JULIA Gillard is prepared to sack Kevin Rudd as Foreign Minister and reshuffle her cabinet next week after calling a leadership spill in the party room on Tuesday.
PThe Prime Minister’s supporters are now so confident they will have the numbers to fend off a leadership challenge that she is preparing to remove Mr Rudd from the ministry for “disloyalty”.
Update I: Betting markets odds.
Centrebet
Sportsbet
Update II: Combet at Press Club gets asked about spill. Long waffly answer. Leadership debate distracts from business of governing blah, blah, blah. Time distraction ended. Issue must be resolved. But what does that mean?
Godspeed Kevin.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 1:12 pm
Bye bye, Jooles.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 1:14 pm
Tossers:
Also at the Blair’s, Rudd looking very Ferdinand Marcos.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:18 pm
Hang on a minute. Early this week she was talking him up, saying what a great foreign minister he is and that he was an important member of the children’s cabinet…(they aren’t allowed to pick up their pens). Now she accuses him of being disloyal and wants to sack him?
So is he lying now or before?
Lord she’s useless.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:20 pm
Please God, let them shred one another and take the mob they represent with them
Mike of Marion
22 Feb 12 at 1:23 pm
Let’s pray it’s close and bloody.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 1:24 pm
Yup.
This is what we want.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:25 pm
Almost all of this week’s events have been engineered by her backers. They decided to go after Rudd & bring it on early to avoid further support organically leaking away from Gillard over time. It’s probable they chose the time to specifically try to smother any positive coverage Rudd may have got from his campaigning in QLD. I guess they feel if they get rid of Rudd early enough she’ll be able to limp on to the election but chances are they’ll have merely crippled themselves.
badm0f0
22 Feb 12 at 1:28 pm
heh heh heh what if ministers are lying? April Fool joke come early.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 1:29 pm
Rudd on the backbench.
Another sad press conference saying goodbye.
And all of this because Rudd was down 52-48 for a month.
The voters will be impressed.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:35 pm
Sing along with me comrades…
Solidarity forever…
Solidarity forever…
…and so forth.
Skuter
22 Feb 12 at 1:35 pm
Will Rudd get less than 30?
Which is what I reckon it will take to have him ignored.
A lesser defeat means he can campaign with a change of policy from the backbench
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 1:35 pm
Now he’s just messin’ with her mind.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 1:36 pm
They waited till he’s out of the country and pushed back hard obviously.
But here’s the thing, the only reason there’s a spill is because she’s perceived to be more useless than turd on a shoe.
She’s terminal.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:37 pm
Hawke won 66–44 against Keating after the first spill.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:40 pm
If they change to a 3rd person as PM, this character will still have 12 months till the election to lock in the PMs post politics perks. This is what I expect to see happen – Simon Crean emerge as PM, the govt stagger on for another 12 months, and then the election.
Bring Back Tillman
22 Feb 12 at 1:41 pm
That’s a decent question, JamesK, what the par score for Rudd would be. I’d say 45. He’s supposed to have 31 locked in already, with 21 undecided if you believe the Oz (although they originally stuffed up the numbers). 63-40 would be a thumping. 58-45 would be within reach.
I think he’s getting 40 if he’s lucky. (And if this isn’t just another Oz stuff up.)
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 1:43 pm
Need moar popcorn.
This is the most awesome battle since Optimus Prime took on those other robots and saved the earth.
Nothing hates like a creature of Labor. This will get so ugly. And at the end, if the numbers are to be believed, the Labor party will be left with a dead in the water leader with the same suite of policies that drove it’s support to 30% primary and a backbencher that is hell bent on destruction.
I cannot think of a worse scenario for Gillard to work in.
Awesome.
Mark
22 Feb 12 at 1:43 pm
Actually that’s right. There’s no reason for Rudd to contest the vote and then to sack him after she’s continually said that he’s an effective foreign minister?
She’s more than useless.
You gotta freaking laugh.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:44 pm
Hawke won 66–44 against Keating after the first spill.
Six months later, Keating won Spill II 56 to 51.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:46 pm
Monster:
Don’t be an imbecile and stop the counting. You know you have had difficulty past no. 7.
There’s no guarantee that Rudd will play her game and contest. If he doesn’t contest she’ll look even worse that the useless slapper she is now.
She’s a great great negotiator ya know.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:47 pm
Much different circumstances, C.L.
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 1:47 pm
If Rudd doesn’t run they’ll ask about his ticker.
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 1:48 pm
I don’t think there can be any doubt that Gillard is the most incompetent prime minister we’ve ever had. I’ve said before that I’m reflexively anti-ALP and truly I am not. But this mob of degenerates make Whitlam’s crew look like geniuses.
tbh
22 Feb 12 at 1:49 pm
Clearly it’s time for this mafia mob to “hit the mattresses”.
Viva
22 Feb 12 at 1:49 pm
So I assume what happens now is that Gillard cans Rudd, narrowly wins the leadership bout and Rudd moves to the backbench to glower at the back of her head while she slowly (rapidly?) sinks further in the polls and then there’s a second spill and Kevvie comes back in.
The ALP rank and file rejoice and the cabinet go to the toilet and set themselves on fire because, after all, it’s less painful than working for Kevvie again.
And then we get Father Abbott and the ghost of BA Santamaria. Result: the kind of government that Stephen Conroy likes. Fab.
Adrien
22 Feb 12 at 1:49 pm
Shit, NOT reflexively anti-ALP.
tbh
22 Feb 12 at 1:49 pm
I think inevitability is 40.
Less than a third of the caucus means he will be ignored.
He can talk alternate policy from the backbench with more than a third of the caucius in his backpocket.
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 1:50 pm
That’s the point I was making above.
Rudd is quite liked, personally – whereas Gillard isn’t.
A second bloody humiliation of Rudd will be a PR disaster.
That might actually be a smart play. Rudd plays dumb and doesn’t put his name in the hat. What does Gillard do, then? Well, she has to sack him anyway.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:50 pm
“We hate each others guts because we are us.”
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 1:51 pm
Sorry to tell you this but News Ltd doesn’t call party meetings.
Has Gillard called a meeting or not?
If she hasn’t then it is not on.
On your Marx
22 Feb 12 at 1:51 pm
which will quickly be forgotten about next time she fucks up and he asks for a spill and that would only be a about a week because the moron’s batting average is around 1 to 2 fuck ups per week.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:52 pm
How does someone so obviously lacking in political smarts and frankly, smarts in general, ascend to the top political job in the country?
tbh
22 Feb 12 at 1:52 pm
Constitutional law prof, Anne Twomey, says if Rudd wins and the ‘independents’ vague out on who they support, the Governor-General (Holy Billy’s mother-in-law) is obliged to demand that Gillard immediately test her support in the House.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:52 pm
Did you over hear anything on your morning powerwalk through the corridors of power, On Your Marx?
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 1:53 pm
Canberra solidarity drinks Skuter, Rabz & daddy? After the event.
John Comnenus
22 Feb 12 at 1:53 pm
What’s Gillard on about?
Why is she attacking this poor innocent man?
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 1:55 pm
The only priest in situ was appointed by atheist Gillard, Adrien.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:55 pm
Yes Marx, like this government doesn’t leak and the Slapper hasn’t requested cabinet ministers aren’t allowed to touch their pen during meetings. Fuck off.
Gee, thanks for the advice. Now get back to reading treasury paper 3 1967.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:55 pm
Emily’s list.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 1:56 pm
If she doesn’t, she’s a …
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 1:58 pm
Hey, what’s not to like?
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 1:58 pm
Que? I – and most Australians – thought the opposite was true. Rudd is an abusive bastard to colleagues whereas Gillard is said to be quite warm and funny.
Viva
22 Feb 12 at 1:59 pm
Thank God the Indeps put Gillard in power, otherwise we wouldn’t have such a stable government.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 1:59 pm
If Rudd loses, not only should he be sent to the back bench, but he should be kicked out of the ALP.
Peter Patton
22 Feb 12 at 2:00 pm
On what grounds? The moronic slapper was highlighting what a great member of cabinet he is. What an effective foreign minister he’s been. She knife’s the dude twice? That will take primary support down to 23%… at NSW levels.
She’s a great great negotiator you know.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:01 pm
Mate, I’m in Sydney for a couple of days next week.
Catching the mighty Steyn on Wednesday night with Skute and some others.
Back Thursday, so Friday might be best – might even be able to get “the Mole” along!
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 2:03 pm
I think CL is referring to the Little Turd’s support in voterland.
The punter’s were really upset in the way he was treated. I think it was deserved because he is a little prick, however the average disinterested voter doesn’t. They feel sorry for him for some unknown reason. We have to acknowledge that.
This is further compounded by the fact that his replacement isn’t seen to be more competent than he was…. even less so.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:04 pm
Does anyone else suspect CIA involvement?
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 2:05 pm
“Conan! What is best in life?” “To crush your enemies — See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!”
Hohohoho.
Pedro the Ignorant
22 Feb 12 at 2:07 pm
This is all Abbott’s fault. Him and his relentless negativity.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 2:07 pm
No, but I think Santorum and the Christian Right may have a hand in it.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:07 pm
“We are US”. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:08 pm
Two more boats have arrived.
Thanks, Abbott.
Thanks, Palin.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 2:14 pm
Go on Greg, you two bit union clerke. Sell the message.
Sell the message how power bills are going up in December by 10% or more and skyrocket as the 20% renew ball mandate continues to come on stream. Go ahead. The opposition isn’t going to stop you.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:17 pm
Okay let’s run a side book.
Odds for Rudd to return unexpectedly early?
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 2:17 pm
Might throw a lazy ten bucks at Garrett at $251. If that nag gets in I’ll shout you all beers.
Les Majesty
22 Feb 12 at 2:20 pm
If the odds are not enticing, it’s because of the irresponsible Opposition Leader Mr. Abbott and his relentless negativity
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 2:20 pm
Like how early? Next week 60/40 against.
Later through the year? After July 1st? swap that around to higher.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:20 pm
I mean from hiss o/seas trip JC.
There are no odds offered on your scenario
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 2:22 pm
After the Goose’s next budget deficit in May?
That’s the most likely time for a ruff resurrection in my o’pinion…
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 2:23 pm
I blame the MAD MONK Tony Abbot and his relentless negativity.
.
22 Feb 12 at 2:24 pm
long live our Julia
Long may she reign
May she defend our laws
& ever give us cause
to sing with heart and voice
God Save Our Queen
from every latent foe
and Rud’s asassin’s blow
God save our queen
for australia’s sake defend
Our PM, our boldest friend
Long may She reign.
Bye, bye Ruddy boy,
Unemployable in academe
maybe Queensland Rail …
as a water-boy you’ll toil.
MaryT
22 Feb 12 at 2:29 pm
OH sorry.. for racing back…
Naaa it would look like he’s panicking and if he loses, he raced back and isn’t looking after his job.
20% chance he’d come back I reckon.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:29 pm
juliar dullard: Oye blame Mr Rabbit for kevni ruff’s destabilising of my gubberment…
kevni ruff: I blame Tonee Yabbott’s ongoing programatically specific negativity for the prime monster being such an industrial grade idiot…
And on and on and on…
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 2:30 pm
Gee Mary… you ought to look for a publisher. You’re unusually talented.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:31 pm
Nice work Mary.
You’ll be off disability benefits and smoozing at writers festivals in no time.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 2:36 pm
Why get off the benefits when I’m sure Mazza could do both things at once.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:38 pm
ah so this post is inaccurate and it is not on.
glad that is cleared up
On your Marx
22 Feb 12 at 2:39 pm
At least Mary is more succinct that Gina.
I am looking forward for the fake crisis being resolved in favour of Julia.
steve from brisbane
22 Feb 12 at 2:39 pm
Don’t you mean ‘fake crisis of governance’ Steve?
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 2:41 pm
Yea, but at least Gina isn’t trooping down to Centrelink, picking up a portion of my quarterly cheque to the ATO and saying she inflicted with depression. Big difference.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:42 pm
WTF is Homer on about?
Price check on aisle six.
.
22 Feb 12 at 2:43 pm
True true. She funds Centrelink.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 2:43 pm
Rabz
Id love to be at the Stein gig, but I have a government department crawling through my office on… Wednesday 29th….
I blame Tony Abbott.
thefrollickingmole
22 Feb 12 at 2:46 pm
Not before he fills the toilet paper self. He forgot to do it and the manager is really pissed at him.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:49 pm
Homer, you overgrown stubbled checkout chick, the Fairfax papers are carrying the same story
jtfsoon
22 Feb 12 at 2:49 pm
Essy on Jase. he hasn’t yet been groomed to handle the cash side. I mean, would you? He could single handedly bring down the payments system.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:51 pm
oops… would you trust him?
JC
22 Feb 12 at 2:52 pm
Bill’s odds are a-shortenin!
Alan Moran
22 Feb 12 at 2:53 pm
He’s always been shortened.
Jc
22 Feb 12 at 2:56 pm
Larvatus Prodeo leadership thread:
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 2:58 pm
Governance in tatters
but what really matters
to Mezza is that she sounds like a git
She’ll stand up for Jools
like so many tools
who can’t tell an arse from a tit.
Rococo Liberal
22 Feb 12 at 3:01 pm
There’s a point here. It’s going to be a freaking long time between martinis before another Emily’s Lister will become PM.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:02 pm
Well, that’s one good thing…
ar
22 Feb 12 at 3:03 pm
Doncha just love it when lefties complain of bias in the MSM against them?
All you have to do is compare the coverage that Howard put up with for years with the sickening lack of thrust against ALP disasters such as the Oz day riot, the Thompson affair, the BER rorts, the NBN debacle and the jobs for the boys rorts at FWA.
Rococo Liberal
22 Feb 12 at 3:04 pm
Thank God for that.
Rococo Liberal
22 Feb 12 at 3:04 pm
Chicks don’t drink Martinis. They drink cosmopolitans or bacardi breezers.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 3:05 pm
The red headed shrew
Is now in the poo
and all she can do
is talk crud
about KRudd
jtfsoon
22 Feb 12 at 3:06 pm
Poor old Combo, hey?
He used to be the Man Most Likely and now he’s at 20s.
Less popular than his fellow union leech, the uptalking Holy BiLLY.
Honestly, how embarrassing.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 3:07 pm
If I was a betting man, I’d be having a few shekels on Albo.
But I’m not, so I won’t.
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 3:10 pm
Albo? Is it national hug a retard week?
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 3:12 pm
Albo would be more than a match for the relentless negativity of Bob Rumson.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 3:15 pm
Albo walked all over Puynce and Abbott last year. Quiet acheiver, that lad. Also seems to have had the laser eye surgery and cleaned up his personal deportment, Howard-style (might even have plucked the eyebrows?).
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 3:15 pm
Graeme Montgomery Bird loves Anthony Albanese
http://graemebird.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/anthony-albanese-excellence-in-micro-economic-reform/
jtfsoon
22 Feb 12 at 3:17 pm
Oh yes. I think everyone remembers that.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 3:20 pm
Yeah, it’s a bit hard to concentrate on things like the 100% success rate of a minority government passing legislation in the current circumstances.
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 3:23 pm
You idiot, that’s exactly what we’re fully concentrated on.
Just little things like this for instance.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:25 pm
Ha ha. And then he threw it all away… by reading out words someone else had written for him…
ar
22 Feb 12 at 3:26 pm
What’s Bird talking referring to? Anyone Know?
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:26 pm
Latest from the Mole:
The secretary of the caucus has not yet received the request including 35 MPs’ signatures stating that a spill motion be held. This is “unlikely to happen” over the next few days.
ruff is not considered to have the required numbers at this point anyway.
That said, juliar can declare a spill anyway (next week), most likely win it and then banish ruff to the backbench.
This may be the most likely scenario.
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 3:27 pm
You really should ignore Bird, JC. It would be better for your health.
m0nty
22 Feb 12 at 3:27 pm
What high dungeon, you really are the winner of the Julya Hyper-bowl award M0nty
Token
22 Feb 12 at 3:28 pm
Do we have to explain to you how parliament works in Australia again, mOnty?
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 3:29 pm
Why? He’s great entertainment as the best buffoon in ozblogdom, even riveling you monster.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:30 pm
That was part 1 of the original plan as you relayed from the Mole, it is just it happened earlier than expected (before 4 Corners).
Token
22 Feb 12 at 3:31 pm
tax exemptions for Australian shipping industry. a leaf out of Bird’s own policy handbook. like tax exemptions for amateur scientists working from home using YouTube, tax exemptions for aquaculture, etc,
jtfsoon
22 Feb 12 at 3:31 pm
Jason
I’d bet the idiot is thinking about the zero tax deal the moron is offering domestic shipping firms. Bird appears unable to understand the union clerk party has all but stopped foreign shipping being able to compete for domestic freight in order to protect their union bosses, thereby causing freight rates to rise (possibly) 500%.
Great reform Bird, you moron.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:34 pm
snap.. bingo.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:35 pm
Because the ‘independents’ are always on the verge of pulling the trigger on the only thing standing between them and unemployment.
Only Gillard the Grate Negoshater could have pulled it off.
C.L.
22 Feb 12 at 3:37 pm
Jason:
Does the conspiracy theorist realize that foreign shipping has been basically banned from competing in our domestic market?
Does he also realize that international rates for inward Australian cargo will rise because ships will leave empty?
Does the moron also realize that in some cases shipping owners have recently been paying… yes paying.. customers to carry their cargo because of the stiff competition around the world and because of Labor’s “reform” we will never be able to accrue those benefits here seeing the union clerk’s party is protecting domestic maritime unions?
Bird should hand back his diploma in economics.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 3:40 pm
Token,
The main difference is that ruff and his supporters still aren’t in a position to force the issue.
What has happened is that juliar appears to have had her hand forced.
kevni would have been quite happy to have sat back and picked his preferred moment for the first challenge – which ideally would be a closer result, say 45 – 58.
At this rate it would be around 35 – 68 with ruff facing a longer period on the backbench.
In no way is any of this egomaniacal idiocy and hubris of any benefit to this country, unless it leads to an early election.
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 3:42 pm
You don’t see the master plan CL, Gillard & Albo are working hard to bring manufacturing work back to Australia.
Token
22 Feb 12 at 3:42 pm
Constitutional law prof, Anne Twomey, says if Rudd wins and the ‘independents’ vague out on who they support, the Governor-General (Holy Billy’s mother-in-law) is obliged to demand that Gillard immediately test her support in the House.
Wouldn’t the process actually be, if Rudd wins and the independents ‘vague out’, that the Opposition test the government by moving a no confidence motion or perhaps even that this test is conducted by the failure of the minority government to pass bills and then the G-G dissolves the Houses etc…
Adrien
22 Feb 12 at 4:15 pm
Thank God Tanya Plibersek is now back out to $7.50 as a member of “Any Candidate Not Listed”. She got in to $6.00 last time it was updated. The Australian public aren’t quite ready for a daily dose of her unique brand of trying to make sense of an argument whilst at the same time speaking condescending shit.
GrazingGoat66
22 Feb 12 at 4:23 pm
I’ve said it before banishing Rudd to the back bench achieves nothing
He can be even more dangerous and conniving from there
The only way this can end without more leadership speculation is for Rudd to resume the leadership
So although Gillard may want to now look like a leader the fact is if she were a competent leader we wouldn’t be seeing this feverish activity from her own party
and Adrien the independents are not going to ‘vague out’ (notwithstand what Oakshotte and Windsor say) they’re far too self serving to ‘vague out’ in my opinion; they want the Govt to go full term
val majkus
22 Feb 12 at 4:27 pm
Agreed. Good idea…
Skuter
22 Feb 12 at 4:28 pm
Playing into Rudd’s hands?
If Rudd goes quietly, he has a few months on the back benches with:
1. Not having to share cabinet responsibility for whatever the government’s next dozen screwups are;
2. Furiously leaking every damaging bit of information/gossip he’s picked up over the last eighteen months.
Result – successful challenge sometime in July?
squawkbox
22 Feb 12 at 4:34 pm
I haven’t read the previous responses, but has anyone considered the possibility that Juliar will declare the leadeship vacant, but Rudd doesn’t stand?
He knows he doesn’t have the numbers. If he stands, he will expose how little support he has. It will also support his claim that he isn’t undermining the leadership and she will find it hard to sack hiom from the Ministry. That is, we will be back to the status quo – a divided government and Rudd free to pursue his ambition and strike at a time of his choosing.
You know he is smart enough and devious enough and uncaring enough to do it. And it might just work.
johno
22 Feb 12 at 5:03 pm
Rudd just called a news conference in Washington DC – very late at night there, so might be momentous.
Sinclair Davidson
22 Feb 12 at 5:06 pm
Johno
I agree. Earlier this week she was talking about how he was doing his job (well) etc and was a team player… if he doesn’t challenge her how does she then turn around and fire the guy? It would look awful. In fact he would love for her to fire him under those circumstances.
Either way she’s a walking carcass.
JC
22 Feb 12 at 5:06 pm
Johno,
Your description of events is very likely to happen.
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 5:17 pm
It’s on alright! Rudd is back to the backbench – at least for a while …
Matt
22 Feb 12 at 5:22 pm
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
lotocoti
22 Feb 12 at 5:22 pm
How do the spills work exactly? Does Gillard just announce the spill and ask for nominations, or does she ask for interest in nominations first?
Fleeced
22 Feb 12 at 5:24 pm
Foreign Minister Kevid Rudd has announced his resignation at a press conference in Washington DC at 1.20am local time, 5.20pm AEDT.
http://m.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/rudd-quits-as-foreign-minister-20120222-1tn8j.html
If the SMH can be believed.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:26 pm
Must be true it’s on ABC24
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:27 pm
I’m just thinking that if/when they asks for nominations, and Rudd decides No (not yet), and then Crean suddenly says, “Yeah, why not”… would Rudd change his mind and have a crack in a three-way contest, or would Rudd-supporters suddenly *gulp* and frantically try to convince people to support Gillard over Crean?
An unlikely scenario perhaps – I’m just trying to think of how messy it could get.
Fleeced
22 Feb 12 at 5:28 pm
What a dirty rat fucker!
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 5:28 pm
RUFF HAS JUST ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION!
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 5:29 pm
Yess!
Open warfare!
He’s coming home early as predicted.
He only needs more than 30 votes and the entertainment will run for months.
I expect he’ll announce a significant policy change Monday.
It will have to be on the carbon tax.
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 5:29 pm
That’s Gillard 2 Rudd 0.
He’s resigned because because he doesn’t have Gillard’s support. “So the only honourable thing to do is resign”.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:30 pm
cAT AMONG THE PIGEONS:RUDD HAS JUST RESIGNED!!!!!!!
Jazza
22 Feb 12 at 5:31 pm
Go Rudd, go!
Here’s hoping he loses by 1 vote.
Fleeced
22 Feb 12 at 5:31 pm
LOL “This on going saga hurts my good friend Anna Bligh”
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:31 pm
The Mole has been advised that ruff has at least 40 votes, possibly more.
This is great theatre!
PS, TFM, this ‘Mole’ is a source of mine deep within the laybore pardy, not your good self, if you were wondering…
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 5:32 pm
I want Rudd to win
jtfsoon
22 Feb 12 at 5:33 pm
Heh… is setting up Gillard to take the fall over Qld results
Fleeced
22 Feb 12 at 5:34 pm
Happy days are here again …..
the whiteant is shafted ….
Yippee ! …….
Now lets get the Cabinet fixed …
MaryT
22 Feb 12 at 5:34 pm
Rudd:
I will never be a party to a stealth attack on a sitting Prime Minister.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:34 pm
Jesus of Nazareth Carpentry couldn’t fix that cabinet.
Infidel Tiger
22 Feb 12 at 5:36 pm
break out the popcorn… It would be great entertainment were it not for the fact that these idiots are still f…ing the country
papachango
22 Feb 12 at 5:36 pm
Resign or be sacked, apparently!
Hence the announcement.
Rabz
22 Feb 12 at 5:38 pm
But… she wasn’t elected by the people
Sounds like he wants to be drafted.
Fleeced
22 Feb 12 at 5:38 pm
I must say Rudd’s speech was pretty good. He’s really played this well and towers over the slapper in terms of class.
If the slapped doesn’t give an equally decent speech and performance, she’s a goner.
Love labor implosions.
Jc
22 Feb 12 at 5:38 pm
What a delicate twist of the shiv.
lotocoti
22 Feb 12 at 5:38 pm
2am – he just lurves the melodrama doesn’t he?
JamesK
22 Feb 12 at 5:40 pm
He may be a reprehensible, unctuous, duplicitous, narcissistic sociopath, but as a head-messer, he is Olympic standard.
Of course it dawned on him that he did not have the numbers, so he reasoned, how do I get out of this while posing maximum problems for his detested betrayer? The faux-mournful, how-could-anyone-doubt-me declaration that he would not be part of bringing down a sitting prime minister, because that “should not happen.” The put-upon, wounded dignity of his plaintive regret that he did not “enjoy Prime Minister Gillard’s confidence.” Gee, who’d have thunk?
Got to pity the poor Syrians, that Rudd isn’t heading to Tunis anymore, to solve all of their problems.
What a performance, all of that with a straight face.
James in Melbourne
22 Feb 12 at 5:41 pm
What price him quitting altogether and forcing a by-election?
Harrys on the Boat
22 Feb 12 at 5:42 pm
I think Rudd just gave the coded three words to caucus that will be his strongest pitch for the top job: resign, Queensland, by election. I think that will focus the thinking of his colleagues. But most importantly he has shown himself to be decisive whereas Gillard seems to have been saying I will call a spill but maybe I won’t. If that’s the case Rudd has just shown Gillard to be weak and indecisive. Rudd might just pull it off.
John Comnenus
22 Feb 12 at 5:51 pm
Jeez that would be the ultimate act of revenge. I wouldn’t put it past the prick.
papachango
22 Feb 12 at 5:51 pm
Just hope it means a general election is nearer.
kelly liddle
22 Feb 12 at 5:53 pm
Good points, John.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:53 pm
Bet Hilary knew before Gillard that Rudd was to resign.
——-
Judith on ABC24.
Gab
22 Feb 12 at 5:54 pm
Where are the odds on Malcolm Turnbull, or for that matter Malcolm Fraser, being the next ALP Leader?
Ubique
22 Feb 12 at 5:55 pm
Gillard tries force the spill on Monday to minimise damage to Bligh, Rudd does not attend meeting pleading exhaustion after his overseas trip blocking the spill, continues to white-ant Gillard until he chooses the time for a challenge.
OLD44
22 Feb 12 at 8:14 pm
The goose goes the full ad hom on Krudd. He’d fit in here with that bile.
John Comnenus
22 Feb 12 at 8:34 pm
The goose goes the full ad hom on Krudd. He’d fit in here with that bile.
John Comnenus
22 Feb 12 at 8:34 pm
JC 2 2.01PM said “She’s a great great negotiator you know”
Classic sarcasm JC-I love it.
kraka
22 Feb 12 at 9:28 pm
Gotta give it to the fraud-he has played this well-even if those with any brains know he is about remorseful as a wolf standing over a sheep carcass. Abbott will still beat him
kraka
22 Feb 12 at 9:30 pm
Abbott will still beat him.
Abbott will be free to go full-bottle on him in a way he never could against Gillard. If they put Rudd – nay, if they put ANY male – in against Abbott, he will rip them to pieces and show no remorse in doing so. Shades of Keating doing Hewson slowly. Once that starts happening, the silly buggers will run to the polls just to end the agony.
perturbed
23 Feb 12 at 1:04 am