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Monday, 4 December 2006
Ruddy raises feasibility of front bench firesale clearout.
Filed under: None | Posted by Rex R | Monday, 4 December 2006 8:12 PM
The welcome news today that Kevin Rudd had assumed the crown, and Julia the ermine cloak, was contrasted by the poignant sight of a tearful Kim Beazley suffering the bitter taste of defeat and the sad loss of his brother. There will be a few nanoseconds of sympathy from the Australian Media but then Mr. Beazley will soon be left to mourn in private as the relentless 24 x 7 news cycle pushes on, and focuses on what sells, and that is conflict. In this case the upcoming 2007 election.
John Howard has already signalled his approach to the new Labor leader, with a contemptuous turning of his deaf ear to Mr. Rudd’s first question from the opposition benches, and Mr. Rudd’s looking slightly perplexed. “What do I do – he’s ignoring me?”.
Just a little show of arrogance from the Rodent. To demonstrate to the newcomer that he’s not intimidated in the least, and an early lesson perhaps, because for Mr. Rudd to break through on the floor of Parliament, he’s going to need to let fly with a bit of emotion. A little bit of the derring-do that saw him snatch the leadership from Kim. Rudd need’s to do a little bit of theatre at times like these. “Throw the switch to vaudeville”. I hope he’s got it in him.
He’s made a good start on the policy front though with his hints that he’ll be taking on the shameful degradation of Australia’s institutions such as Education, and industries such as Manufacturing.
There's a fork in the road when it comes to our economy. The question that's being asked is will Australia in the future be a manufacturing country? ….
We also see that there's a fork in the road when it comes to the laws governing our workplaces…
A fork in the road in climate change…
A fork in the road also when it comes to education and health….
Even Access Economics boffin Chris Richardson says that the economy has become “fat and lazy”. Howard has coasted on the resources boom and all the while has depleted our Manufacturing Industry, and talent pool and our coal reserves. Relaxed and comfortable with it he is, and he hopes we’re so fat and lazy too we don’t notice.
Well let’s hope Ruddy calls him on it, because when the good times end, what will be left? A country with no other industries to fall back on, a depleted education system, depleted government institutions – all driven by the Rodent’s rapacious and unbalanced ideology.
The next test for Mr. Rudd occurs on Thursday when the make-up of the new front bench is decided. Put your stamp all over it Kevin. That’s what I urge. Don’t let the filthy factional finaglers tell you who’s going to be on your team. Hopefully he’s onto it.
In the days ahead I'll be working on the composition of Labor's front bench. That will be important.
Important indeed. In fact it’s time that the Labour Party jettisoned this archaic notion that the caucus should vote on who makes up the front bench. It’s crazy. That just hobbles the leader with whatever useless half-wits that the factional bosses - mostly useless half-wits themselves - serve up.
Shake up that front bench good and proper Kevin. Bring in Garret, Bring in Emerson. Demote Swan, Promote Tanner, Place Carr and Conroy, who do next to nothing but their own factional business on the taxpayer’s coin, on the ejector seat and press the button. Hard!
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