

11:48am | 24/02/12

Even if there is an early election, Abbott cannot do anything. Labor has been clever in passing a lot of legislation that the Liberals will struggle to reverse. The Senate has a further 18 months before they have to go to the polls. Abbott would have to force a double dissolution and then hold a joint sitting of Parliament to scrap the Carbon tax for example. it will take at least 9-12 months as the Greens will delay and stall every bill in the Senate; hold enquires etc. The winner from all this will be the Greens as disgruntled Labor voters look for an alternative. Abbott is dangerous and people have forgotten his 1950’s view of the world.He keeps saying productivity in Australia needs to improve. The last time I checked pay rises have always been offset by prodcutivity increases. Most people work 5-12 hours extra per week, but the Corporations and their leaders simply send jobs offshore and then blame workers. They get to increase their bonuses without penalty.Vote for Abbott and you will quickly find how good his view of the world really is. Work Choices cost John Howard his seat and the Prime Minister’s job. The Liberals know that Labor will be smashed in the next election so they will pass their works choices without too much toruble; unless ofcourse the Greens are there.

Mouse says:

02:25pm | 23/02/12

ATM, love your links. lol  
What silly Bowen doesn’t get is that, with the Malaysia solution, it doesn’t stop the boats!  It just sends the first 800 (that are approved by the Malaysian government mind you) over to Malaysia. What have we had this year already, remember it’s only February…. 1165 people.  So, in total, 2186 in 26 boats just this summer and that is not including the ones that didn’t make it out of Indonesia.

Another boat (or two), another policy failure!  Now where have I heard that before?  :o)

/shrug says:

10:15am | 23/02/12

Sure, if TA keeps that wonderful mouth of his shut and lets Labor kill themselves off.

He has this grand habit of saying peculiar things that at times happens to give Labor a boost.

Tony says:

12:27pm | 23/02/12

With logic like that why would you vote at all? Mindless decision making like that is what gave us this useless government in the first place. You just demonstrate the weakness in compulsory voting!

St. Michael says:

11:34am | 23/02/12

Rudd the Man, Rudd the Man—does whatever a Ruddster can…

Max Redlands says:

11:49am | 23/02/12

You are labouring under a misapprehension of the powers availabel to the GG.

The GG does not have the power to unilaterally decide that it’s time for an election (for very good reason).

The only way an election can be called ahead of time is if the numbers on the floor of the House change and the Government cannot withstand a motion of no confidence.

Milo says:

11:55am | 23/02/12

somebody needs to call a wammbulance!

The Chaser says:

12:55pm | 23/02/12

And we here would all like to thank Mark Latham for his valuable contribution to this forum.

*insert imaginary applause here*

St. Michael says:

01:51pm | 23/02/12

I don’t seem to Jessica Rudd being a public figure running for public office and therefore a person about whom insults can be freely slung because said insults are protected by the implied right of political free comment in the Constitution.

You’re in publishing, bella.  You should be aware of the law as it relates to defamation.  Don’t bring that sort of juvenile crap in here.

Scotchfinger says:

02:28pm | 23/02/12

@St Michael, Bella’s comments may be unkind but nothing defamatory about them unless a lawyer can demonstrate the claim that ‘shitting to tears’ is a slight being attributed falsely to the victim. Bella may be able to in fact demonstrate that the sight and sound of JR does indeed cause weeping and/or incontinence.
Who the hell are the women she compares JR to??
Much worse content is splattered all over the Punch. Vicious ranting thrives in anonymity.  ‘Tweeters are devils in disguise’ (Nietzsche)

stevem says:

12:42pm | 23/02/12

The reason they use phrases like “doing what is best for the party” is twofold. Firstly even they know they can’t get away with “doing what is best for me” and secondly because they care about the party fat more than the country.

PW says:

02:56pm | 23/02/12

The voters elect the parliament and the parliament elects the leader. It has always been thus. The only difference this time is that the election was a tie, and a tie breaker had to be used, that being gaining the support of Greens and independents.

It might have been a win in extra time, but a win in extra time is still a win.

Australians R Bunnies says:

03:18pm | 23/02/12

In practice: the parties elect their leaders first, the choice of leaders influences the party’s policies (or vice versa) and then the voters elect the party based on the policies.  Vast numbers of Aussies wouldn’t have a clue who their local Member is. They vote for a talking head on TV making promisses and dissing the other side’s promises. Ban How to Vote cards and remove party membership (ALP, LIB, NAT, GRN, etc) from the ballot slips and there’d be voting chaos.

Gillard can try a argue she has legitimacy but Abbott seems to be winning that argument. With some help from some Labor members of course

If the masses don’t think you have legitimacy then ... well ... you ‘aint got it.

In a more totalitarian state Gillard could just shut Abbott down.