Rudd supporters move to force leadership vote

[Matilda]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Kevin Rudd's supporters have started circulating a caucus petition to allow a challenge to Julia Gillard for the prime ministership.

Rudd's forces have launched the process in the confident expectation that Mr Rudd is prepared to stand, and that he has a majority.

To convene a meeting where the vote can take place, one-third of the caucus members need to sign a petition requesting a special caucus meeting.

(snip)

It is the last ready opportunity for a challenge before the scheduled September 14 election.







Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/rudd-supporters-move-to-force-leadership-vote-20130626-2owgx.html

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As someone who looked forward to Australia's first female Prime Minister, I have always regretted that Julia Gillard took power the way that she did - by knifing her leader. It should have been a glorious moment; instead, it was tawdry.

But we are now in a position where a government led by Julia Gillard is unelectable, and Labor wil be reduced to no more than 35 seats, facing a conservative coalition of around 120, in the next parliament.

Kevin Rudd can, at the least, close that gap, and just may win outright. It is the only alternative to an Australian Tea Party government led by Tony Abbott and his rabid right-wing nutter henchmen.

This is make or break for Kevin - may the force be with him!

[Dawson Leery]

1. I agree. Rudd has the standing. If he loses in September, it will be

by a few seats. I still cannot believe that the Aussie Neo-Cons could get 80% of the seats.

[Matilda]

2. I know - it makes me sick to think of it.

Rudd has his faults, without a doubt, but he's the only one who can stop the landslide.

[Ken Burch]

3. I hope Rudd wins...but have a slight twinge about that hope:

While he'd do far better in the election and is better on the issues, it kind of feels like Rudd's return would sort of be a victory for those misogynist scumbags who've been tormenting Julia Gillliard recently...the arseholes who put together that "Julia's naughty bits" menu at the Liberal Party fundraiser and that bastard who asked her if her husband was gay.

[Matilda]

4. There are, without doubt, some who hate Julia Gillard just because she's female,

but I truly don't believe that misogyny is the main reason why people dislike her. Poll after poll, for three years, have shown that people of both parties prefer Kevin Rudd as leader, and many - perhaps a majority - don't like her because of her perceived treachery.

I suspect that if she'd just waited for the leadership to come to her when Kevin Rudd resigned, as he had said he would in his second term, the attitudes would be different among the majority. But because even many on the left hate her, it's been an easy ride for the true sexist uglies out there.

Unfortunately, seizing the leadership in the way she did was an indication of the poor political judgment displayed by Gillard all through her term as PM. She was a good minister, a good second-in-command, and is a superb parliamentary debater, but she’s not really a good leader. She's incapable of judging how her actions will be perceived by others, so she frequently trips herself up.

[Ken Burch]

5. What case do you think her loyalists will make for keeping her?

Not sure what arguments could really work for them, given the polls.

[Matilda]

6. They often come up "she's tough as nails"!

You hear that a lot from Gillard supporters. I think the latest bit of poorly-judged publicity, the photo spread of her knitting a kangaroo for the royal baby, was a misguided attempt to make her look a bit softer.

There has been some very good legislation passed, but it's been a combination of ideas from the Rudd era, the Independents and Greens, and the Gillard camp. At least it's all been forward-looking, not backwards as it will be under Abbott. But it's hard for Gillard to campaign on that simply because there's been input from so many disparate groups (one of the good things to come out of a hung parliament, IMO).

"Tough" seems to be about it.

[Matilda]

7. Julia Gillard calls for leaderhip spill at 7.00 pm tonight

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called a ballot for the Labor leadership after supporters of Kevin Rudd took the first steps towards another spill.

Ms Gillard says the spill will be held at 7.00pm AEST, and that whoever loses should retire from Parliament immediately.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/


I don't think the defeated candidate should retire immediately, because that's handing a seat to the Coalition - especially if it's Rudd, because only his personal popularity will save his seat for Labor.

But there's no doubt that the career of the unsuccessful person will be over. It's such a shame that it's come to this.

Gillard supporters blame Rudd for destabilising the party, no doubt because he didn't lie down and play dead after they ousted him.

I blame Gillard for not simply waiting for the right time and taking the leadership with some measure of grace.

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Yay! Rudd just announced he's contesting the leadership!

He's the only thing standing between Abbott and us and I wish him well

[Matilda]

9. Me too!

I know there will still be divisions in the party, but I don't want to see Abbott running this country!

[Violet_Crumble]

10. I've heard he's got the numbers this time, so fingers and toes crossed...

There's this part of me that feels bad that in wanting so badly for Rudd to take Labor into the election that I'm hoping for the end of Julia Gillard's career, because I think she's a great politician, just not a good leader, and her career ending prematurely is a waste. But I do get why they've both said that if they lose they'll retire from politics...

[Matilda]

11. It is a waste.

But if Rudd loses, it could be worse, because he's the only Labor MP who looks like retaining his seat, and if he goes now, it's a seat for the Coalition. Whereas Julia's in a safe seat, which hopefully, Labor will hold.

I'm going home now, and I'll have the radio on all the way. I'm so nervous!

[Matilda]

12. He has Shorten's vote.

Last edited Wed Jun 26, 2013, 05:57 AM - Edit history (1)

Shorten did the wrong thing three years ago; now he's putting it right..

[Violet_Crumble]

13. This is taking forever...

Apparently one of the reporters at Parliament House tweeted that they hope it's over before State of Origin starts...

[dipsydoodle]

14. Kevin Rudd wins Labor leadership spill - live

.Here's the offical announcement from Labor's caucus secretary Chris Hayes.

Kevin Rudd 57 votes.

Julia Gillard 45 votes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/26/labor-leadership-spill-gillard-rudd-live

[Matilda]

15. Rudd won 57-45; a comfortable margin.

I would expect Wayne Swan to resign as deputy leader; he's said some very nasty things about Rudd.

Abbott plans to move a no-confidence motion tomorrow, and it's going to be tight. Anything could happen, but let's hope sanity prevails among the Independents and Greens. The most important thing is to make sure that Tony Abbott never becomes Prime Minister.

[Violet_Crumble]

17. Swan has resigned as well as Conroy and one or two others...

No great loss there, imo...

[Violet_Crumble]

16. Good news!

Now at least there's a chance that Abbott can be beaten in the election.

[Matilda]

18. Craig Emerson and Joe Ludwig have resigned.

Sorry about Emmo; he's a good man.

Penny Wong rumoured to be new Senate Leader, so that's good news. Always thought Conroy was a bit of a dickhead.

But wow, the knives are out for Rudd on Twitter – they seem to think Australians are going to be angry and turn away from Labor in even bigger numbers. Same people who were convinced the polls were rigged and Julia was going to win.

Sometimes I think the left are as nutty as the right. Certainly, they can be as blind.