From previous post....

The AWU Gnome suffers, in my eyes, a credibility deficit, like Swan does. Hard to pinpoint, but watch a Q&A session and there is a disturbing vibe about his blustering that tells me, 'hotair merchant', a more appealing Hockey-like character, but a hotair and content-free character just the same.

False sincerity oozes from his pores, like Abbott.

Not so Combet, or Faulkner, and Faulkner is clearly a hard nut who could lead the ALP where they need to be dragged.

Apart from being in the wrong coloured seat, he doesn't want to do the job though.

Blue you disappoint me. Not in what you say, which is all too true, but in highlighting that we can probably no longer have someone as decent as Beazley lead the country, because he can't lead his party.

I am not into it all as you & Belly are. I flit around, picking up bits, then scurrying back to my old cars when it all gets too dispiriting.

I can't handle Labor politics, too dirty for me, & the Greens are utterly mad, so please don't tell me the other lot are just as bad. You'd be condemning me to voting informal for years.

people were comparing the Rudd Government with that of Whitlam. No one really thought it could be any more incompetent until our current PM took over. Even Gough looks marginally good now having previously been our worst PM by a mile. Mr Rudd sits between Gough and Julia. We reap what we sow.

I agree that the return of Kevin Rudd could be beneficial.
He's well known and respected internationally. He has
demonstrated a willingness to improve the governing of
Australia - allbeit to the dissatisfaction of the factions.
It takes a strong persona to take on a rabble and govern
in the interests of the nation. As far as we've seen Kevin
Rudd was achieving his goals when he was allowed to function
in his own right. It is obvious that the ETS agreed
with by Malcolm Turnbull as leader of the Liberals,
was abandoned by Kevin Rudd bending under pressure
by the factions who caused his downfall.

However, it would not be wise of Kevin Rudd to challenge
Julia Gillard before the elections. He should wait for the
outcome of the elections before challenging. He should not
repeat the underhanded fiasco perpetrated by the right-wing
factions. Had Gillard waited until after the elections her
popularity rating could possibly be higher than it is
today.

A logical choice as PM as things now stand -
would be Malcolm Turnbull,
if he only crossed to the other side - which is
highly unlikely. There are too many irrational
members on the Liberal side for Malcolm Turnbull to function
within the Liberal Party structure.

As for other capable Labor Party candidates?
No one jumps out that has the experience necessary to be
a respected force both internationally and within
Australia. It will take time to bring out future leaders
to the forefront.

May the ship of state remain rudderless.

Labour could bring back Mark Latham. I seem to remember Julia also backed him.