Some wit once remarked that Federal Labor would be hard pressed to successfully raffle a duck ! They certainly made a mess of their leadership coup. It was hardly a spectacle that would inspire confidence or be seen as an example of a political party that has it's affairs tightly under control.
It seems to have been a classic case of failing to do the necessary homework - and failing to count the numbers. The poll figures have been so bad that the entire field of backbenchers are in panic mode and the only logical solution seemed to be the return of Kevin Rudd to the Lodge. That is a question that splits the party right down the middle.
Clearly, Rudd is the most popular politician in the entire Australian political spectrum - with the voting public. That popularity does not hold the same sway within the Labor party. He is accused of a " Presidential " style of government when in office and many of his ex-ministers have sworn to never serve under his leadership again. That was clearly demonstrated at last year's failed leadership challenge.
Simon Crean was the fall guy. He deserted the Gillard camp and disaffected to Rudd, marched into the prime minister's office and demanded a leadership spill. He got sacked from his ministry for his temerity. The opposition came within a whisker of unseating the government by calling for a vote of no confidence, and Gillard had little option than to reverse her stance and go for a leadership vote.
The expectation across all political factions was that Rudd would jump at the chance to reclaim his old job - but it seems that none of the plotters bothered to ask his intentions. There will be much speculation about why he declined the challenge, but the end result was a fiasco - and to the dismay of the backbenchers nothing has changed and the titanic problem still faced by the party is defeat on September 14.
Perhaps Rudd was more diligent in counting numbers and realised he didn't have the support he needed. Perhaps this was an " ego thing " ! Maybe the inner Rudd demanded that the people who turned their back on him last year should be made to " eat Crow " - and he would not move until the entire party came to him on bended knees and implored him to save them. Maybe Rudd thought the situation was past the " point of no return " and he would not be the fall guy to lead Labor to defeat - and personal political oblivion.
Whatever the reason, it seems the leadership is set in concrete for the rest of the journey to September 14. No matter how bad the polls, the idea of another leadership fight on the eve of the coming election would turn away the voters in droves. Labor is clearly a house divided - and the majority of voters seem to have already made up their minds.
The wise men and women who adhere to Labor principles have the task ahead of them of recovering whatever is possible from the coming train wreck. Just as fresh green shoots emerge after a calamitous bushfire, so comes the task of rebuilding Labor and recreating it's image in the eyes of the voting public. The one essential is that the people who caused this political calamity will be long gone from the positions of power - and hopefully lessons will be learned from this disastrous clash of egos.
Democracy is best served by an able government - and an able opposition waiting in the wings !
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