"So perhaps, for Labor, the reason for removing Gillard from the frontline is more troubling than personality problems or her own electorate, or presentation - perhaps it’s performance-based."

Or perhaps she's had the flu.
Or perhaps she's setting up a dirt unit based on the Ruddock model.
Or perhaps she had to wash her hair.
Or perhaps the new ads brought to us by Business Union Bosses are doing the job for her.
Or perhaps this election is about leaders more than parties.
Or perhaps articles like these are supposed to draw her out so that Liberals can say she's barren.
Or perhaps Labor have noticed the election hasn't been called yet and Gillard's saving her energy for that.
Or perhaps she's having surgery and elocution lessons so she sounds more like Alexander Downer.

The mentality of the voter is seriously worrisome when so many insist on personalising political debate. Critical analysis of policy and political standpoints of candidates is fair- criticism of personal traits such hair/clothing/partnerships is indicative of a voter who is swayed by media hype and petty enough to perhaps overlook political strengths and strategy for issues more aligned to popular culture. For heaven’s sake, the writer here was trying to debate the rights and wrongs of the ALP sidelining a major player in their proposed front bench - not asking if you liked her living arrangements. Personally I think the disappearance of Julia Gillard smells suspiciously of the kind of mistakes the Canberra party machine made in the 2004 election campaign by putting all focus on the leadership and not near enough on the strengths of the team. If Federal Labor are to win this election they need to think seriously about presenting a team that can deliver the goods, and more so at the careful and considered policy needed, hopefully not a repeat of the ridiculous one-liners we were subjected to in ’04 being parroted off by all and sundry with nothing to back them up. Kevin Rudd is smart, as are Gillard and Swan, but the Canberra party machine is bewildering as it seems to simply follow a recipe without tasting as it goes. That for me usually means the dish is lacking something.

It is obivious why Julia is not there.It is the boring mono-tones,dull personality and almost expresionless face.This coupled with her hate of free enterprise makes her a liability.

If I was Kev '07 I'd hide her in the back room too.She will have a lot of influence if Labor forms Govt and be prepared for the same debacle that Labor in NSW has achieved.Labor have not clearly enunciated where they want to take us.We have a party that has it's foundations in the Public Service Unions.85% of Unions dwell in the PS.This means higher taxes for the private sector so they can reap better benefits and pay.It has happened in NSW and now it will happen nationally.

We can all recall the election where Kim Beazley decided that being a small target was the answer; OK he was derided and it was a disaster. Then it was Mr Latham, the bull in the China Shop; attack attack attack, threatening to break hands and heads etc and another disaster.

So, back to the drawing board. This time an even smaller target approach than under KB; hardly a policy and hardly any potential front-benchers in evidence either. Julia is just one of the missing. The others have been taunted, then mauled, so often in parliament (remember "the Roosters" jibes?) that they daren't risk running into their Govt opposite numbers IN PUBLIC. Their limited forays have made them look like fools; Peter Garrett opens his mouth to drop the absurd clanger about eliminating off-peak hot water systems, for example. And on it goes. So far the "no policy is Good Policy" appraoch has meant no scrutiny. Come on Julia or Wayne or Steven or Lindsay let's have more of the next "Medicare Gold" or the next raid on the "Future Fund"!

But, where will they hide when hostilities are formally declared? This is the phoney war and Labor is "winning" it by not fighting and being very careful to avoid casualties. But once the Govt starts beating the bushes I expect to see lots of would-be roost-rulers turned into Turkeys, followed by 3 more years to plan attempt #4 at unseating the Coalition. Cheers.

This whole debate about whether JG is openly in the public debating whatever is just a beat up. Like she'll come out just becaue this Liberal Party bell-hop wants her to? Yeah sure!

Communicat: You bring out the point that Mr Rudd seems to be a kind of front man for the Federal Labor. Interesting, actually, because that is what Mr Beattie does up here. At the pub he's known as the Minister for everything.
Perhaps it's hard to soar like an eagle etc.