Comments on: Rudd reshuffle: a win for talent… and factional allegiances http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:11:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tom McLoughlin http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28372 Tom McLoughlin Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:43:51 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28372 As I've written previously having met and lobbied John Faulkner in the 90ies, and indeed pictured with the guy in the SMH sucked into one of those PR picfacs back then, Faulkner was so 'tough' he was totally savaged by Keating in 1995-96 until the ALP forest policy was a disgrace. Keating then went on to alienate his own trusty ACF green group and lose to Howard in 1996. He knows it's true too. And I have the files to prove it beyond doubt. So my point is Faulkner may well be compassionate, intelligent, brilliant and tough, but the evidence remains that in his main gig at senior ministerial level he was concertinered like a Mack Truck making bingle with a suzuki. To the everlasting shame and political destruction of the ALP I might add. Not Faulkner's fault but as ever politics is about delivering, not good intentions. Sure he has some famous forensics in Estimate Committees. But that's not a senior ministerial role. Apples with oranges. I hope he has every success in ripping the $billions of waste out of Defence, but I'm not an ALP groupie, so I guess that's one definition of having a life, and being my own person, thanks Peanut! As I’ve written previously having met and lobbied John Faulkner in the 90ies, and indeed pictured with the guy in the SMH sucked into one of those PR picfacs back then, Faulkner was so ‘tough’ he was totally savaged by Keating in 1995-96 until the ALP forest policy was a disgrace.

Keating then went on to alienate his own trusty ACF green group and lose to Howard in 1996.

He knows it’s true too. And I have the files to prove it beyond doubt.

So my point is Faulkner may well be compassionate, intelligent, brilliant and tough, but the evidence remains that in his main gig at senior ministerial level he was concertinered like a Mack Truck making bingle with a suzuki. To the everlasting shame and political destruction of the ALP I might add. Not Faulkner’s fault but as ever politics is about delivering, not good intentions.

Sure he has some famous forensics in Estimate Committees. But that’s not a senior ministerial role. Apples with oranges. I hope he has every success in ripping the $billions of waste out of Defence, but I’m not an ALP groupie, so I guess that’s one definition of having a life, and being my own person, thanks Peanut!

]]> By: Venise Alstergren http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28260 Venise Alstergren Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:16:11 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28260 Tom McLoughlin. It is not my intention to rain on your parade. However, what would be your feelings when or if John Faulkner turns out to have been a brilliant choice for Defence? Isn't it ever a correct decision in politics as opposed to being left-wing versus right-wing? Certainly Rudd is ruthless-one has to be to be successful in politics-shallow? I'll go along with that one-it's his religious opinions which are so fatuous, disloyal and selfish for what? Wanting someone with balls for the job. Get a life Tom. Tom McLoughlin. It is not my intention to rain on your parade. However, what would be your feelings when or if John Faulkner turns out to have been a brilliant choice for Defence? Isn’t it ever a correct decision in politics as opposed to being left-wing versus right-wing?
Certainly Rudd is ruthless-one has to be to be successful in politics-shallow? I’ll go along with that one-it’s his religious opinions which are so fatuous, disloyal and selfish for what? Wanting someone with balls for the job. Get a life Tom.

]]> By: Tom McLoughlin http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28254 Tom McLoughlin Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:49:30 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28254 Actually when I carefully watched the tv footage of the first party room meeting after the famous 2007 election victory Kevin Rudd waltzed in to general acclaim and went up to various people happily shaking hands. Especially the winners of ministerial positions. Then he came to Bob Debus. Not a word. Didn't meet his eyes. Can't recall any handshake either or maybe a wet fish style. Hang on I thought, that's very cold. When did Debus get swine flu or the 2007 equivalent. And for those not in NSW, just before Debus - a veteran and successful Attorney General and environment minister in NSW from the Left faction of the ALP - announced his retirement in NSW Parliament in order to run in a marginal federal seat, the Coalition attacked him with a vile claim of personal deviancy of some kind. Indeed then leader of the NSW Coalition Peter Debnam was forced to resign for sliming and smearing Debus with not a skeric of evidence. Echoes of the High Court Judge smear by Heffernan which blew up in the Senator's face. Is Rudd really so ruthless and shallow to be so fearful of false scandal? So disloyal? So selfish? So self serving appeasing the NSW Right? Debus had alot of goodwill from the green side of things in NSW though definitely a Labor man who buckled down. Arguably Rudd is no Bonhoffer based on his shafting of Debus in his first ministry, and now again in this reshuffle, forced into retirement to appease the Right over Faulkner getting their Defence portfolio? And the Right are stalking Debus seat in the Blue Mountains area previously held by Kerry Bartlett in the Howard Govt. Actually when I carefully watched the tv footage of the first party room meeting after the famous 2007 election victory Kevin Rudd waltzed in to general acclaim and went up to various people happily shaking hands.

Especially the winners of ministerial positions. Then he came to Bob Debus. Not a word. Didn’t meet his eyes. Can’t recall any handshake either or maybe a wet fish style.

Hang on I thought, that’s very cold. When did Debus get swine flu or the 2007 equivalent.

And for those not in NSW, just before Debus - a veteran and successful Attorney General and environment minister in NSW from the Left faction of the ALP - announced his retirement in NSW Parliament in order to run in a marginal federal seat, the Coalition attacked him with a vile claim of personal deviancy of some kind.

Indeed then leader of the NSW Coalition Peter Debnam was forced to resign for sliming and smearing Debus with not a skeric of evidence. Echoes of the High Court Judge smear by Heffernan which blew up in the Senator’s face.

Is Rudd really so ruthless and shallow to be so fearful of false scandal? So disloyal? So selfish? So self serving appeasing the NSW Right? Debus had alot of goodwill from the green side of things in NSW though definitely a Labor man who buckled down. Arguably Rudd is no Bonhoffer based on his shafting of Debus in his first ministry, and now again in this reshuffle, forced into retirement to appease the Right over Faulkner getting their Defence portfolio?

And the Right are stalking Debus seat in the Blue Mountains area previously held by Kerry Bartlett in the Howard Govt.

]]> By: Venise Alstergren http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28224 Venise Alstergren Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:17:52 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/06/09/rudds-reshuffle-adds-a-layer-to-the-levels-of-complexity/#comment-28224 And people in the know-no, not you Bernard-are dismissive of the politically unaware. For once in my life I tend to wonder why anyone after a day's hard slog would want to study the politics of Oz. It's just that they want to watch cr-p on the TV which bugs me. That and the legendary FOOTY. Good article though. And people in the know-no, not you Bernard-are dismissive of the politically unaware. For once in my life I tend to wonder why anyone after a day’s hard slog would want to study the politics of Oz. It’s just that they want to watch cr-p on the TV which bugs me. That and the legendary FOOTY.

Good article though.

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