I can’t help but comment on the actions of Kevin Rudd over the
last week and the reaction from some of the public.
The thing I don’t understand is why people are so taken in by this
guy. Don’t misunderstand me I do get that there is a level of sympathy for him
and the way he was treated by his own party when removed (inappropriately in my
opinion) from the Prime Ministership. That said however I think people should
remember the circumstances surrounding that event and how it came about. I think
we have forgotten just what the circumstances were that led to his removal at
the time. The picture back then was of a party losing its grip with a Nielsen poll in May 2010 indicating that
if an election were held then, Labor would lose that election. All this came on the back of the disastrous roofing insulation debacle and
failed climate change policy back flips and increased spending during the GFC. It
is also important to remember that at that time he was ably advised by the
likes of Gillard, Swan and Wong. Rudd also had come under increased criticism from
those around him of his autocratic leadership style that was creating
difficulty within his own office among his staff. In July 2010 Bob Hawk said of
Rudd on the 7:30 Report “Mr Rudd could have
been prime minister for a lot longer if he had taken a different approach”. Hawk
also said “I also had the feeling that he would have avoided it all if he had
been consultative". So at the time Rudd had created mistrust in the
voting public and polls were on the way down with an even greater dislike among
his cabinet, party colleagues and staff. There was certainly a collective “gasp”
however from the public with his removal and a feeling that this was not the
right way to treat a sitting prime minister and that he should have been allowed
to see out his term and let the public decide his fate. It is this that I believe
has created this “soft spot’ for Rudd today.
However the conduct of Rudd since that time could not be described
as dignified or prime ministerial. Rudd has conducted a subversive counter
attack that has been a constant destabilising factor to the current government.
He and his supporters have made every attempt to bring Gillard down and
undermine her position as well as public confidence in her ability. Earlier this
week on ABC Q&A Mark Latham, who knows a little
about the savagery of labor politics accusing Rudd of being ‘‘evil’’ and “orchestrating
a three-year ‘‘jihad of revenge’’ which he said was “unprecedented in
Australian politics”. Latham said "You’re getting into the realm of evil
here with Rudd, the realm of evil, with someone who has gone well beyond normal
practices in politics...’’
As it looks at this time Gillard and her government, (again ably assisted
the same people that were supporting Rudd - Swan and Wong) will fall victim of
its own ineptitude in September but I am also sure there will also be a bit of
pay back from the public for the wrongs done to Rudd.
This brings me to bit about Rudd and the fawning fans I saw on TV
this week that I don’t understand. What has been Rudd’s motivation since his
removal in 2010? Has it been to work hard to see the stability, prosperity and
growth of the Australian economy for the benefit of the Australian people? Has
it been to fight for Australian’s around the country that have lost their jobs
and face significant financial hardship under this government? Has it been to
see a resolution to the asylum seeker and border security issues facing this
country? Or has it been to seek revenge, destabilise and unseat Gillard and her
supporters? Based on Rudd’s actions since 2010 Latham may well be right when he
described Rudd as a "once-in-a-century
egomaniac". Based on the evidence you would have to say Rudd falls
into the second category in my opinion. I don’t know about you but I am not
sure this qualifies him for the job of prime minister of this country. I for
one don’t think we need a leader that has displayed nothing but self-promotion,
self-interest, contempt and revenge regardless of the impact those actions
would ultimately have on the rest of us. Rudd should be consigned to history as
the failed leader that he was and let’s move on.
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