I can not speak for John Robinson, but I can speak about him.
The news storey try so very hard to manufacture a split in Labors ranks but it is not true.
Robbo is the head of unions NSW , in my view he should be the head of the drifting ACTU.
John answered a question from the floor about Kevin Rudd's apparent drift away from Labors IR promises.
I think Robbo may share my view that Rudd must be elected and once elected may well become one of our country's best ever Prime Ministers.
Just maybe my view we may need to keep our guard up after that win is shared by many Kevin Rudd is about to be elected.
If that voice in that crowd ,[I was not there] does not mind may I as so very many who intend to vote ALP myself included say I have no problems with making life harder for extremists and radicals in the union movement.
You would find if you polled unionist most would share that view but be unimpressed with anti union ALP releases.
After all extremists are a very small minority but unions are not going away, not softening the simple wish for fairness and equity in the workplace.
And Kevin if you continue to see great honest leaders of the caliber of John Robinson as a threat we need to talk.
We? yes mate the ordinary working Australians who formed the party you lead, who have only the wages they earn to live on.
And who in no way are radicals
Want you to know we are not rich miners, but while our votes are welded on you must stop talking us down Robbo should be in the house along side you we need More great leaders like him do you understand just how much he put on the line to support you?
I will vote ALP Robbo will the voice in the crowd will but we will watch with interest.

I find this post confusing. How can you speak about the in/accurate reporting of an event if you were not at it.
Also are you trying to say that the ALP is not run by the union movement?
I was at a function recently where there were a number of very staunch union leaders. They were all taking the line that "we (meaning the leaders) need to get Rudd elected and then we can tell him what to do". It was not quite as blatant as that but that was the tone of their rhetoric.
I am quite clear about one thing. Elect Rudd and the unions will be in control. Rudd knows that he needs to keep in tune with the union movement because his position as leader depends on it.
Trying to suggest anything else Belly is at best inaccurate and at worse dishonest.

Communicat do not miss use my words, yes it is fashion in the side of politics you support.
And yes it appears your support is unquestioning but I at no time questioned the reporting of that meeting or Rudd's splash at Robbo.
Only in a mind confused by other than history and truth can it be said unions control Labor.
We would need to look back to the 1950,s to find that being so.
Rudd's words prove it, in my view those words are wrong, Kevin needs a cold shower not Robbo.
The federal election is won now, rather lost now, Howard slips and slides from lie to lie crisis to crisis and the electorate has had enough of him.
That voice in the crowd? my ALP needs to understand unionists are in numbers far greater than you would think asking those questions.
No favors Kev no deals in the back room, if on the massive win in front of you, you fail to return balance to IR .
Workers union and non will remind you of an Aussie term
Fair Go Mate
Nothing less nothing more no radical rubbish no threats just fairness and balance.
That after all is what Kev has promised go you good thing but ring Robbo bloke he is no enemy of yours .

Belly,
re your statement that Rudd must be elected and once elected may well become one of our country's best ever Prime Ministers.
these words are an echo from yesteryear (1972) when the ignorant forebears of today's ignorant left were successfully exploiting the huge number of first-time voters. look at where we are now ! whitlam era revisited. it took 25 years for a much maligned & ridiculed little bloke called john howard to sort out the mess. I really don't feel like waiting another 1/4 of a century for things to come good if rudd gets elected.

How convenient to forget Hawk and Keating , and the contribution to todays good times.
How Howard like to use fear based on half truths and incomplete information.
Are you by any chance our IR minister?
Unions do not control the ALP .
And our next prime minister has over reacted but lies do have a hold on conservatives
After the election results are in the rush to blame will be impressive among the shattered government.
Oh by the way I have long ago stopped defending that ALP PM he never reached the heights of those who followed or of our next PM Rudd.

Unfortunately Belly unions do control the ALP. What is even more unfortunate is that they now represent an unrepresentative minority which has majority influence.
Kevin Rudd is well aware that he is not master of his own destiny. The unions are. If he fails to toe the party line then he knows that the unions still wield enough power to have him thrown out - replaced by Julia Gillard perhaps as she is definitely a union lackey.