Hello world, welcome to the blog...and yes, that title is spelled correctly...(how many bad puns can you get in one sentence?-Ed)...heaps...obviously...
Yes world, it's true...last night Australia changed Prime Minister outside of an actual election for the second time in three years...(Austria?...why are you writing about Austria?-Ed)...no, no, not Austria, Australia...we're a little country in the Southern Hemisphere...(in the oven bathysphere?...what are you talking about?-Ed)...
What I'm talking about is the fundamental irrelevance to the rest of the world of that which was all-consuming last night in our small corner of the planet...irrelevant because this will change virtually nothing headed into the possibly sooner but possibly later than September 14th 2013 Federal election and an apparently inevitable change to a Tony Abbott led Liberal government...(oh dear god-Ed)...indeed...
Even with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (deposed by Julia Gillard only months out from the 2010 Federal election) back at the helm, having re-deposed Julia Gillard only months out from the 2013 election, the good ship Labor is still floundering and headed for the rocks...(even with The Rudder returned?-Ed)...nice, and yes even with a new Rudder...that is the old Rudder...(Ruddy heck...and do you suppose that he was always predisposed to re-depose?-Ed)...hey, I'll do the witty illiteration 'round here thanks...but yes Mr Rudd has clearly been angling for this ever since 2010...
Before the official announcement this change back to the K-Man became obvious to anyone watching the news yesterday when Labor power-broker and now not so 'Faceless Man' Bill Shorten publicly declared his support for Mr Rudd, but I couldn't hear what Mr Shorten was actually saying because Alan Jones's screeching orgasm from Sydney drowned him out...(let me explain...Alan Jones is a Sydney based radio 'shock-jock' who has made no secret of his loathing for Julia Gillard, whom he hates just slightly more than Kevin Rudd...oh, and the 'faceless men' are the factional power-brokers in the Labor Party-Ed)...thankyou Ed...
This declaration of support from Mr Shorten was a massive about face given that Mr Shorten was one of the key players in deposing Mr Rudd in 2010, has been a vocal supporter of Ms Gillard ever since, and as late as yesterday morning his office was still declaring support for her...lunch is apparently a long time in politics...
Locally it is not likely to effect the outcome of the election in this the safe Liberal seat of Barker.
Just listening to the ABC Local Radio 'Rural Report' discussing local implications for the Agricultural sector of suddenly having an as yet un-named new Agriculture Minister...(interviewee suggests Simon Crean might return to that position...he has the experience-Ed)...could be, could be...and we could be going to the election sooner...or possibly later...or possibly on the same day...
And the rupturing of factional fault lines in Labor has seen six Front bench Ministers quit (including Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig and Treasurer Wayne Swan) because they loathe Kevin Rudd, so Labor's Cabinet is in dis-array and no-one really knows who is doing what or will get what, or if the Governor General Quentin Bryce will approve this change (although I think she is obliged to by 'convention')...(gee, there sure is a lot of stuff done 'on convention' in Australian Politics-Ed)...indeed there is, but that is the case in most Democratic sysytems.
Tony Abbott has been howling for an early election, but given that the GG has (now) recognised Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister it is down to him, Mr Rudd, to call the date...or leave it as it is set for September.
Mr Abbott is however incorrect in stating that 'the people of Australia have a right to choose their leader, instead of the 'faceless men' doing it' (paraphrase)...there is no direct voting for the position of Prime Minister, it is purely convention that a party campaigns for an election with a leader who will by a natural progression become the Prime Minister.
However, if that person does not win their seat, as with incumbent Prime Minister John Howard at the 2007 Federal election, then they are out because government is formed in the Lower House and members must be elected...but what about former New South Wales Labor Premier Bob Carr being appointed as Foreign Minister I hear you ask...he wasn't elected you say...true.
In the Senate (Upper House) the votes are distributed by party not individual, except of course in the case of Independents like Nick Xenophon and John Madigan, so with the retirement of one Labor Senator the party had the right to simply appoint their choice, even from outside the parliament...the Liberal/National Party in Queensland did roughly the same thing by appointing Mr Campbell Newman as Party leader from outside the parliament, but he wasn't Premier until after an election...
But I digress; Kevin Rudd is apparently literally on his way as I type to the Governor-General's residence so that she may swear at him...(I think you mean 'swear him in', don't you?-Ed)...I know what I mean...in the incestuous world of Austrralian Politics, I cannot imagine that Mr Rudd is Ms Bryce's fav person...(please explain-Ed)...cheeky...(that famous phrase is from former professional Xenophobe MP Pauline Hanson).
Bill Shorten's wife (sorry I don't know her name) Mrs Shorten? (sorry) is Quentin Bryce's daughter and head of the 'Women For Gillard' group/movement...now her partner/husband has lowered the boom on Ms Gillard after years of supporting her...all very messy and unpleasant I'm sure.
But still not as messy and unpleasant as for us the electorate...these are the people who are supposedly running the country on our behalf, and yet they seem far more interested in shafting each other around issues of internal factional loyalty and personal dislikes...what about us...HEY, WHAT ABOUT US...anybody?...anything...hello...
The reality remains that even with a major disaster looming at the next election, Mr Rudd still had 45 members voting against him, and it appears that the only thing that got him over the line this time was the support of Bill Shorten...and the proof is seen in numerous ministers quitting and a number retiring...
Mr Rudd has to go to the election with a largely untested team of new faces, up against the experience of the Abbott led Liberals.
Now Parliament has risen for the last time before the election, and the whole country is sort of coasting to what seems to be a foregone conclusion.
I don't have any witty quips or pithy observations because it all seems to be over already...just listening to Steven Smith saying that he will retire at the election as well.
Tomorrow: More Rail Lands Shenanigans
All of a sudden it's raining government grants in Mt Gambier...very odd...very suspicious...(yes, we know you are-Ed)...hilarious...I am Nick Fletcher and I am odd and this is my blog.
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