By: concernedc46
7/11/2009
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A COUPLE of days ago, I found myself shouting at the radio. "For God's sake, answer the bloody question!"
I suspect there were many such cries of frustration in households around the nation.
Kevin Rudd was being interviewed - one of the 14 or so radio and TV appearances in his much-publicised media blitz on the asylum seeker issue.
And he had nothing to tell us. No answers. Just platitudes, slogans and spin.
The Prime Minister's minders would have done better to keep him locked up in The Lodge and away from the phone.
What is the point of a media blitz when you have nothing to say? All Rudd achieved was to deepen suspicion that he hasn't a clue about how to deal with the problem. He resembled a headless chook running around in circles.
Tuesday's dramatic Newspoll - Labor down seven points and an 18-point two-party preferred lead slashed to just four - shocked Rudd.
And his response to the poll shocked quite a few in the Labor caucus. As one of them said: "It doesn't matter if this is a rogue poll. It doesn't matter if the swing against us is seven points or five or three. What matters is the way the PM and those around him reacted."
Under real pressure for the first time since he became Labor leader three years ago, Rudd found himself without a message and without a position.
He was wrong-footed by a bad poll and a difficult issue. And now a growing group of critics in the party are pointing the finger at structures Rudd has set up around himself and the Government.
It is no exaggeration to say there is a degree of panic among Labor MPs |
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By: concernedc46
7/11/2009
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It is no exaggeration to say there is a degree of panic among Labor MPs as the crisis over asylum seekers worsens.
The panic has deepened with every day that the Customs ship Oceanic Viking remains off the coast of Indonesia with its cargo of rescued Sri Lankans refusing to go ashore. The group, with its "take us to Australia or else" demand, in effect hijacked the vessel. They have made Rudd - who claims to have tough policies - look weak and indecisive.
According to caucus sources, as a result of Rudd's dominance of the party and the way his office is set up, he is isolated from the kind of advice that might help to deal with the situation.
The older, more experienced hands originally on Rudd's staff have left.
And, to quote one of Labor's longest-serving parliamentary operators: "We no longer have powerful people in caucus who can walk in and offer a frank view.
"That's because they're all, in one way or another, clients of Kevin's."
In short, there is no way wiser heads can get a message of sense into Rudd's office, and that's a serious problem. Even Labor MPs who simply want to register their concern at the extent of anti-boat people sentiment in their electorates have to be very careful. One of them explains: "If you give Kevin or his staff a hard message, they just cut you off."
The Government has not been inactive. During the week, the PM belatedly got around to phoning the Sri Lankan President in a bid to ease the pressure on Tamils to flee that country.
And Australian officials aboard the Oceanic Viking went to great lengths, with offers of rapid processing of claims, to tempt the 78 asylum seekers to leave the ship. But the perception is that it has all been ineffectual.
No one suggests there is any easy solution to the situation Rudd faces. It's as complex a political problem as an Australian leader is likely to encounter.
John Howard handled a lot of difficult situations and experienced some horrific opinion poll slumps. At ... |
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By: concernedc46
7/11/2009
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John Howard handled a lot of difficult situations and experienced some horrific opinion poll slumps. At times - in 1998, 2001 and early 2004 - pundits were just about ready to write him off.
But I can't recall Howard looking as though he didn't have a handle on a problem - except at the very end.
In tough times, a political leader needs a machine to help him fight his way through. Rudd - pretty much by choice - has no such machine.
If he is now forced to order the Oceanic Viking to take the stubborn Sri Lankans to Christmas Island, it will be a humiliating backdown, and caucus criticism will become more vocal. Rudd may be close to over-reaching himself in his cavalier disregard for party feeling.
ALP anger stirred up by the appointment of Peter Costello to a cushy post on the Board of Guardians of the Future Fund - coinciding with the concern over asylum seeker policy - should be a warning to him. It provoked muttering not just among Labor MPs, but among Government staffers as well.
Labor, after all, had spent years painting Costello as economically incompetent. Front benchers - including Treasurer Wayne Swan - had repeatedly accused him of dishonesty.
And now the Labor Government praises his expertise and gives him a key economic job. It demonstrates the hypocrisy that causes politics to be held in great odium by the public.
When, three days later, Costello announced that he would become managing director of a new investment and corporate advisory firm, the muttering increased. In the words of a prominent MP: "Think of the credibility it gives to the CEO of a new merchant bank to also be on the board of one of the world's biggest sovereign funds."
Paul Keating's bitter denunciation of the appointment was far closer to rank and file Labor thinking than Rudd's justification of jobs for the (Coalition) boys. |
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By: concernedc46
7/11/2009
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| And just for good measure, Rupert Murdoch was exactly glowing in his praise of K'Rudd in this mornings tv interview. |
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By: bettestreep2008
7/11/2009
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| Laurie Oakes is a Rupert Murdoch lackie - being paid to spew forth Murdoch's rightwing "greed is good" opinions. |
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By: concernedc46
7/11/2009
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OOps, I see this article has already been mentioned in another thread.
As far as bettewhatever is concerned, just go to hell you whining pedantic malcontent. |
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By: shir2lou
7/11/2009
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Huge differecne between the Milky Bar Kid and John Howard
John Howard was/is a statesman
Not much I can say about Kev except he is egotistical |
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By: codswal
7/11/2009
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| good one shirl.. and now its actually begining to come to the surface he is so self assured he has let his mantle slip..if Oakes is only just seeing it.. it must be bad.we have seen it since day one.. well at least day two. |
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By: corky1939
7/11/2009
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Laurie Oakes is a Rupert Murdoch lackie - being paid to spew forth Murdoch's rightwing "greed is good" opinions.
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Sorry bette, on one of the other topics about this BUZZ said Oakes is IMPARTIAL. LOL
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By: corky1939
7/11/2009
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I'm waiting now for Paul Bongiorno and kerry O'Brien to wake up, then Rudd will surely be on the outer.
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By: longweekend58
7/11/2009
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| an issue like this was always going to be Rudd's weakness. He is chronically unable to make a decision without 27 reports, committees and reviews. there isnt time to get one of them on this situation. he doesnt have a gut feel for politics that cant be found in a report somewhere. he is not a real leader - just a dictator. |
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By: laborfornever
7/11/2009
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Rudds biggest problem is he is using the PMship to get a seat on th eUN.
So he can't come out and say get off the boat or you will be physically removed or shot.
If he does that it is against whatthe useless UN try to do.
If he doesn't do anything and lets things drag on the UN will see no issue with that, after all they gave Saddamm so many ultimatums and never backed any of their talk up over the 5 years or so he toyed with them.
How ever here at home failure to kick thes ecnts off the boat and turn around all other boats as he said he WOULD, he looks like a complete 9u33y .
The boat people know it thats why they haven't got off teh boat.
They have rudd over a barrel and they know it.
Rudds goal of a UN seat is his biggest hurdle, everything he hos tried to do is an attempt to look favaourable by the UN.
Saying sorry, trying to form regional alliances, trying to push ahead with carbon policies etc, Every announcment he's made is a grand stand gesture designed to look good in the UNs eyes.
But here at home people are finally starting to lift the wool above their eyes.
Rudds doomed, he either loses his UN seat by kicking people off the boat and turning around every boat as he said HE WOULD. or He lets them in and gets booted next election, which is a very real possiblity. Even the migrants who moved here and waite dyears for their turn are pissed off at the queue jumpers.
Go listen to talk back radio and see the feelings in the community. |
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By: denrose9
7/11/2009
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| It seems no one took any notice of his stint in the Queensland government and what he achieved or precisely what he didn't achieve, so what do you all expect. |
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By: buzzanddidj
7/11/2009
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'Sorry bette, on one of the other topics about this BUZZ said Oakes is IMPARTIAL. LOL'
By: corky1939
I'm not sure that was what I said
I'd need to check the transcript
What I MEANT to put across, was that Oakes was the CLOSEST, among Australia's prominent political journalists, to represent impartiality
I stand by that accessment
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By: puttockmay
7/11/2009
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That Malcolm Turnbull thread, pardon me saying this but is a bit of a bogun thread!!!
Attack me if you like but its a NO GO areA with me........
Your favorite Polly, Wayne Swan is on Insiders tomorrow morning......
The only new news is that Malcolm Turnbull's remarks tonight about kevin Rudd's speech were that it was loopy!!
Thus reinforcing the media splash today that Rudd is about to go tropo, like Mark Latham did.....
I don't like this approach at all.....but I think KEVIN RUDD, by refusing to speak to the people about the Copenhagen CRPS, may have brought it on himself.
But Kevin has his back against the wall, like everyone else, so I feel sorry that it is going this ugly way.....but, he has pursued his own ambition above all else so, its not surprising a more powerful person like Murdoch might cut him loose........
He was on TV tonight saying the clock is ticking........and saying the climate sceptics are...RADICALS!!!
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By: brisisnice
7/11/2009
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The problem with Rudd the only hit song he sings about is global warming and it's starting to get a bit tiresome.
Now that he has to handle the real deal we start to see the metal of the real man and I got to say what we are seeing is more like tin foil. |
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By: puttockmay
7/11/2009
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IHAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO OAKES IS INTERVIEWING TOMORROW MORNING BUT I CAN'T FIND IT??
Does anyone here know????
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By: stryder110011
7/11/2009
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<< And he had nothing to tell us. No answers. Just platitudes, slogans and spin. >>
That pretty much sums up the entire left movement altogether, Lol |
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By: puttockmay
7/11/2009
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Rudd attacks climate change scepticsPeter Veness
November 6, 2009
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has savaged the federal opposition's climate change sceptics, labelling them dangerous, arrogant gamblers prepared to bet on their grandchildren's future.
Mr Rudd capped a week dominated by debate on the government's handling of asylum seekers aboard the Oceanic Viking with a vicious political attack over an issue on which he had recently said little.
It had been about seven months since the prime minister - elected on a platform of action on climate change - last delivered a major speech on the topic.
"It's time to remove any polite veneer from this debate," he said in a lengthy address to Sydney's Lowy Institute on Friday.
"The stakes are that high."
http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-national/r udd-attacks-climate-change-sceptics-20091106-i1tp. html |
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By: puttockmay
7/11/2009
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In a fierce attack against Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull and others around him, Mr Rudd issued a clarion call for action on climate change.
"The do-nothing climate change sceptics are still alive and well in the coalition," Mr Rudd said.
Many in the coalition and elsewhere have said Australia should wait to pass climate change legislation until after the Copenhagen negotiations in a month.
The prime minister rejected the suggestion outright.
"The argument that we must not act until others do is an argument that has been used by political cowards since time immemorial both of the left and the right.
"They are reckless gamblers who are betting all our futures on their arrogant assumption that their intuitions should triumph over the evidence.
"You are betting our jobs, our houses, our farms, our reefs, our economy and our future on an intuition on a gut feeling; on a political prejudice you have about science."
Mr Rudd cited a host of business leaders who have also been calling for action.
But again he returned to the "corrosive effect of climate sceptics".
He warned of what he called the powerful minority of sceptics who were "driven by vested interests".
"Climate change deniers are small in number but they are too dangerous to be ignored." Continued...
http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-national/r udd-attacks-climate-change-sceptics-20091106-i1tp. html
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By: puttockmay
7/11/2009
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Mr Rudd also turned his attack on commentators Alan Jones and Janet Albrechtsen declaring they were clinging to denial "like a polar bear clings to a melting iceberg".
"By deliberately undermining and eroding the capacity to achieve both domestic and international action on climate change the sceptics are attempting to force the world to take the single most reckless bet in our long history."
The Rudd speech comes amid negotiations between the government and opposition on soon to be voted on legislation.
Mr Turnbull called on the prime minister to "calm down".
"Now the fact is, and he knows this as well as anyone, we are in good faith negotiations with the government on the amendments we proposed and those negotiations should continue," Mr Turnbull told AAP.
"He ought to calm down and concentrate on the negotiations. They have the potential to save thousands of jobs and produce a more effective environmental outcome.
"Look, I'm not going to take the bait from Kevin Rudd who has obviously given this extraordinary speech in order to produce, well in order to create a fight.
"He wants to create a stoush over climate change at the very time that, with his authority, his own climate change minister was sitting down and working through with us detailed, good faith negotiations on the design of the emissions trading scheme."
It is understood there had been at least two meetings between the parties in the past week but just where negotiations will go after such an attack is unclear.
http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-national/r udd-attacks-climate-change-sceptics-20091106-i1tp. html?page=2
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By: cktopsy
7/11/2009
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'Sorry bette, on one of the other topics about this BUZZ said Oakes is IMPARTIAL. LOL'
By: corky1939
------------------------- ------------------------- --
I'm not sure that was what I said
I'd need to check the transcript
By: buzzanddidj
Today (7:40 pm)
------------------------- -
said by
By: buzzanddidj
Today at (9:38 am)
Why would you think THAT ?
He's one of Australia's few impartial journalists
As the article indicates
http://au.messages.yahoo.com/news/politics/608186? p=2 |
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By: buzzanddidj
7/11/2009
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''Sorry bette, on one of the other topics about this BUZZ said Oakes is IMPARTIAL. LOL'
By: corky1939
------------------------- ------------------------- --
I'm not sure that was what I said
I'd need to check the transcript
By: buzzanddidj
Today (7:40 pm)
------------------------- -
said by
By: buzzanddidj
Today at (9:38 am)
Why would you think THAT ?
He's one of Australia's few impartial journalists
As the article indicates
http://au.messages.yahoo.com/news/politics/608186? p=2
OK
Poorly worded - and not to my normal standard of self-monitored clarity
It SHOULD have read....
'CLOSEST to impartial'
NO-ONE is TOTALLY impartial regarding political comment
Journalists, or otherwise
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By: andreihicks
7/11/2009
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| Buzz, for example, is about as impartial as the ALP website! LOL |
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By: buzzanddidj
7/11/2009
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'Buzz, for example, is about as impartial as the ALP website! LOL'
I don't deny my partisan views......
But YOU do !
VERY unconvincingly
Repetitively quoting, ad-nauseum, the HALF brain-dead Thatcher
And the TOTALLY brain-dead Reagan
THIS is 'impartiality' ?
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