ah, the stories I could tell. I have worked in Canberra three times: twice for senior politicians and once for the APS. All three experiences I could have done without, but it taught me a great deal about how people deal with pressure.

Basically Latham had it right about Rudd in his diaries. No one likes a control freak and even fewer like a bullying control freak. The political culture in Parliament House is venal and cursed by trivia and gossip passing as news. Coming from 'outside' it appears to be a madhouse and one way for staff to survive is to mimic their masters. Belligerence begets belligerence

Agree with Cheryl.
And talking about fathers, having lived with one, who was a street angel and one of the nicest men I knew, he also had a rarely revealed dark side, and could be a house devil.
I therefore, understand some of her comment, born of privileged inside knowledge.
Power can be an seductive, corrupting addiction for some, while absolute power, absolutely corrupting and absolutely addictive.
I'm not at all sure how any multi-millionaire, can actually own true empathy, for the common man?
A very good actor can pretend and manifest these values, and indeed fool some particularly obtuse asinine people, all of the time.
And Kevin, still craves power?
It is written in almost every deed, word and action, and his often surprising appearance at international meetings/events, now far above his backbench station.
I'm almost certain he will retain his seat of Griffin?
Well, the people there on the "streets", believe the sun shines out of him; he's a Family man, a father figure, a real angel and such a caring person!
Why, he even waded in to those filthy flood waters, [while the cameras were on him,] to help some poor Asian folks!
[I'd just love to help you out, which way did you come in; and, is that your luggage?]
Having said all that and any attempted levity aside.
I believe that a patently power hungry Kevin, will remain a destructive white-anting force, in pursuit of personal power, while ever inside the Labour party, even if that means effectively destroying it?
A real leader, I believe, would find the testicular fortitude and the self preserving party support, to dis-endorse him as a likely, very leaky labour candidate?
If that forces him to become an independent, or better yet, find his natural home inside the liberal party, that would improve both parties?
Rhrosty.

and yet Kim Beasley who is about the only balanced Labour leader in the last 20 years could not get elected. Says more about the parties willingness to stick anyone in that they can fool the electorate with. Labour in particular has done a great job at that.