Julia Gillard PM
When the dust settles down on this hard working daughter born in a depressed coal mining town, I wonder what lessons there are to learn for history. This was a bloodless assassination of Kevin Rudd that literally happened over night. On Wednesday evening Rudd stated that he was going to have a ballot for the leadership of the Labor party, but instead he stepped down as PM the following morning and let go the reins of power without explanation. Not since Labor PM Gough Whitlam was deposed in 1975 on authority of the Governor General, has Australia suffered such a shock.
I can't help feeling that the dignity of this high Office has been irrevocably lost. I feel greatly saddened at the violation of people's trust in their parliamentary democracy.
The shadow power play has greatly damaged the public interest. Neither did it serve either side of the political spectrum. A poll taken yesterday had Gillard doing worse than Rudd - against Abbott - with only 27 percent. If the Liberals regain power, they will capitulate to mining demands leaving the Australian public to foot the stimulus spending. GST will double to 20 percent. Inflation will run rampant. As a consequence to these inflationary influences, small and medium businesses will find it impossible to compete internationally. The strikes and lock-outs resulting will cause an impasse and chill Australia's prospects for international investment. Liberals may find themselves ruling over a wasteland.
In parallel to a quote by former PM Gough Whitlam, Kevin Rudd might well say: "May God Save Julia Gillard because nothing will save the seats of the factional powerbrokers; they will go down in history as billionaires' bullet men."
Overall, appalling PR management on all sides, and noone is buying it.