The Gillard Government

[Julia]

The following is a letter reprinted in "The Punch" from a Brit re our Kev's current globetrotting.

From here in the UK I have for sometime observed this oddball with a kind of bewildered sense of awe. Australia is lucky that the world doesn’t pay it much attention. If it did then this man would be a major liability rather than the minor one he currently is. Mr Rudd’s recent displays, allied with your Prime Minister’s cringe-making performance in Washington, is for me the perfect example of how mediocrity can rise easily to the top Down Under. Aussies enjoy feeling smug and superior to what they believe is a still class-riddled Britain and think of themselves as a meritocracy. In truth Australia is a mediocracy. Rudd not only suffers from acute Greg Sheridan-itis (primary symptom: an inflated sense of Australia’s place in the world). He is also quite clearly a narcissist of the highest order. Did Australians think that President Obama cancelling his trip to meet him in Australia THREE TIMES a coincedence! I find it remarkable that the highly impressive British Foreign Minister William Hague - regarded as one of the best parliamentary brains in Westminster - has been under pressure of late for a slight mis-step in Libya. In contrast Rudd has been tearing round the world like an utter madman and is rewarded with rising poll ratings! To be fair, most of Mr Rudd’s big-noting is comic. But this rudeness to a devastated Japan is beyond the pale and brings shame on Australia. I fear it won’t be the last time you are embarrassed on the global stage by this strange little man.

 

[Logique]

Benched by Bigppond yesterday.

The Americans like Beazley. I don't know what they'd make of Bob Carr. And Rudd should have quit while he was ahead.

I remember a media interview where Carr was asked to name the five greatest US Presidents. He couldn't find a spot for Franklin D Roosevelt.

However Theodore Roosevelt, who used to ride around on a horse creating national parks, was right up there. That's Bob Carr for you.

 

[Calliope]

"I fear it won’t be the last time you are embarrassed on the global stage by this strange little man."

They got that right. But what about this strange little bogan ranga doing her duck-walk across the word stage accompanied by her current bewildered partner. We are indeed a mediocracy.

 

[trainspotter]

LABOR'S national secretary Karl Bitar has announced his resignation.

"I am today advising of my resignation as the National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party," he said in a statement today.

Mr Bitar will finish on April 8.

"By taking the decision now, it gives my replacement enough time to prepare for the 2011 national conference in December," he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is scheduled to address the media at Parliament House in Canberra at 12.30pm (AEDT).

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...ts/story-e6frfku0-1226022426417#ixzz0iK2tjO3F

Rats leaving a sinking ship? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh the irony.

 

[Julia]

Karl Bitar has essentially been pushed. He is being blamed for Gillard's woefully inadequate campaign in the last election.

Way better to blame the campaign strategist than accept your personal inadequacies.

 

[noco]

How can anyone believe what this woman says. She will say and do anything to stay in power. PROMISE, PROMISE, PROMISE AND THEN LIE, LIE, LIE.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...s-going-offshore/story-fn59niix-1226022832982

 

[Logique]

This link is for Calliope.
From Greg Sheridan of The Australian on 12 March. Carrying an epic cartoon, which I'm sorry to say, needs to be understood by more people. Subject is the proposed no-fly zone over Libya. My underline.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...oses-her-frailty/story-e6frgd0x-1226019971330

Having tried to back away from her position, apparently because she was scared of contradicting Obama, Gillard then started to get heat for contradicting Rudd.

At this point, either a Gillard staffer, or someone close to her, tried to spin the story so that it was Rudd's fault. As a result the Fairfax press came out with stories yesterday to the effect that Rudd was out of control. They quoted an unnamed Gillard adviser as saying that Rudd was "out of control", that he did not co-ordinate foreign policy with the Prime Minister and that "a no-fly zone over Libya is not the Australian position".

Every word of those sentences is a provable lie. If that briefing was indeed given on Gillard's behalf, or with her knowledge, she is a Prime Minister in a very desperate position indeed.

And later, which did not engender much warmth towards the Obama administration, in fact (if true) it is a craven way for them to act:

Whatever the Americans decide to ask Australia for, they have made this straightforward calculation. It will be easier under a Gillard government than under a Tony Abbott government. This is no reflection on Abbott. Rather, the Americans believe that if a Labor government does this kind of move, the Liberals will support it in opposition.

 

[drsmith]

The Greens are destroying the Gillard Government and Bob Brown seems rather happy about it.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...appear-different/story-e6frg6xf-1226023131780

“The Greens are going to ultimately enhance Labor's position in the polls. If Labor keeps taking our policies I think they'll keep doing alright.”

30% 2PP is hardly enhanced. Is their strategy to take the ALP's place as one of two major parties ?

 

[sails]

...
30% 2PP is hardly enhanced. Is their strategy to take the ALP's place as one of two major parties ?

I think they are somewhat drunk with their newfound power at the moment and, IMO, would quite likely actually believe such a delusional theory...

 

[Wysiwyg]

“The Greens are going to ultimately enhance Labor's position in the polls. If Labor keeps taking our policies I think they'll keep doing alright.”

What's that? Political blackmail!

 

[Calliope]

The Greens are destroying the Gillard Government and Bob Brown seems rather happy about it.

Yes, the grin on his face is only matched by Milne's smirk. They really are a piece of work.

 

[drsmith]

An interesting analysis of the politics behind selling the carbon tax.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...ides-of-politics/story-e6frg6xf-1226024285434

if the Greens were extremists, why had she entered into an alliance with them? Good question.

The lesson is that the more Gillard criticises the Greens, the more she condemns her own judgment.

 

[joea]

Bill Shorten has been seen down shopping for half a dozen new suits
Cheers

 

[trainspotter]

Interesting to note that PM Julia Gillard who does not believe in the sanctity of marriage, is an atheist and also a Republican should be attending a Royal Wedding no doubt?

 

[IFocus]

Gillard serving it up to Abbott

"If he wants to debate political honesty in this place, then bring it on," she said.

"Did he go to the Australian people before the last election telling them about his $11 billion black hole?"

Amid roars from the Opposition benches and futile attempts by Mr Jenkins to restore order, the Prime Minister went on.

"Did he go to the Australian people before the last election saying [Pauline Hanson's] One Nation would write his economic policy?" she said.

"Did he go to the Australian people before the last election saying senior members of his frontbench like the shadow treasurer would agitate for the return of WorkChoices? No he did not.

"So if we want to have a debate about political honesty then bring it on, Mr Speaker, bring it on because we have the most hollow man with the least conviction sitting in the Opposition Leader's chair we've ever seen in this Parliament."

 

[drsmith]

The public gallery serving it up to Gillard.

A question from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott attracted rare applause from the public gallery during today's Question Time, leading to a robust exchange on the floor of Parliament.

"Does the Prime Minister honestly believe she would be in the Lodge today if, six days before the last election, she had been straight with the Australian people and said up-front to them, 'yes, there will be a carbon tax under the government I lead?'" Mr Abbott said.

He was referring to Julia Gillard's pre-election promise not to introduce a carbon tax.

Ms Gillard has said the nature of the minority Government caused her to break the promise - remarks widely interpreted as relating to pressure from the Greens.

But Ms Gillard did not canvass those issues today, instead using the words of Mr Abbott's mentor, former prime minister John Howard, before launching into a no-holds-barred attack on her questioner.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9062519/gillard-abbott-trade-blows-over-carbon-tax/

 

[sails]

Gillard serving it up to Abbott

If Ms Gillard is so convinced that she hasn't done anything wrong, why doesn't she wait for an election or even have a referendum on carbon tax and the boats? That would at least prove there is some honour left in this labor government, IMO.

Abbott isn't governing - so her finger pointing is irrelevant. It's the three fingers pointing back at herself that she should be doing something about, IMO.

 

[Julia]

Gillard serving it up to Abbott

IFocus, I really can't believe you are silly enough to quote this idiotic rhetoric from Ms gillard!

Amid roars from the Opposition benches and futile attempts by Mr Jenkins to restore order, the Prime Minister went on.

"Did he go to the Australian people before the last election saying [Pauline Hanson's] One Nation would write his economic policy?" she said.

What on earth is the basis for such a stupid comment. Pauline Hanson has been a non-event for years now, has made zero public commentary (thank god) and has only now poked up her head because she smells the chance of making a few more taxpayer dollars by standing for the Senate.

This is the sort of utter rubbish that so diminishes the Prime Minister. If she were to confine her rhetoric to factually based comments, she would have somewhat more credibility.

"Did he go to the Australian people before the last election saying senior members of his frontbench like the shadow treasurer would agitate for the return of WorkChoices? No he did not.

Oh for god's sake, Tony Abbott has said over and over that Work Choices is dead.
Just accept that. Do not falsely imply otherwise in an attempt to scare voters.
Just pathetic on her part and a sign of her desperation.

And if you are quoting this nonsense on the basis that you either believe or endorse the Prime Minister's comments, IFocus, then it says more about you than it does about the opposition.



[

 

[Julia]

Does the Prime Minister honestly believe she would be in the Lodge today if, six days before the last election, she had been straight with the Australian people and said up-front to them, 'yes, there will be a carbon tax under the government I lead?'" Mr Abbott said.

Excellent question. For once Mr Abbott got it exactly right.

 

[drsmith]

Excellent question. For once Mr Abbott got it exactly right.

Indeed.

If I was in the public gallery, I would have given it a standing ovation.

Prime Minister Gillard was only keen to avoid answering it, which demonstrates what is wrong with question time in parliament, regardless of who is in power.