Somewhere in the deepest jungles of Politicana, our two brave heroes face horrific trials and tribulations, navigating a path through uncharted territory to save the mighty peoples of Utopia from the nasty tyrannical ruler How-Ard. The jungle drums are beating. They discuss their strategy -

Gizzard - "You go first."

Rubb - "I don't know, it might be a bit dangerous."

Gizzard - "No, you'll be right."

Rubb - "So why don't you go first?"

Gizzard - "I wouldn't be so presumptuous. Besides, as a feminist, it isn't proper for women to go first anymore."

Rubb - "No, I guess not. But what if it all goes wrong?"

Gizzard - "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you all of the time, trust me!"

Rubb - "Thanks. But, please DO be careful with that big knife of yours, won't you?"

Gizzard - "Sure, not a problem, I know EXACTLY what I'm doing..."

Yep. It's quite amusing actually... Rudd really should have waited until after the next election.

I'm happy that he's having a crack at the bomber. I'd prefer Rudd to be in charge, though the most likely course of events now is that Rudd will ascend the throne, be defeated at the next election, then the infighting will begin again... where gillard will be in prime position.

It's a bit comedic really. Every time the party totters, the knives are unsheathed. Poor Rudd hasn't timed this well.

I'm reasonably sanguine however. Whilst I want howard ousted, I haven't really had much hope about that occurring at the next election. Gillard should do better next time round.

I hate to hark back to the days of Bill Hayden but a drovers dog could lead the ALP to victory if they play their cards right.

They certainly have enough ammunition given to them by the current government.

If Rudd et al push enough sensible polices out there the leadership should become irrelevant -

a nation that elects a leader just because they actually like him to government deserves to get a donkey much as they have in the USA - we want ideas and a plan not just some neo presidential ponce who merely rabbits on about vision and new direction -

There is still life in the IR laws - people are slowly waking up to the garbage peddled about values and Islamism - and the government is quietly turning those poor bastards they incarcerated for political reasons back into the community - and then there is the war - there's plenty the ALP can still smack the government with

Dear Fellow Pundits,

Perhaps Kevin Rudd fears that Australia just can't afford to lose another election to Howard's meanness re: refugees, poor people (both the working poor in Oz and the starving poor in Africa), the environment, and other issues. It's better than being cynical, sitting back and waiting for the next election loss. Good luck to him.

Tomess

The die is cast and we now have a new opposition leader. Much negative comment has been levelled at Mr. Beasley over the past twelve months and more, but rather than being a failure of leader, it may have been more a failure of Beasley's team. Personally, I believe that Kim Beasley was a fine and decent man with only the best interests of Labor voters and the Australian population in mind. In that regard, I wish him well in whatever direction his life now takes him and that this weeks cascade of events allows him more time with his wife and family as he so greatly desired.

Wildcat, I couldn't agree with you more. Beasley is a man to be respected and I've held him in high regard since he was Minister of Defence, however long ago that was.

Distressingly, I've just read on The Australian website, that his Brother David passed away overnight in Perth. It's certainly a dark time for a good upstanding Australian. My thoughts are with him today.

This just goes to show the influence of polling on the political landscape.

When there is no news to report, just have a poll and the results then become the news.

Kim was (and still is) a decent and competent politician (if such a thing is possible) tbut nowadays politics is more like Australian Idol, where almost every nuance or statement is analysed, rated and polled.

Poor Opposition Leaders often make excellent Prime Ministers but we'll never know about Kim.

I think Kevin will do OK, but I think someone like Lindsay Tanner would have been ideal for the job.

Any consideration of ever trusting the ALP again disappears as I regard the State Labor Party and the antics[highly paid] the Labor members get up to. I wouldn't let them run a chook raffle , let alone a nation.
They are a bunch of overeducated wanna be's , not a genuine working man among them. Either that or they are union heavies looking for a soft ,well paid position. None of them give a damn about Australia or Aussies.I hope this Labor Party never gets it's hands on being government of this country because they will stuff it up just like they have stuffed the states.

Gosh mickijo seems to hate all things labor -

I actually wonder at mind sets like that - given the economy has been going gang busters for quite some time - and the states have a role in that like it or not - it does not make sense - even the liberals concede it took a labor gubment ( hawke , keating ) to free up the economy to allow them to do what they have done so far - you gotta wonder where the negativity comes from.

And then you have the assumptions about the capabilities - MJ ought to go through the CVs of all the pollies - few woulfd fill you with confidenec about their capactiy to hold down a real job - on either side of the house.

I note the mention of Tanner - I suspect he will get shadow treasurer - I have hear or seen any news yet but thats my guess

and on a side note in reference to Labor MPs antics - check it Santo Santoros $9000 a day 12 day junket to the US recently - I think he had to thank some one for something - now that is an "antic" if ever I saw one

All in all it wil be an interesting year

I congratulate Kevin on his appointment and would wish that he remains leader of the federal opposition for years to come.

Mickijo - while it's fair to say that that's the case with the state labor governments, I'm not so sure it's a fair call of Rudd...

Yeah, he comes across as being the overeducated toff sort, but look at his background and I think it would be fair to say he's worked his way up from blue collar beginnings.

Being overeducated isn't necessarily a bad thing if you also have experience of hardship and life experience to keep you grounded.

Plus, I think Rudd's toffishness as a diplomat in China would come in quite handy over the next few terms.

Col,

Have you read Rudd's maiden speech to parliament. Did you hear question time today?

Family values or Market values?

Industry Policy.

Some areas where there should be no market.

Did Howard look shaky? In my view yes. At last we have a fight.

Better look at your Bentley lease Comrade :)

THERE WERE PIXIES AT THE BOTTOM OF BOMBER'S CAMERA.

Starring;Kevin Carl Rudd,,Bomber,The Chorus ie mono tones of excitement,Julia Martin and Simon.

Bomber;Hey Carl,my new camera says it has six mega pixies in it.I thought pixies only existed in your at the bottom of your garden.Does this mean a pixy can act big and think small?

Kevin; I've told you thousand times,it's Kevin.Now if you are making reference to me, the term is pixel.It stands for clarity.

Bomber;Now this is bit of an oxymoron Carl,mega means big,but pixies are small.

Kevin;I think your mind has gone roving again.It's Kevin Bomber!

Bomber; Now this is a bit of an oxymoron Carl,mega means big,but pixies are small.

Kevin;I think your mind is roving again.It's Kevin,Bomber!

Kim might have a roving mind,much like my own,but that does not make him a lesser being.There are horses for courses,but is Kevin Rudd the horse for our course?

Rudd was on the 7.30 report tonight and performed very well.

And all John Howard could talk about was what he lacks- 'substance' in leadership.

Go get him Kev! (Such an ozzie name that too!)

To all you pastic coated conservatives - Bring it on!

Steve Madden “Better look at your Bentley lease Comrade :)”

I never buy cars on payment plans, If you ain’t got the dosh, don’t borrow from tomorrow and pretend, another reason for not voting socialist, those buggers always spend up big with taxes they have not collected, I wonder if anyone has warned Kevin about that ?

It has been liberal policy to pay down public debt to the point of extinction, hence the benefits we all enjoy. If it had been Kim, Simon, Mark or even Kevin in the seat of authority, they would doubtless been bullied by their union masters to go on a spending spree of pointless infrastructural indulgences, let the economy go to hell in a hand basket and when inflation hit double digits, put on the brakes to produce yet another “recession we had to have”.

Rainier “To all you pastic coated conservatives - Bring it on!”

Ah the benefits of that superior education which rainier is so insistent on talking down to us from. He knows of stuff which no one else has ever heard of.

Please explain to us all, rainier, the merits of this "pastic coating" of which you speak.
Would it be a good thing for me to have applied to the Bentley or should I just throw a couple of bucks at your brothers to have them polish it for me?.

Arjay, stop making fun of the pixies, Kevin and Julia are far more “elfin” that that (in Kevin’s case, maybe frightened by a kamikaze gerbil)

Kevin Rudd has yet to prove himself. I am yet to see one commentary that looks at his negatives, in depth.

I see the article speaks of his electrol prowess in Griffith. I wonder just how many other labor candidates were elected with the aid of unaffiliated campaign workers issuing how to vote cards which stated:

Vote 1 One Nation.
Vote 2 Kevin Rudd.

when the national polcies of both the major parties was to reject seeking preferencing deals with One Nation.

I witnessed such cards being handed out in Griffith on one of those poling days. I was genuinely shocked at the time. I ensured one went to Senator Ron Boswell.

While Mr Rudd was clearly not involved in the issue of those How to Vote I have not seen him reject or denounce the support they fostered for him, or for that matter, that particular unethical method of receiving preferencing. That I would like to see.

Keith Kennelly

Sneekpete
But you always were a labour supporter in sheeps clothing.
Dont the democrates give their preferences to labour.
It kind of makes it hard to follow the animal welfare bill and many others. Then again its the thing polys do isnt it. Make it look like they are doing something to half the public and confusing the other half. For the democrates to give preferences to labour shows how not serious they are about animal welfare. AA seem to be along for the ride.
The public are starting to wake up.

Antje Struthman

I do not hate Labor,I just want to know where are the labourers? The party is full of non labour so it is dishonest right from the start.
Perhaps if they called themselves something else that was truer to their nature, communist party or socialist party or old university pretenders but not Labor party.
At least the other mob are what they are therefore they have nothing to hide.

mickijo

Seen any liberals in the liberal party lately? How can a party with only elected members from 3 states be a national party?

Perhap if they called themselves, the Me, Myself, I party and the Fake Farmers Party.