Crikey have got a good take on Kevin Rudd’s dramatic 1am (Washington time) resignation as Foreign Minister and the brutal kicking of a speech he delivered to the Prime Minister.
It’s hard not to see some pretty major reshuffling of cabinet when all this is over and a fair chance of an election in the very near future.
Something for our public service readers to bear in mind.
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The TV station I was listening to described it as “an emergency press conference” I actually have difficulty getting my head round that.
Wonder if he can still use the VIP jet to get home, she could really shaft him by making him get his own way home.
You think Rudd’s speech was brutal towards Gillard. Have you read Swan’s outburst? Wow!
To be a Rudd Pedant, I’m going to suggest that Former FM Rudd took a commercial flight to the US. Sure it would have been at the ultimate pointy part of the plane, but thems-in-power tend not to take a VIP flight, when commercial flights are available.
This comment by BLUEPOPPY at Crikey (well down) has me puzzled.
[If Rudd leads the ALP to the next election will there be a historical win for the Liberals in the two ACT electorates.]
What do Rioters think of that ?
http://nowhiring.com.au/424936+job+Prime+Minister+of+Australia+ACT.aspx
I think I should apply, I’ll have a crack at it.
As a bonus, if you click ‘apply now’ you get 5 questions to answer on your suitability.
Looks like it will be on for young and old. I do love how the Gillard supporters (Gillardians?) are screaming disloyalty, when it was a similar disloyalty that got her the role of PM. Rudd’s supporters (Ruddites?) have been essentially quiet, other than some subdued support; that will probably change once KRudd is back in country.
If he resigns his seat (possible), and the Coalition pick it up (likely), that will make it 71-73 in the House of Reps. The Crossbenches will hold even more power; Greens will stay with ALP (72-73), WA Nationals and Bob Katter will go with the Coalition (72-75). If the ALP gets the support of the remaining three Independents, it’s hung at 75 each. Take out the speaker, and they have a bare majority of one. If one of the independents decides not to formally support the ALP (*cough* Wilkie *cough*) it’s back to level pegging…
And in all this mayhem the APS loses about 600-700 jobs.
Mr Leigh? Comment? Didn’t think so.
Oh yeah, Swan has gone fully nuclear. He’s on the verge of a breakdown.
welkin31 said :
I’ve been trying to think of the connection. It may be the truism “if you like Kevin Rudd it’s because you’ve never met him” – there are enough people in Canberra, perhaps, who have and who, consequently, would avoid him like the plague. But I think it’s drawing a longish bow to translate that into a win for the Libs. If we know Kevin Rudd, we know The Mad Monk just as well.
I think it’s time for an election.
Having minority government is a joke and this kind of behaviour is ridiculous.
If Rudd loses, I hope he resigns from parliament altogether just to stick it up them- Mark Latham style.
As nice as it is to sit back and watch the fireworks, who is running the country?
Election please. This is crazy.
Fast turning into what ever is worse than a total abject disaster.
chewy14 said :
Yup, he should walk
Rudd is a disgrace. How anyone can think he is worthy of even being in parliament is beyond me. He was a disaster as PM, much of Gillard’s work has been to fix the damage he did, to the government and the APS. This childish behaviour (or continuation of childish behaviour) by Rudd is pathetic, but our bored proletariat behaves like it’s some kind of reality TV show for their entertainment.
The only good thing is how many of the pollies are dropping their spin-speak and saying what they really think. How unusual.
You mean they’re admitting what liars they’ve been for the last 6 months?
johnboy said :
Pollies? Lie? Say it aint so…
Its entirely feasible for the independents to switch their votes to the Libs and the Libs take over without an election. However, if that happens then the Libs will probably call an election straight away.
I find it quite quite interesting how hardly anyone in Canberra who has worked under the Rudd government likes Rudd or thinks he is competent, but he is apparently popular outside Canberra. That said, Gillard hasnt set the world on fire.
It appears that if Rudd loses by only a small number, he will try again – so months more of destabilisation. If he loses by a big number, presumbly he will resign altogether (its not the Rudd’s need the money). Which results in potentially very closes numbers in the House following the by election. And – potentially – lots of negatitivity if the swing against the ALP in that by election is huge.
Don’t suppose we could get Turnbull to lead the ALP?
Turnbull to the ALP would certainly put Rudd in his place, haha.
Its entirely feasible for the independents to switch their votes to the Libs and the Libs take over without an election. However, if that happens then the Libs will probably call an election straight away
Windsor has a patholigical hatred for the Nats so it won’t happen.
Oakeshott is a dead man walking so he doesn’t want an election.
I forsee Rudd going to the backbench and white anting Gillard for the next 18 months as the government limps towards electoral oblivion.
The funny thing is that this the exact same issue that may come up after one term of Abbott as PM.
I have a feeling his polularity will plummet and Turnbull will, most probably successfully, challenge.
Thumper said :
Turnbull leading the coalition is a scary prospect. I might just be tempted to vote for them…. NO! NO! Stop!
Thumper said :
o, pleeeease be right… (might be worth re-emigrating back from new zealand for)
JessP said :
It is possible for a Government to do more than one thing at a time. A few speeches doesnt stop everything else in its tracks.
Thumper said :
This is where my money is. And if he plays that right, I could probably even get re-elected as an independent.
Does anyone find it a little bizarre that the MP’s/Ministers are today tweeting their positions on who they will be backing? I’m just a little uncomfortable with this “reality tv” type of thing we have going on as if it’s all just a bit of fun and will end in laugh and a pat on the back for the runner up at the end of the show.
This is the “elected” Government – not sure that Twitter really should be used given the gravity of the situation.
Yeah but all those re-tweets wil be pushing their klout scores through the roof!
Gotta keep your eyes on the real prize!
some departments are already in the middle of a MoG process. It’ll be interesting to see if we get re-MoG’d
Another MoG = another $10 million out of the coffers to reward the precious minions .. meanwhile elsewhere in the Public Service .. voluntary redundancies!
JessP said :
Surely as a resident of Canberra you know the answer to that: the same people who are always running the country, the public service!
Evan James @ #20.
+1
Apparently many skeletons which would be revealed if made leader. Not universally loved.
Tanya Plibersek has said she can’t stand the vilification of Rudd and could work under Rudd if he were to win on Monday.
Chris Bowen said he had no problems working with Rudd in the past.
Julia Gillard in her speech this morning was taking the credit for much of Rudd’s heavy policy lifting.
Her complaint about “working herself into the ground to compensate for Rudd’s shortcomings” – well, that’s an account of herself, not an account by others.
I actually think this is mob bullying in action. How unedifying – senior cabinet ministers acting like a pack of vicious dogs.
I don’t think they will ever live it down. And how much free footage are they providing for the Liberals’ next election advertising?
I think Rudd will get around 30 votes – enough to warrant going to the backbench and waiting Gillard out.