I’m back
I’ve been in West Australia celebrating my Mother’s 88th birthday and doing the ground work necessary to facilitate her transfer to nursing care. While there, I stayed with my Sister who has minimal interest in computers or politics so had to be polite and spend time with family and not politics – thus my silence on the issue.
Silence over! Some thoughts…
I’m devastated and worried about Australia.
On Costello. I’d go as well. After dragging the country out of the 96 billion abyss the last ALP govt left us in; after bringing in GST and rewriting Australia’s financial disbursement to state governments; after taking unemployment, jobs, interest rates to the best levels for years the electorate kick him and his boss out.
I’d say “get stuffed” as well.
Costello will do well as everyone knows he did an excellent job running the 15th largest economy in the world. With that on page one of his CV he will be snapped up by commercial enterprise and I hope he earns millions.
He will do so with my blessing and the blessing of every reasonable man and women in the country.
Having said all that I’m not sure if he would have made a great PM and I do think we should move on.
Rudd simply doesn’t inspire me and I have trouble slotting him into the “leaders” I have known category. It isn’t his politics, it his demeanor and bureaucratic background. Until I see evidence to the contrary I will refer to him as the Chief Clerk.
The Chief Clerks biggest problem will be controlling the unions and the Left wing. Julia Gillard, to my mind, is dangerous, recognized by the fact that Rudd kept her out of the limelight during the election lest the media pursue her background. If she had fronted the media every day her left wing socialism would have crept through and frightened the voters. Anyone who hails Jim Cairns as a role model aspires to a different Australia than I or 80-90% of Australians wish for.
If you subscribe to theory that Work Choices cost us the election then what you are actually saying is that the ACTU 30 million dollars worth of lies, omissions, half truths and exaggerations cost us the election. Work Choices could have done with some more fine tuning but as they emphasized and aided the demise of the power base of unions they will be repealed for the wrong reasons. Work Choices empowered workers and Business; the ALP’s answer will empower the unions and the workers. Small and Large business, by far the greater employers in the country, are missing from the formula and that never bodes well for the economy.
I go away for a week to West Australia and when I return my country is totally different. I only hope the difference isn’t too costly.
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I think he did the right thing.
A very honourable choice in the end.
I think it shows a strong character.
Mr Costello was probably not a great hit with the ignorant electorate, but he did a fantastic job with the ecconomy and budget
Lets hope the fantastic job done by the former government is not forgotten with the electionloss
Welcome back. Yes, it’s all some suicidal tendency based on the fact that we can now afford to stuff up the country because the economy’s going so well. I can’t help but think of Jimmy Carter when I think of Kevin07 and I wouldn’t trust Julia Gillard further than I can spit. It’ll be an entertaining ride. I only hope the Libs don’t implode but it’s not looking good.
Kev
Good to see you back – for a while there I thought you might have emigrated, or at least tossed out your keyboard in disgust. I know how you feel – but being outside the establishment has its compensations. Think of the upside of three years of keeping the bastards honest. If you’re looking at history, I don’t believe that you need be worried. This Labor government is probably more closely aligned with New Labour in the UK than old Labor in Australia. It has absolutely nothing in common with the Whitlam era.
“Chief Clerk” is probably a pretty good moniker. He is not a charismatic leader. Don’t be misled by the demeanor – what you see is not what you get. Behind the Tin Tin exterior is a ruthless streak and a razor sharp intellect. This is a person who understands the transformational application of political power better than anyone I’ve seen in Australian politics in my lifetime. He does change power structures – he very rapidly dragged public administration in Queensland out of the corruption-ridden Bjelke-Petersen era and got a lot of barnacle-encrusted Director Generals offside in a hurry. This is always a good sign (getting D-Gs offside, I mean).
I agree that he will struggle with the left, but based on his track record, I think that he will prevail, especially if he acts quickly. Right now, they owe him big time. He has set up a ministry without paying factional dues – a good start. As for Gillard, Rudd has neutered her by submerging her in work – a time honored bureaucratic technique for dealing effectively with a rival. I can’t agree that she was kept hidden during the campaign – next to Rudd she fronted more one-on-one interviews than any other shadow minister with the possible exception of Swan.
Costello was telling Howard to get stuffed as much as he was the electors. Did you see him on this week’s “Lateline”? He didn’t attend Johnny’s wake.
As for Workchoices – Joe Hockey and Malcolm Turnbull are now saying it was a ballsup. I won’t argue with them. Remember my comment of October 12th? Howard’s major agenda was to sideline the unions. Because he attacked them head on, they did what they do best – they organised. Funny thing is, many of the original Workchoices changes will stay – so the net result is a freeing up of the labour market on the one hand, and a shot in the arm for the union movement on the other. The only real point of departure is the unlawful dismissal legislation, and Labor’s position on this is now pretty close to the Coalition’s.
I put it down to the Howard/Costello team being so successful that a whole generation of voters has come to believe that the economy runs on autopilot and that 7% = high interest rates. Its going to get interesting, I just thank god that my DSHL is a capped rate.
I will get that carton of rum off you up the coast at Christmas Kev ;-)
It’ll be there.
I will of course share it with you.
Correct response ;>
Hey Kev. Dont lump me with that bloke.. I know I have more nous than some of the political spin that he espoused over the last few months…gunna be a bumpy trip
Sorry Chief – I’ll slow down and change soon. Wouldn’t want to get any real Chief Clerks offside. Can’t even use Records Sgt of Company Cpl Clerk – they have their pride as well.
Bump trip for sure.