<< How about this ? If Rudd gets anywhere near thirty votes on Monday, then they BOTH resign and retire to the back bench for the duration of the government with their mouths wired shut, while a third candidate is chosen as Prime Minister. >>

I like it Loudmouth. But who would have << the genius and skills to quickly negotiate a deal with the Greens, Wilkie, and/or the three independents - and then to work as an effective prime minister. >> ?

How about Kelvin Thomson?

Second choice: Craig Emerson.

Link to Canberra Times article:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin-20120224-1ttxx.html

All the Juliar supporters would have to be the biggest fools on this earth if they think she can win the next election. If Juliar is still PM after Monday then Labour will be wiped out next election and I will be laughing at all the Juliar supporters. How anyone could trust her is astounding as she has lied to everyone from the start and I would not trust her to lead a girl guides group.

If Rudd wins it will be a demonstration of the merits of disloyalty and personal ambition.

If he is such a marvellous public campaigner, why didn't he put those super-powers to use earlier and help his party instead of skulking around in the background, leaking and trashing his opponent?

It was only a couple of years ago that the media were against him, calling him "Kevin O Lemon" and saying "Rudd's a Dud".

Face is Kevin, you had your chance and you stuffed it.

What a mess! I can't for the life of me understand
why Mr Rudd did not allow things to take their
"natural" course. Why didn't he just allow the PM's
ratings to continue to crumble. And wait until he
was asked to challenge her prior to the next election?
Now it all seems like a case of sour grapes on his part.
Payback time for the wrongs done to him - at least that's
how it appears to many voters. Not a good scenario for
Labor. And such a pity all round because the only winners
here appear to be the Coalition and the Greens.
Even Heaven won't be able to help us all -
if Mr Abbott and Co get into power.
It's back to the past we go - only this time it's even
more of a conservative, right-wing past - where cut backs
on infrastructure will be even more severe.

Lexi is right on the money. This is amateur hour. Why would you not wait until near the end of the government's term, if things are looking dire, before making a leadership change? Nothing at all can be achieved on Monday, except to ensure continuing speculation and paralysis for the remainder of this government's tenure.

The feral performance by the most senior cabinet members in Gillard's government over the last few days makes Rudd's victory impossible. They have made it quite plain that it would be all out war and that makes a Rudd victory on Monday unthinkable. At the same time, Rudd will harness enough support to make a decent contest of it on Monday. He can't resign because of the minority government status. Leaving us with what: never ending speculation and media baiting making government impossible and Abbot gleeful?

What a shamozzle?