BY MESHEL LAURIE
It was Aeschylus who coined the famous phrase “The first casualty in war is the truth”. In an extraordinary turn of events, Kevin Rudd’s declaration of war on Julia Gillard appears to have had the opposite effect on his colleagues. They are suddenly lining up to speak in very clear and direct terms about the reasons he lost their loyalty and the Prime Ministership over two years ago.
I complained earlier this week on Mamamia about the lack of honesty and transparency surrounding the leadership coup of 2009 (you can read that post here). Many comments were made about my post by people calling themselves “insiders” repeating the same vague gossip about Kevin Rudd that we’ve all heard ad nauseam from sources decidedly unofficial and entirely irrelevant. I am not interested in hearing again from someone whose mother’s partner’s real estate agent used to work in Canberra and reckons “he’s a real wanker.” I’m not interested in hearing The Australian’s analysis regurgitated as gospel.
The point I was trying to make was that I wanted to know how this group of people who’d worked together for years made the leap from backing Kevin Rudd as leader to deposing him so unceremoniously. Don’t give me the poor polling crap, his lowest numbers would blow the roof off the Gillard Government’s best, yet she remains. “He micromanaged and nothing got done,” bollocks! His swift movement on stimulating the economy ensured our survival during the GFC. By his side during all of this was his old pal from Queensland Wayne Swan and it is Swan who has finally stepped forward and spoken like an actual human about the reasons why he does not believe Kevin Rudd should lead the ALP.
Wayne Swan
Prime Minister Gillard and I and the overwhelming majority of our colleagues have been applying our Labor values to the policy challenges in front of us and we’re succeeding despite tremendous political obstacles. For the sake of the movement, the Government and the Australians which it represents, we have refrained from criticism to date.
However for too long, Kevin Rudd has been putting his own self-interest ahead of the interests of the broader Labor movement and the country as a whole, and that needs to stop. The Party has given Kevin Rudd all the opportunities in the world and he wasted them with his dysfunctional decision making and his deeply demeaning attitude towards other people including our caucus colleagues. He sought to tear down the 2010 campaign, deliberately risking an Abbott Prime Ministership, and now he undermines the Government at every turn.
He was the Party’s biggest beneficiary then its biggest critic; but never a loyal or selfless example of its values and objectives.For the interests of the movement and of working people, there is too much at stake in our economy and in the political debate for the interests of the movement and working people to be damaged by somebody who does not hold any Labor values.
Julia has the overwhelming support of our colleagues. She is tough, determined, forward-looking, and has a good Labor heart. She has a consultative, respectful relationship with caucus while Kevin Rudd demeaned them. She’s cleaned up a lot of the mess he left her and has established a good, Labor agenda. She’s delivering major reforms, and getting things done that her predecessor could not.
Colleagues are sick of Kevin Rudd driving the vote down by sabotaging policy announcements and undermining our substantial economic successes. The Labor Party is not about a person, it’s about a purpose. That’s something Prime Minister Gillard has always known in her heart but something Kevin Rudd has never understood.
It was raw and impassioned home-truths that I was yearning for, and I am thrilled that we finally appear to be getting somewhere in that regard.
Meshel Laurie is a comedian and broadcaster. You can catch up with her on Nova’s Drive Show with Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold 4-6pm on weekdays. You can also follow Meshel on Twitter here. You wont regret it
Comments
63 Comments so far
Sorry to be a pedant but the leadership coup was June 2010, not 2009.
On another point, really enjoying reading your perspectives, Meshel – it is definitely another side to your radio persona.
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I have a thought about all this…what if Gillard and co decided on this terrible campaign against Kevin Rudd because he was so popular in the polls time after time. By calling this vote, they hope to be rid of him forever and this would put him out of the opinion polls and hopefully, in their eyes, up the ante for Gillard, who is so terribly loathed.
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Really enjoying reading Mamamia and Meshel Laurie’s thoughts, questions and comments on this matter. Keep it up please!
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Worth repreating Meshel, thanks. I have one hesitancy about what Wayne Swan has to say, though, and it’s this: can he actually define what a “Labor value” is these days? or what a “Labor heart” is supposed to contain? Seems to me Labor has lost any sense of what it’s supposed to be standing for, and is now moving further and further right while resorting to smoke and mirrors to try to differentiate itself from Abbot Inc. If people could get a clear understanding of what Labor stands for these days, then maybe the electoral support would be more clear as well and less bet-hedging by voting in a minority government.
But I agree with triplejane and others: why can’t people see through Kevin Rudd? He’s subversive and disingenuous, and he’s starting to give me the creeps full-on. Just the fact that in his “poor me” press conference he attempted to portray himself as innocent, sadly-wronged and above game-playing shows what a toxic game-player he really is. Isn’t that why he got shown the door the first time?
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I don’t understand why Meshel needs an explanation? The elected government dumped its (elected) leader. They had their reasons evidently and the fact that he was expediently retained meant they couldn’t really elaborate in depth on his abrupt dumping. Isn’t it obvious? It’s up to them. I aksed my husband if he was a bit manic and he said possibly, hubby (works in mental health) says Rudd will never give up.
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Well thank god Meshel asked for the truth. How else would we have found out this ‘truth?’.
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Self interest more likely then truth. Wayne Swan gout offered a great position beside Julia and if she goes down so will he for stabbing Rudd inThe back in The first place.
They want to play on the hard to work with line because he didn’t let the unions bully him for crying out loud.
all this nastiness from people on the same team nauseates me. It shouldn’t be played out in the media but behind closed doors. I don’t need to here about it – it should be a unified front even in these situations as it is not helpful and we don’t get a say.
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Why can’t people see through Kevin Rudd? He is a player and a media manipulator. It’s all about Kevin, not the Labor party. Julia is a team player. I am going to have to vote Libs (UGH) if Rudd manages to manipulate his way back in by bribing his colleagues. Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard are honest and decent people. Rudd is a sneak. He was deposed of for good reasons and has spent his time since then sabotaging Julia’s attempts at leadership. Unfortunately he has the gift of the gab and will hoodwink all the not-so-smart Australians out there. Example of this type of person: some woman this morning on Perth talk back whinging that Julia should never have been made PM because she should be married! ???
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I loved the way Julia handled the media this morning – particularly those men who tried to unsettle her towards the end. This is what the public need to see from her – strength…….Is she a better Prime Minister than Kevin Rudd ? Who really knows ?……..I’d love to see her party back her just to prove that I’ve been wrong about those “old men spewing bile” because they have a female as leader……Australia has a lot of political maturing to do yet, but finally accepting a female as leader would be a good start…….I’m always so disappointed in those right-wing sycophantic women hoping to “curry favour” with the men who control them and try to dictate their vote. These women are usually the ones who indulge in a “bitching session” about their first female PM. Consider her politics first and THEN criticise……lol.
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Part of me still says yea but because he’s difficult to work with is that a reason to axe a pm? Take a chance of loosing leadership of the party. Is it core in the job of pm to be a people person? Corporations have so much influence in the government part of me wants a person that is ok about not being the good guy. I also think it’s no coincidence Kevin was knifed at the time he was putting through the mining tax. We need someone who will make unpopular decisions if it gives us some movement on big issues no one seems to want to move on.
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Ahh….. no disrespect to Meshel, but golly I miss Julie Cowdroy and her cheat sheets!
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With regard to the truths now “coming out” I would suggest those people with only half an eye on politics for 99% of the time need to wake up and become more informed about the people who put themselves forward for election. The rumblings about Rudd have been there for anyone to read for years and years. The ALP tried to keep a lid on things because they were so desperate to win after 11 years and Rudd certainly had a popularity in the electorate unrivalled by any other potential leader. So, in the run up to the 2007 election when the electorate were over Howard and entranced by Mr Smiley Face on Rove Live every Sunday night it seemed as if Labor were finally going to be back in power. Why would you jeopardise that with negative stories about your own leader? That would be an own-goal.
Obviously the gloves are well and truly off now (it’s taken 5 years mind you) and I for one find it fascinating. Not to see a government imploding but to observe the reactions of the media and the rest of us to the drama being played out. What is happening right now is being portrayed as ‘distasteful’ and ‘sordid’, a ‘soap opera’. Why, exactly? Because we expect that the business of government is just that – a business – and as such follows the same rules of efficiency and objectivity. There might be ructions behind the scenes but they are never to become public. That would be ‘poor form’ and ‘destabilising’.
The reality is that politics is full of people and people have these messy, personal emotions to deal with like ego and disappointment and inability to get along. These are diminished as being personality issues, and relegated to the level of gossip, but it’s not ‘just’ personal – politics IS personal, what makes a good leader ARE the personal qualities they bring to a role. A Prime Minister is doubly blessed and doubly responsible – they are not just leader of the country they are leader of a government and unless they can do the latter they cannot do the former.
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I think it’s a great article and I don’t think i’ve ever seen a statement from a politician that’s as honest as the one above from Wayne Swan.
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Had to laugh at Rudd saying he was hurt and shocked by the vicious personal attacks in the media!! Poor diddums.
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Um, Meshel, isn’t what Wayne Swan said exactly what the ‘insiders’ were saying the other day just in a nicer way? ‘The Party has given Kevin Rudd all the opportunities in the world and he wasted them with his dysfunctional decision making and his deeply demeaning attitude towards other people including our caucus colleagues’.
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PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT TO START!!!!
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This is an incredibly important time for our country and MM gives us someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about to comment on it? I know this is not a political site, or a news site, but readers still deserve better. At least let Rick handle this, he may be young but you can clearly see how hard he tries to be accurate and on top of things.
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If this is the only site you use to become more informed on this issue then that is your problem!
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Of course it is not all I read, but that doesn’t excuse contributing to ignorance and misinformed opinions.
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Hi Guest
I think the great thing about Mamamia is that we run the opinions of both experts and every day women. I think the power in Meshel’s piece is that she was voicing the opinion of many, many readers. People feel confused and disillusioned. And sometimes insider experts just roll out spin.
Cheers
Bec
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I disagree, Guest. I love reading Meshel’s stuff on MM because I feel like she’s reading my mind and putting into words the conversations I have with my friends.
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Don’t forget that we have another post on the spill that you may want to read http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/kevin-to-julia-game-on/
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“For too long, Kevin Rudd has been putting his own self-interest ahead of the interests of the broader Labor movement and the country as a whole”…
This is exactly what I think. Can you imagine in any other job someone getting away with this? From what we have been given in the media he is way more interested in getting back what he sees as his old job, rather than supporting the party as a whole if you know what I mean? In what other organisation would such a renegade employee have lasted anywhere near this long? Can you imagine, for example, Telstra having a senior employee constantly (loudly, and in public) telling everyone how bad the CEO was? What about QANTAS? Or a major electricity company etc? He has been doing massive amounts of image damage to the party for what seems no other real reason than personal gain. He should have been called out on it ages ago and shut down.
The only thing I can think of in his defense is that maybe the papers felt there hadn’t been a story to report in too long and decided to basically ‘make up some news’, and started going on about a leadership stoush where there was none. Whomever created this should be on Abbot’s payroll as they have done an absolutely stunning job of making a mountain out of a molehill, and possibly Rudd had nothing to do with any of it. That is just me looking for some good in the guy though, and I realise that it is much more likely that he was (if not in the drivers seat, then at least happily in the passenger seat) involved in all of this. He could have very clearly said a long time ago ‘no I’m not interested in leading again, and I give my full support to Gillard and the party’. He didn’t do that.
Like Meshel, I am glad to hear someone speaking out with something that, for once, sounds very ‘honest’ and not like a PC sound bite. It sounds like they are as frustrated by this as we are. Who knows, the whole situation might go a long way to restoring unity, and we might actually be able to get somewhere. I hate the whole negative tone of politics at the moment (Abbot and his constant negativity to anything and everything, the constant coverage about how the party leading our country is falling apart…). The fact is that these people are elected leaders at the moment, and whilst they should always be fully accountable to us, they should have some tiny modicum of support and respect from us. Half the time the media doesn’t even bother to call the Prime Minister of our country by the accepted title of the office she was elected to.
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He did actually repeatedly say he wasn’t aiming for the leadership again (except for that time he slipped up and called himself the prime minister not foreign minister). However, I do agree ith you that he was more interested in getting his old job back than the good of the party.
I also agree that in private industry it wouldn’t be tolerated.
I also think that we probably didn’t hear how the politicians truly thought because it would have been highly unprofessional to slag off someone they’d just deposed.
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That statement just reads as a nasty, ugly, bitter spewing of words from someone in the school playground who’s friend (JG) has just had their bat and ball stolen.
If you can come out and tell us why you all dumped him now, why couldn’t you then?
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As a semi-interested observer, I’d say it’s maybe because they hoped he might behave graciously, in which case it would have been unnecssarily mean to give the unpleasant details at the time. And maybe they’ve now given up those hopes.
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Nothing in Wayne Swan’s statement came as a suprise to me, as it is exactly what was said following the dumping, only with a lot more vitriol this time round. The party had more to lose by showing their hatred of Rudd back then, but it doesnt take a huge IQ to read between the lines of pollie-speak and understand that what Swan has said this time, is not fundamentally different to what was said last time. Anyone who claims they wernt told why the party dumped KR originally, cant read or wasnt listening.
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Who said anyone wasn’t listening or reading? It’s very obvious why he was dumped BUT rather than just coming out and telling the public exactly why, they decided to beat around the bush. You want to sack someone have the balls to come out immediately after EXACTLY why you did it, no sugar coating.
As for having more to lose, I think they still have just as much to lose. I believe the public is getting very tired of all the infighting and bitching going on in the Labor party and if an election was called next week, I think they would get slaughtered.
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There have been countless statements released by Wayne Swan and Gillard in support of Rudd since they tipped him out of the PM’s office. I can read and I was listening, and until that tape was released over the w/e (how much would we like to know where that came from), I only had my own opinion to draw on. We were never told why they dumped him, instead they have spent the time since trying to convince us that all was dandy and just that the government “had lost it’s way”
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Ha! That’s what I said to my husband, he’s taken his bat & ball & left the field in a tantrum!!
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Meshel,
It wasn’t just “Canberra Insiders” who knew about Kevin Rudd’s broken leadership…his temper…his micro-management…
There have been countless articles about what Kevin Rudd was like in the press over the past 5 years…I remember articles about how he kept the heads of the armed forces waiting outside his office for hours being written in the first 6 months of his PMship….
It’s not difficult to know this…anyone who is engaged with following politics has know this for years…
It’s not true that people involved with the change in leadership from Rudd to Gillard have not spoken about his leadership style…it was mentioned at the time, though maybe with more tact than they are doing now…it’s no secret that the change in leadership was as much to do with Labor’s frustration with Rudd’s style of leadership as the polling…
I’m sorry that you haven’t been aware of all of this and now you’re upset…maybe if you had paid more attention to all the articles that have been written about Rudd and the change in leadership over the past 5 years you wouldn’t feel so surprised.
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Totally agree, John.
I don’t think Swan’s assessment of Rudd as a leader is news to anyone.
In fact, I’m not really sure where you’re trying to go with this article, Meshel. On one hand, you seem to be applauding Swan for his ‘home-truths’, yet earlier you seem to discount everything Swan said?? I’m confused!
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Whilst I appreciate your point and do agree mostly with what you’ve said, I think Meshel’s point is that at no time in the last few years has anyone in the labor party actually given the Australian people who they are meant to represent an explanation (excluding the polls excuse and excluding what is read in newspapers which, let’s face in, can be biased) as to why we woke up one morning and found out over our cornflakes that we had a new PM (maybe that was just how it happened to me!) And while I appreciate Swan’s statement was scathing and possibly very poor form, as a voting citizen of the country I appreciate the explanation from the horses mouth so to speak.
On the other hand, I’m so tired of all this bulls**t and adults acting like petulant school children. How I miss the days of John Howard!
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Are you serious? I’ll never forget the antics in the audience at the debate between Howard and Rudd in the 07 election. Costello and Downer etc giggling and cat-calling from the front row like the slimy prats they are.
Politics often looks like this. I’ve seen more ‘grown up’ behaviour during the Labor govt than I’ve seen in many years.
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But they did talk about…but with more tact than they are now…
Why?…because while they no longer wanted Rudd as leader, they still valued him enough that they still wanted his participation in Government…and he eventually returned to the front bench as foreign minister…
The gloves are off now because that wasn’t enough for Rudd…he can’t seem to forgive and is hell-bent on revenge…I don’t blame Swan for being tactful when they first dumped Rudd, and I don’t blame Swan for being so blunt now that Rudd has put his ego first…
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Thank all the gods that Howard is no longer at the helm! And ponder the train wreck that will ensure if his successor attains that helm! Perhaps boat people shot in the water? Massive economic pain at the lower end of the wage line? But increased share prices, so bring him on!!! Lol!!
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Agree JJ, and this article by Meshel reads like an attempt to convince readers she really did know what she was talking about, after she received so much criticism in the last article she wrote on the leadership battle (not just from ‘insiders’). It hasnt worked, Im afraid.
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Oh for goodness sake. The insinuation that I’m an ill-informed idiot is so ridiculous from people who don’t even have the courage to comment under their own name let alone throw themselves into a public debate. I would urge you to play the ball, and not the man to use a cricketing cliche.
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Hi Meshel,
Real person with a real name here…
I know you weren’t replying to me (this time) but I do want to say something.
I don’t think you’re an idiot. In fact, I think the opposite. I know you’re really bright. I think most people know that.
I just think some of us are surprised by your perspective on how politics works and what is already on public record. I respect your opinion, but I’m challenging your conclusions…I honestly think if you did further research that you would see that much of what Swan (and now Gillard) have been saying is already on public record…
Now, if you think I’m playing the woman, not the ball, I’ll apologise…but I hope you can also see where I’m coming from too…
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JJ – as Meshel asks below please play the ball not the person.
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As always, I will defer to the umpire’s decision…
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phew! I think Wayne Swan should have slept on it. What an ugly and vicious statement.
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I know there are many people on here who love labor, but let’s not forget the amazing financial position this country was in when Rudd took over. Probably not a stretch to say a big thanks to Costello and Howard for that.
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Yes!
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Umm…or the mining boom :0)
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And Keating and Hawke…
Standing on the shoulders of giants…
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I am not sure it was entirely due to Liberal policies. We were in a boom time Rudd took over when the world economy was going downhill fast. Anyway compared with other countries were doing ok.
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Was that good economic management, or hoarding money while watching the average Joe dancing towards the cliff’s edge? Let’s not forget that Rudd’s government managed to halt that dance just in time to avoid an official recession. That doesn’t seem to get the kudos it deserves because everyone is still finding it tough. You can’t imagine how much tougher it could have been.
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Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between, the combination of good economic management and prosperous times within the country.
It seems to me that people either discount anything and everything Howard and Costello did and say the country was only prosperous because of the resources boom, or put all the financial prosperity to the success of Howard and Costello.
Frankly, I’m tired of both arguments. I cannot stand the Howard bashing that goes on. People act like he did nothing for this country. He obviously did, otherwise he wouldn’t have held power for 12 years.
Yes, the country was booming resource-wise, but don’t try to discount 12 years of hard work by the Libs, it’s unfair.
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Agree times a million.
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I think I love you
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Thanks for the sanity Whippersnapper. Maybe we wouldn’t be having this discussion if Labor had not made such a mess of things. It’s been a rocky ride ever since they were elected – and now it’s difficult to have any faith….
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I agree so much!
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We couldn’t possibly forget. Tony reminded us at every opportunity. Don’t forget that during Howard’s time, the world was a lot more prosperous and I’m not putting their management down (on the whole), Australia benefited from that. The exchange rate for example only benefits us when we travel or buy from overseas. During its lows in the time of Howard the low exchange rate actually benefited Aussie companies and business.
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I don’t think you can put it down simply to good economic management. The long Howard years were boom times for the world economy, and most Western nations were thriving. It’s easy to have good times when the world is booming. The economy is however cyclical, and even as Labor was taking over, we could see that the world economy was heading to a downturn. You can’t totally “manage” that – though the ALP did a great job of fending off the worst of the GFC. Yet they never get much credit for that.
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Yes!!! For the life of me I can’t see why people wanted a change from the Howard govt. I’m not fussed about personality: give me a strong, stable economy, low unemployment, good values and the rest will take care of itself. All this backbiting detracts from what should be taking place; running the country.
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This country has a history of voting Liberal through the boom years and Labor in the tough years.
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GASP, you have just broken the unwritten rule on MM. “thou shall not praise the liberal party, nor its leader both current or former. Likewise if you do happen to break this rule, you can expect a barrage of reply posts reminding you of this rule and/or gently reminding you that any successes of the liberal party is only as a direct result of Hawke/Keating; the mining boom; frugality of Costello. Likewise when there is bad press on the labor governments decisions, it can be directly traced back to Tony Abbott, ie ‘Its all Tony Abbotts fault; Tony Abbott opposes things etc etc etc. Please remember this rule for future reference.
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Oooh ooh I forgot one more ammendment to that rule. You may mention Malcolm Turnbull but only in terms such as “I wish Malcolm Turnbull were leader of the liberal party because then I would vote for them”, whether this is true or not is besides the point, it is said to reiterate that they will never vote for Tony Abbott.
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Haha JustMe, you made me giggle on a day when I am holed up sick watching trash TV! I love your comment! What can I say, I tend to go against the grain on MM in the nicest, most respectful way I can!
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Glad to be of service
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I read MM occasionally – usually when there is a political story…and JustMe, you’ve nailed it! I’m smiling too
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Just Me – Mamamia is a broad church.
All political persuasions welcome.
Our only rule is respect.
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