The NEXT coming Oz election thread!

Last Update: Monday, November 27, 2006. 4:35pm (AEDT)

Government cleared in AWB probe

The Cole inquiry report has cleared the Federal Government but recommends a joint task force of legal authorities investigate whether charges should be laid against 11 people associated with wheat exporter AWB for breaching United Nations sanctions against Iraq. ... <cont>

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1798448.htm

Straw poll time - how much longer before Beazley folds?

And why can't Julia be leader and Rudd deputy?

Just prior to Christmas seems to be be Labor's favoured time for dumping leaders, hinge. :wink: Though in this case, who knows? I don't think Beazles will go quietly. It could be a nasty & prolonged process. Especially because the NSW Right supports him.

I can't see why Julia shouldn't be the next leader. Much as I admire Rudd's work on the AWB rorts, I have to agree with media political commentators. He comes across a bit bookish & priggish. A shame. With a bit more of the common touch as a communicator, he'd be terrific.
But the NSW Right (here we go again!) will fight tooth & nail to keep their own in power. I'm so sick & tired of the bloody ALP factions!

A bit faster than you expected, hinge?:

Last Update: Friday, December 1, 2006. 10:30am (AEDT)

Beazley calls leadership ballot

Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has called a leadership ballot for next week.

Mr Beazley made the announcement after arriving at the party's national executive meeting in Canberra this morning.

He says Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd has told him he intends to stand for the leader's position in the ballot.

The Labor leader says the ballot will be an opportunity to end all leadership speculation and give him a chance for clear air.

He says he has the experience to be the alternative Australian prime minister and he intends to maintain his leadership position.

"Obviously it's a ballot, I will contest and it's a ballot I intend to win," he said. ... <cont>

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20852666-601,00.html

Labor constantly amazes me in it's uncanny ability to shoot itself in its foot! What inappropriate timing for a leadership battle! Just when they should be capitalizing in this. JH & Alexander Downer must be delirious with relief! Saved by the ALP again! :

... a bit of a diversion from the Beazles vs Rudd battle. (Where's Julia? )
JH responds to the peasants' demands at yesterday's IR rallies:

... & another diversion from the main political story of the day. Crikey, did you see this? Crikey! editor, Stephen Mayne gets jostled & roughed up by the "Poisoned Dwarf" (as Mayne calls him), conservative political writer with the "Hun" (Sydney Herald-Sun & other papers) at last night's Walkley awards for journalistic achievement:

"I just saw this man with drunken, wild eyes coming at me. He threw me off the stage. It was quite a drop and I've twinged my ankle as a result," Mayne said. "Glenn Milne is not even in the top 50 Crikey victims list. This proves what thin-skinned souls some journalists are."



http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/crikey-walkleys-erupt-in-stage-stoush/2006/12/01/1164777732226.html

Back to the Labor leadership contest. Here's an extract from Michelle Grattan's article on the leadership dilemma in Today's AGE .... Before Beazley's announcement this morning:

... Clearly, however, the push to install Rudd, with Julia Gillard as deputy, has done Beazley substantial damage. It is showing many colleagues have written off his election chances, and buttresses Coalition claims about his weaknesses. His woes were deepened yesterday when the unions' national day of action didn't live up to the hype.

The "swinging voters" among caucus members are finding it hard to think clearly, especially as the frenetic telephoning usual in these situations hasn't been happening. They need to face up to both hard decisions and self-assessment. Do they really want to make a change? If they do, it should be made now. If they don't, they should abandon any idea of later visiting the issue, and get behind Beazley.

What are the pros and cons of change? .......

http://www.theage.com.au/news/michelle-grattan/labors-moment-of-truth/2006/11/30/1164777718039.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

.... Mr Rudd says Australia has reached a fork in the road and needs a new style of leadership.

He says he and Ms Gillard bring to the job new ideas and a bucketload of energy.

"We are putting ourselves forward as a new leadership alternative for Labor to win this next election," he said.

"All of our energies are pitted in that direction and we believe that we represent the combination of energy and experience to bring that about."

The Member for Griffith calls the next federal election a "must-win" election for Labor.

"Because if we don't win, my fear is that the damage done to this country after 10 years of this government becomes too great to repair," he said.

He says he and Ms Gillard are confident they can win Monday's federal Caucus ballot, but he says it will be a tight vote. .....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1802260.htm

Oh man.



What a weekend!

Redheads turn me on.

On Friday mornings, the Sunrise tv show has a segment featuring Joe Hockey and Kevin Rudd. I have established a liking for both men because they both seem able to discuss issues without getting too 'political' about them. Last Friday KR was replaced by Anthony Albanese. When asked by David Kosch if Rudd's absence (taking an earlier flight to Canberra than usual) had anything to do with a leadership challenge, Albanese denied this and repeatedly did so during the segment, finally saying that he GAVE HIS PERSONAL GUARANTEE THAT THERE WAS NO LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE BEING MOUNTED.

Of course, we all know that less than two hours later the challenge was headlines.

Well, so what? It's not the first time (nor will it be the last) that an MP has either blatantly lied in a public statement or shown he does not have a clue what is going on - but this man is the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water - with environment and water being two of the hottest potatoes on the government's agenda. I for one will not vote for a party that would even consider an idiot like that for the job.

Why is the ALP so hell-bent on destroying itself???

I find this cartoon to be highly insulting - for the cartoonist to even suggest that the Wiggles and their fans would even consider sufferring these fools gladly is reprehensible! Their standards are so much higher. :wink:

Kevin Rudd as leader of the Opposition!

Does this change anything significant?

Should J Howard worry?

Yes, he is, margo!

And yes, the red-headed person is now the deputy! (dadpad will like that! :wink: )



Will it make a difference? I think we're just going to wait & see how they perform & how the electorate responds.

I think it'll definitely make federal politics a bit more interesting, at least!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-fresh-new-look/2006/12/04/1165080855440.html

Personally, I think it was the right decision. Though Julia as opposition leader would have been much more interesting! (I agree with hinge, there.) But ... being a realist these days ( ) that wasn't really possible .... Anyway, I think they'll definitely give it their best shot. I think we'll be able to tell how much impact they're actually having by the nature of the responses of JH, Alexander, Tony & Peter.

The thing is, Labor should have been making far more mileage in response to the the horrors of this government. And Kim just wasn't capitalizing on issues he should have made major capital on. Besides, his view of the Iraq invasion, "terrorism", children over-board were not that much different to JH's, so Labor didn't really offer an alternative.

I'm saddened to hear that Kim Beazley's brother died today. And that he's reconsidering his political future. A sad, black day for poor old Beazles.