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The Forum > Article Comments > How Labor can make the grade with Rudd > Comments

How Labor can make the grade with Rudd : Comments

By James McConvill, published 16/1/2007

Kevin Rudd should ignore the commentators, stop citing Hayek and start talking to the Australian public.

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As regards "communicating with the public", Rudd's campaign literature in the last election featured a photo of him explaining tax policy differences to two "battlers" - who were, in fact, long term ALP activists and Queensland public servants who were handsomely rewarded with rapid promotion after Beattie's 1998 election victory. I'm sure that there's a message there, but it's not one which would endear Rudd to the public.

More recently, I sent Kevin (my local MP) a copy of a submission which I made to a senate inquiry on media policy. My main thrust was that policy should follow the following principles:

1. Media policy should be directed to the benefit of end-users and the community at large, rather to any particular vested interests.

2. Policy should not discriminate between modes of delivery in terms of content, geographical reach or other factors. All modes of delivery should be able to provide whatever content is technically feasible for that mode – no content should be reserved to a particular mode of delivery.

That is, with the rapid expansion of new technology and access to worldwide media, the government should not impose arbitrary restrictions and limits on content.

Kevin either didn't read my letter or failed to understand it, he responded welcoming my support for the ALP's view that media ownership should be subject to detailed restrictions. Not much communicating there, Kevin.
Posted by Faustino, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 9:22:11 AM
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This is largely true. The Australian population may oppose the war on Iraq, they may have some disquiet about our treatment of asylum seekers, concerns over the lack of positive movement towards indigenous reconiliation, but when it comes to marking boxes on the ballot paper - they're interested primarily in the hip pocket nerve.

Labor needs to present a better economic model which offers greater security of employment and income and more time for family. That's what people, imo, are really after.
Posted by Lev, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 9:43:24 AM
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James,

You are wrong. Rudd is talking to Australians. He's telling them "I'm a younger (small 'c'Christian, small 'l' liberal) version of John Howard.

His other messages are:

• I'm a big M moderate

• I want to get rid of the word socialism from the Labor constitution (because I don’t know what it means)

• I know all about how to run a bureaucracy

• I grew up in a redneck town but look at me now

• I can say long words and I read foreign policy documents everyday

• My hero is a dead Lutheran no one but me knows about.

If you think he's not talking to Australians you're wrong.

If you think he's talking to traditional Laborites he is avoiding them like the plague.

He's a career techno-bureaucrat-moderate-ideologue who never threw on a footy jumper.

Our own blonde haired, Chinese speaking, Mr Bean.
Posted by Rainier, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 9:45:58 AM
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Rudd shot himself in the foot when he announced his forest policy in Tasmania with a noticeably silent / absent Peter Garett. Then I found out where Rudd's wife went to school and folded that knowledge back into her business dealings and Rudd didn't look like the saviour. Faustino's posts positively scare me.
Posted by billie, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 10:12:01 AM
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Rainier, I'll take the liberty of amending your post slightly. I'd like to add that Mr Rudd is able to speak mandarin, and rather well according to Mr Rudd himself.

You seem to be one of only a handful of Australians who missed that vital fact.
Posted by Sage, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 10:28:59 AM
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Rainier may be right in his view of what Kevin Rudd is saying to the Australian people, however it is unfortunate that the Australian people are not listening. I think the best thing about Kevin Rudd is that it gives Bill Leak an excellent opportunity to draw him as Tin Tin. I wonder if there will be a resurgence of interest in the original comic?
Posted by Reynard, Tuesday, 16 January 2007 11:20:19 AM
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