The Greens oppose the CPRS not because it is too weak, but because it will point Australia in the wrong direction with little prospect of turning it around in the timeframe within which emissions must peak, says Senator Christine Milne.
Battle of the bulging egos: Mal v. Kev
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It’s not clear what’s worse — that Kevin Rudd refuses to answer questions about the leaking of the G20 phone call, or his utter shamelessness in doing so. Not that he’s the only one leaking on President Bush. Now Barack Obama has done it too. Perhaps the Prime Minister suggested it to the President-elect during their phone chat last week. Yesterday the Opposition asked the Prime Minister four times about who leaked the call. The number doesn’t matter so much as Rudd’s attitude in response. Each time he recited the same non-answer, although once he pretended that the question was actually about the approach he would be adopting toward the summit this weekend and gave a lecture on the importance of the G20. Rudd didn’t even care when the Opposition moved a censure motion. He had Stephen Smith respond. He sat there silent. What sort of leader hides behind his Foreign Minister? What sort of leader hides behind Stephen Smith? Andrew Robb called it a disgrace and was chucked out of the chamber for it. But he was dead right. This mini-saga is all about the Prime Minister’s ego. It was about his ego when his office leaked the story, designed to puff him into an international leader. And it’s about his ego now, in his unwillingness to acknowledge the role his office played in the story despite the fact that every refusal to answer the question gives it away. All Rudd need do is declare that yes, his office provided background for the story and, on reflection, that was not perhaps the smartest thing to do. But that would involve admitting a mistake — something Rudd seems to be incapable of doing. Messes with that careful image of control, see. And, equally important, he doesn’t care. He knows this is Canberra stuff, of fascination to the Press Gallery and political obsessives but without resonance in the community, and no amount of puffing from the Opposition will turn it into one, particularly when The Australian, which can usually be relied upon to get stuck into Labor, apparently feels hamstrung — although Dennis Shanahan finally had a crack at it today. Turnbull spoke entertainingly in the censure motion. In fact, Turnbull is a boon for journalists if only because he is head and shoulders above both Rudd and Brendan Nelson when it comes to Parliamentary speaking. His comments on Barack Obama and the First World War earlier in the week were very good, and his asides as he read Matt Franklin’s original report yesterday were, by the dire Parliamentary standards of recent years, vintage snark. (Turnbull is in italics.)
The articles goes on:
He works so hard that he had not had time to change into his black tie; he normally has dinner in formal wear, of course.
Ever the gracious host.
The reporter wrote:
The great polymath, he who knows all, told:
Was he speaking Mandarin to the President of the United States? It is amazing what you discover when you read these articles with great care. Turnbull’s problem is that his own ego, which is every bit as colossal as the Prime Minister’s, might be getting in the way of sound political strategy. For two weeks and more, the Opposition’s tactic has been to call Rudd and Swan incompetent in their handling of the financial crisis. It hasn’t just been the entirely appropriate probing of the Government’s response. All semblance of bipartisanship has disappeared. Yesterday in the joint party room Turnbull told his troops that while he supported the Government’s stimulus package, he didn’t support the actual ingredients, and that he would have constructed the ingredients “more astutely”. Rather a change from a month ago, when Turnbull declared full support for the package “without quibbling”. This has been coupled with persistent attacks on Ken Henry and, at one stage when Don Randall got carried away, Glenn Stevens. The only possible conclusion from the Opposition’s tactics is that it is perfectly prepared to exploit the biggest economic crisis in decades for its own political ends. I observed earlier in the year that Brendan Nelson’s biggest problem was that he didn’t want to be Prime Minister in the way that Malcolm Turnbull wanted to be – and that successful leaders like Rudd, Howard, Keating, Hawke and Fraser had wanted. Turnbull’s tactics demonstrate his determination to be Prime Minister, no matter what the cost. He knows he only has one shot at it. He won’t still be Opposition leader in 2013, especially not if Peter Costello sticks around. So he’s doing everything possible – no matter what the collateral damage to economic confidence, to Australia’s leading economic institutions — to attack the Government. The opinion polls suggest it’s not working at all. Rudd is back to the sort of approval levels he reached earlier in the year against the hapless Nelson. The 2PP is still in the same area 55-45 — that it has been pretty much since December 2006. The risk with Turnbull’s tactics are that they backfire, and create a public impression of a smart-rse, someone who failed to get behind the Government as it tried to manage a global crisis. Having Julie Bishop — who keeps throwing up ever more episodes of plagiarism — at his side doesn’t help. Turnbull would be better off letting the economic slowdown do his work for him, leaving the unemployment numbers to undermine the Government’s standing. The risk at the moment is that he cruels his public image before that can happen. Once the public has an image of you, it’s very hard to shake it off. Only John Howard has ever managed it, and he did it by turning his weaknesses into strengths. Turnbull showed patience in waiting out Brendan Nelson. He’s not doing the same in his contest with Kevin Rudd. And this time there’s a lot more than one job involved. |
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31 Comments
You all sound like the Opposition trying to scarify Ken Henry!! Amazing that commentary from a fairly informed position draws such rabid response. At an ALP meeting up in Brisbane five years ago Mr Cool walked in to engender the party message by fostering interest and debate..as the local federal member. Preoccupation with the personal combined with a time limit and disinterest in others saw Kev now PM exit early without achieving the branch mission. No one in the Capalaba area talked about Kev after that until someone said he was the opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman who suddenly assumed leadership proportions. You see once they pass Party headquarters as the annointed…party membership at the local level matters none. You got him and we’re not sorry he’s out of the area. Self-indulgent and self-absorbed he certainly is and the party goes on. I suspect those down in Vaucluse might describe Malcolm in the same way.
Bernard, there was no leak of the phone call. All leaders announce what was said in phone calls so you need to get over the drivel.
if Rudd had stood up and rightly called Bush a moron he would have been cheered from the rafters and for you along with dopey Dennis to try and make it an issue proves how nothing it really is.
Heaven’s above we don’t have to grovel to the US president any more. So grow up Bernard, this story is beneath Crikey.
Why don’t you talk about news.
Oh Bernard who really gives a toss about this non issue ?. We’re talking abut Bush-a man who should hauled up in front a war cimes tribunal for his lies and warmongering. I mean this is abloke who had the CIA deliver the frozen head of an Al Qaeda leader to the Oval Office to gloat over. Put your efforts into seeing if you can get The Man Who Would Be King , Malcolm Turnbull to enunciate an actual policy instead of his endless foot stamping. Do you really think mst Aussies give a hoot about this subject ?
Bernard, you got it right from the start: the only people who care about this issue is the Canberra Press Gallery. You should have stopped at that point unless you were going to try and answer the only relevant question: why should Rudd answer this question and in so doing give oxygen to Turnbull’s suffocating attack? Repeat ten times: It does not matter!
Shortly after the Republic Referendum, I was visiting Ireland and was asked to explain ad nauseum how the !#@* Australia, home to the knockabout larrikin, voted to stay at home with Mother. After confusing the audience, and myself, with long winded psephological analysis of referenda history, I could only conclude that the leaders who opposed the motion were uberweasels – all understood that - and those who proposed were .. incompetent beyond belief. “Was your leader a lawyer by any chance” I was asked. “Yes”, I replied “Top shelf – one of the highest order”. “That’ll be your problem then” was the response.
It’s like your cat continually depositing his garden kill on the kitchen floor, just to show how clever he is. Once would probably be enough.
Louis XIV without a Versailles.
Bernard,
Who cares about the comments about George Bush? I wonder why though nothing was reported on for a few days.
I am always wary of politicians who get up and wax lyrical as Turnbull does. He’s not in a court as he thinks he is. He reminds me of snake oil salesman. He doesn’t seem to me to have the sincerity of say Barcak Obama.
My view has been that Turnbull is doing all he can to wreck our economy by talking it down, nitpicking and having a different policy each day. It seems as though your comments somewhat back this up.
My Great Aunt, Maria Paz Dolores, was fond of the following statement. “Listen to me Venise, you will not bring home a short man!” I must have always looked puzzled, because she would, as a routine, always explain the problem. “The more short the man, the greater will be the ego. And to the regret of humanity, politicians are invariably less than tall.”
I think Turnbull is undermining our confidence in banks ,our financial instituions ,treasury, Government and this is the wrong time. In many people’s minds at a time when the community needs is confidence he is a spoiler. Many people will not forgive him for the effect this has on their investments, business confidence and the economy. While I find his positions on social issues preferrable to Rudd’s I will not forgive him for putting his personal interests and ambition above the needs of the country. He will be villified like Punter has been by the cricketing fraternity.
Apart from the foolishly ill-informed, misguided and gratuitous drubbing Rudd delivered Henson, by and large he’s not missing an opportunity to deliver positive and energising leadership. It’s what we need after 11 dark years. One term will not obliterate their shadow.
Turnbull may be able to demonstrate leadership capability if he focuses on statesmanlike policy approaches. To date he is spectacularly failing to do this. It’s an open question as to whether he has the discipline to resist the small target approaches which he seems to favour, and concentrate on the big picture items which might allow us to understand whether he has a sustainable vision for us or not.
Glad to see Crikey exposing the deficits with such clarity.
I echo the comments of Jenny L. Well said Jenny.
As one who voted in favour of the referendum to approve Australia becoming a republic IN SPITE of the condending Mimi Metoo ‘s inhibiting presence on the TV screen,I have a faint lingering fascination to watch this man’s desperate bid for relevance.
He is so-o-o-o consumed by his own self absorption.
And yes, I agree with Poidarr:
it does not matter.
Ah Bernard - the small, incestuous minds of the Canberra Press Gallery!! We don’t care about this. We have a financial crisis on our hands. We are sick of Mr Turnbull and his mates talking down this economy and telling us that the Govt. we elected hasn’t got a clue. I have news for Mr Turnbull - we think he doesn’t have a clue.
I’m with the industry leader who told the AFR - “Turnbull seems to be the only person in OZ that wants a recession.” A major bank director said “You come away from the government with a good hearing. You come away from Malcolm feeling slight dirty”.
Sums him up completely.
Hey, we all know that Kev is human - that is probably why we like him. And we know he is trying and is a hard worker. Plus his mandarin conversations with the Chinese leaders are a huge plus for us - we know where our bikkies come from.
From when this story first broke I thought who cares? GWB is a despised president who every one thinks is an idiot any way. I read the comments on the story on ABC and also read the comments here and it seems pretty much that my opinion is in the majority.
Then I got to bernards comment about Howard and Clinton. Wow. Seems YOU missed the point bern, Clinton was not disrespected in his own country, Clinton was described as having a brain as big as a building and the press did not do much of a job on howard regarding the AWB story.
I feel your working for the wrong organisation bernie, go see if there are any jobs at the Australian will you. I, like denise, do not think that I will be subscribing to crikey because I can get all the political bias I want from pinheads like bolt, blair and ackerman from news ltd. I hope you get roasted for this bernie, more for the comment than for the pseudo balanced article
seeya.
Bernard, it is true that the only people who care about this issue are the Canberra press gallery.
But I believe even they are bored with the issue.
This kind of thing is SO typical of Australian politics. This ability to focus in on a issue that nobody cares about or is totally irrelevant to the current state of the world and then turn it into a kind of carnival for politicians who parade around raising their voices at each other and laughing arrogantly at every second comment.
This is kind of thing is not restricted to any particular party or even to any country…. it’s just a simple tactic. If you throw enough shit at something some of it will stick.
Basically out here in the real world NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE LEAK. George bush will go down in history as one of its worst presidents. It’s totally lame to try to suck up to someone on the way out, it’s much more fitting particularly for an Australian to sink the slipper in.
Bernard -It’s not about security or laziness or Kevin Rudd’s pride…. IT JUST DOSEN’T MATTER!
Bernard,
Who cares if Kev told someone about the phone call - there was nothing earth shattering about its contents and why should Kev admit anything about it to anyone - though if an admission would stop the bombastic posturings of the Opposition Leader it might be considered a public service.
I notice the mad monk Abbott has had another brain implosion and called the PM a coward for not admitting he leaked the story to the Oz and that his friend Howard never ran away from a fight. Its like tragic love affair gone wrongThe raving of a person not in control. I can’t see him lasting another 2 years in Opposition. He already looks like a refugee from an anorexia live in. Definitely lost the plot.
Not again, Bernard! This school-yard obsession with personalities reminds me of what Walter Cronkite once said of Australia: ” Too many journalists, not enough news”.
If you read the comments on the abc re this story you can tell the australian voter is fed up with topic in a nut shell most said “Who Cares” this mornings web news.
We should be discussing what needs to be discussed.
I have decided i will not be taking up my opportunity to be a crickey member, good bye
I’ve been a subscriber since jeffed.com and I know we have to take the good with the bad with Crikey, but surely you have something better than a circle jerk on this non-issue
“Turnbull would be better off letting the economic slowdown do his work for him, leaving the unemployment numbers to undermine the Government’s standing”
Your bias is unbearable these days!
Maybe we’ll see it play out long enough before any inquiry and we’ll see the AWB inquiry all over again.
“I simply cannot remember guv’nr”
Haven’t upset me at all mate.(By the way it’s Kathy not Cathy)
Hmm, can you point out where I was so defensive of “a liar like Howard,” Rob?
All I said, was that some people did vote for him, so obviously there are those that think he is okay. I didn’t vote for him(. I don’t think he is okay.) I didn’t vote for Rudd either.
If you were objective Rob, you would plainly see that there was no bias in Bernard Keane’s piece.
This is a projection of your own bias.
Oh, btw, the position of President should also be respected even if the person in the position is that moron GWB! And remember, there were still a few Americans out there that voted Republican too, in spite of the GWB factor.
Now… I wonder what would have been the reaction from you lot if John Howard had done the same to Bill Clinton. I don’t think I’d be hearing an endless chorus of “who cares”.
Who cares, we all know George is not the sharpest knife in the kitchen, his neocon handlers give him a bit of paper with what to “feed the chooks”, poke him with a stick and like the cookoo in the clock he comes out says his piece and disappears back inside.
Tend to agree with your observations Bernard and go a step further. It is obvious Rudd has no problem with answering in a manner which suggests he is familiar with porkies. Ok he doesn’t come out directly with a downright lie but his answers are like an emptying kitchen sink. Pull the plug and the water goes around and around and around without heading directly to the outlet, but eventually goes down the gurgler. The PM should take note of the final destination. He may get away with this one, but sooner or later his going around and around will eventually have him going down the gurgler. This is not the first time he has played this type of game, even the best are known to get too cocky and eventually it will catch up with him.
Incidently while on question time, I wonder when the Speaker will finally deal to Hockey. The Leader of Opposition Business flirts with chair over points of order time and again. I wonder what it will take for Harry to explode?
JamesK: My Great Aunt, Maria Paz Dolores, these were her Christian names: would have taken great pride in her knowledge of the world-nether regions included. To me her character was beyond reproach. Incomparable might be the word I seek. However, there were some people who accused her of having too much hatred of politicians. Alas, I was too young to make such a value comment. As our American cousins would say.
Cheers
V.
Malcolm will become the PM if Kevin fucks up the government’s handling of the economy but the opposition’s multiple changes in its positions and its QT tactics, which emulate a general attacking from both sides instead of from one side, are more numerous than the positions listed in the Karma Sutra and display more volatility than either the gyrations on the world’s share markets or the world’s currency markets. Malcolm’s most recent claim to fame is his ability to read King David’s sayings in the original Hebrew which may be more relevant for fixing the GFC back on Wall Street than Mandarin which can only help in fixing the global economic crisis on Main Street. Malcolm, cash was at risk at the panicky start of the GFC and cash is now king in the global economic crisis but consistency (of both policy and of lines of attack) is king when fighting to win back government.
I think it’s a Canberra Insiders story too, underlined by the way it’s reported. Sure he probably leaked and given this is a great entre to the affection of head kickers like Rahm Emmanual it may yet be cunning effective politics with the regime of the new pres. Leaking on a dead cat pollie like Bush? As the Chinese say - every one loves to push a falling wall.
But this is the blind spot of the Press Gallery BK- why is there an assumption of confidentiality at all amongst elected leaders? Since when do they have the right to keep secret their corro and meetings on our behalf? See the moral misconception in the Opposition attack? In the Press Gallery cry of dirty pool. Of the misconceived avoidance by the PM of fessing up? It should all be TRANSPARENT.
It was the same during APEC when Rudd refused to reveal what his chit chats with China’s dictator during APEC, and similarly then Govt leaders with world leaders. Who the f*ck do they think they are working for? The corporate donors, obviously who want the sweet deals … in secret.
Don’t give me that ‘we superior minds, meaning govt revolving door with press gallery, have to be operating behind closed doors so we get it right. That’s just patronising condescending undemoratic hierarchy. It’s the same reason cabinet minutes are secret when they shouldn’t be.
The KRuddmeister is in s-h-1-t………Venise’s Tia Maria Paz has put a Mapudungun sorcerous hex on him.
Julia ‘09 ……. Now that would be truly wonderful
The issue is how Rudd perceives his relationship with Parliament, the institution representative of the people.
Clearly he is more interested with ‘selling himself’ to journalists,than to show some accountability towards the House of the Representatives of the average Australian working family.
Significantly Rudd did not immediately deny the report published in The Australian.
It is only days later when the US administration denied the report through the NY Times and it became obvious that diplomats around the world were not impressed that Rudd started ‘spinning’ about the issue.
Rudd’s failure to immediately deny the report published in ‘The Australian’ also illustrates Rudd’s lack of judgment ….as soon as there are journalists around him boosting his ego. Remember he was drunk (so he says) and with a journalist when he visited the NY strip-joint.
In relation to The Australian article, Rudd had failed to appreciate that the report would be damaging his own future dealings with other world leaders, and consequently,to Australia’s interests.
Rudd had already indicated his disdain for the House of the People when he tried to force the House to meet on Fridays in his abscence.
Had he been planning regular Friday lunches with his journalist mates instead?
Rudd should ask his young ‘homme de confiance’ (reported to be the last person who speaks to Rudd at night) to read to Rudd some bedtime stories such as La Fontaine’s ‘Le Corbeau et le Renard’,even if it is the Mandarin translation.
It is time Rudd started being straight with the House representing the People of Australia and showed some respect for Question Time.
Sorry to have upset you so cathy
I suggest that you re-read my original post because you have taken things from it that just were not there. I did not say that howard was disrespected, I was alluding to george w bush (derr). I do not support the rudd government and if you can find any evidence of that in my post please po9int it out and finally I find you entirely unique. I have never yet met a single person so defensive of a liar like howard who did not vote for his government and I contend that it is you who has the problem with objectivity.
Timothy Nash says it just “DOSEN’T” matter if our Prime minister is a dishonest, strutting peacock more concerned with self interest rather than the national interest.
It just “DOSEN’T” matter if Australian leaders are given less than honest and forthright apparaisals from other world leaders.
It just “DOSEN’T” matter that Rudd chooses ArmisticeDay to declare “WAR” on unemployment.
It just “DOSEN’T” matter that Rudd spends $6.5 extra billion of our money to support an industry that will unlikely change for the better as a result of this largesse.
“DOSEN’T” Timothy Nash have the smell of an unquestioning Rudd-sycophant?
I think it is you who has missed the point here Rob. Bernard is quite right when he says:
“Now… I wonder what would have been the reaction from you lot if John Howard had done the same to Bill Clinton. I don’t think I’d be hearing an endless chorus of “who cares”.
This claptrap about Howard being disrespected is a nonsense. It is the position of Prime Minister that should be respected, not who holds the position.
Just because YOU say that Howard was disrespected doesn’t not make it so, either. Remember that roughly 47% of votes at the 2007 election were for the Coalition. Obviously a few out there who thought Howard was okay! ( I was not one of them)
I little bit more objectivity wouldn’t go astray Rob.
As, for Bernard being biased, I think that once again you are wrong. I thoroughly enjoy his even handed and fair commentary.
Of course if you are a rusted on Labor or Liberal supporter, you will always find fault with whatever Bernard says.
Fortunately I am neither!