It’s time, Kevin, to pull your finger out
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So Kevin Rudd was greeted in Perth by hordes of passionate demonstrators, outraged by the damage his proposed mining tax was going to do to their livelihood, their state and the Australian way of life. They were well organised, beautifully co-ordinated and most carried professionally printed placards embossed with well-crafted slogans, following identical patterns. A fine display of solidarity. Years ago a Labor Prime Minister was facing a political crisis of similar magnitude. In 1949 Ben Chifley went to an election on a platform of nationalising Australia’s private banks. Again, there was well-organised outrage. Fred Daly, then a humble backbencher, used to tell the story of addressing a meeting in Sydney where ranks of well-dressed bank employees arrived to heckle him mercilessly. Exasperated, Fred accused one of them: “I’ll bet you’re getting paid time and a half for this.” The indignant teller responded: “That’s a terrible lie. We’re all on double time.” And the might of the banks eventually proved overwhelming. The high court ruled their nationalisation unconstitutional; and Labor lost the election anyway, ushering in 23 years of conservative rule. The miners are no doubt hoping that history will repeat itself. Their financial clout is comparable to that of the banks, their rent-a-crowds equally well-disciplined and for the moment at least it appears that a decisive section of the voters are persuaded that they, rather than the elected government, are the ones acting in the public interest. In the mining states of Western Australia and Queensland, Labor’s polling is bleak, and elsewhere the mood is verging on panic. And at least some of the attack is coming from supposedly friendly quarters. Rudd’s old mate Twiggy Forrest has told the Prime Minister that this time the miners are serious, they’re not bluffing. The tacit admission that in the past they may indeed have been crying wolf ought to have helped the government, but in fact it has worked the other way; like Tony Abbott, the statement that they do not always tell the truth has been taken as evidence that this time they just might be. Then a former Queensland treasurer, Keith de Lacey, now himself a mining executive, declared that Rudd had become an object of ridicule and should make way for someone who really cared about the country. The problem here was that de Lacey himself has long been an object of ridicule both inside and outside the Labor Party, and is in any case a long-time enemy of Rudd dating back to the days when Rudd ran Premier Wayne Goss’ office. No one has ever taken him seriously. Far more damaging was David Marr and his Quarterly Essay concluding that there was anger at the core of Rudd, and that he was driven by rage. The implication many drew from this verdict, coming as it did from a friend, was that Rudd was not entirely rational, that perhaps, just perhaps, their trusted leader was turning into a bit of a psycho. Unwanted memories of Mark Latham came flooding back. Perhaps all Labor leaders came from the same distorted mould, and under a little pressure would crack. This was not what Marr meant at all, and he said so loudly and publicly. I thought I understood what he was getting at: there was indeed anger in Rudd, a hatred of injustice that went back to his childhood and that manifested itself in occasional temper tantrums, but also in a reforming zeal, a passion for change that old Labor men and women referred to as the fire in the belly. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that, and indeed the major criticism of Rudd was that he did not have enough of it: he was the Ruddbot, programmed by self-control and spin. But in the circumstances it did not help. Abbott was supposed be the erratic one, the wild man too risky to elect. If Rudd was also some kind of a loose cannon, what was the point of keeping him? After all, his reformist zeal didn’t seem to have achieved all that much. Indeed, it seemed to consist largely of stumbling from one allegedly world-shattering crisis to another, with humiliating back downs the punctuation in the process. This, at least, was the view of the commentariat at News Ltd. But out in the real world, even in backblocks of Queensland, the reaction wasn’t quite as clear-cut. I spent the Queen’s Birthday weekend (Queensland still holds it) in the gulf country, where the punters were pouring in to the Normanton Rodeo, and the miners of Mt Isa were congregating at Karumba for the fishing. If the pundits were right, this should have been the heartland of the revolt. But in fact the mood was more one of bewilderment than of betrayal. When they could be persuaded to talk about politics at all, which was not often, they said that they felt that they really didn’t understand Rudd, and that he didn’t understand them either. He didn’t talk to them and he didn’t consult them; all they ever got was bumped-up little shiny bums from the public service telling them what to do. There was anger and indignation, but most of it was aimed at the state government rather than the feds, and there was still an underlying sense that if only Rudd could see what their problems were, he would do the right thing and they would trust him again. As for Abbott — well, as one woman who described herself as being on the conservative side put it, he really didn’t seem to have the charisma to be Prime Minister. She probably meant gravitas rather than charisma, but the point was clear: Rudd might be a bit of a letdown, but the alternative is still unconvincing. Labor’s plan A might still be in place, but only just. It is time — long past time, in fact — for Rudd to pull his finger out. |
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15 Comments
” Keith de Lacey, now himself a mining executive”. Let us not forget that de Lacey is also Chairman of Cubbie Station. Interesting to see how that was set up on insider information and influence in a previous disreputable era in Queensland. Clearly an unsustainable business plan what with it in the hands of receivers due to its $320M bank debt (though no doubt the founders and board including de Lacey made handsome profits).
I did not think the David Marr article was damaging to the PM. Of course that is if people read the article which very few will. Is the spin in the media on the Marr article damaging? I don’t know. Last night on Q&A I didn’t think it came across that way, from David Marr himself. Of course not that many people watch ABC (they are watching Celebrity Fat Chefs or something). The reasons why Queenslanders are so dumb as to think the big miners (and in Clive Palmer, I mean big!) are on their side is because, not really that they are dumb, but their media is dominated by News Ltd. No one can get a balanced view of Australian affairs from that diet.
I agree, Mungo — to put it crudely, it’s time that Rudd lowered the boom on the so-called lengthy consultation and made it a “who’s running the country” issue, the elected government or billionaire miners? Promotion and explanation of the RSPT policy has been abysmal; for all the fuss about $38 million being spent on government advertising, I haven’t seen any real attempt to confront the full-page broadsheet advertising of the mining industry — just non-eye catching little ads that would send anyone to sleep if they bothered to read them.
If Twiggy and Palmer want to go offshore then let them. Hopefully Brazil and other mining countries will follow our lead and get the miners to part with some of their profits made at the expense of the environments of the host countries.
After reading of the environmental damage being done in the Pilbara it is time to closely examine these miners and their practices. Fat chance of that however.
Funny one Mungo. And the comments too, hilarious.
Here we have the most insecure and odious Primer Minister in our history taking his primary advice from a bunch of ‘wet behind the ears’ 30 year old know nothings - and still you guys think he is on the right track. ROFL.
I can now really see why they call it the looney left.
I can see why they call it the rabid right. The most odious PM in my life was Howard. He of the weasel words and untruths such as never ever or Iraq and WMDS or was it terrorists but no eventually he finally told the truth and it was the alliance. You want insecure ? I can recall with clarity the news footage of Howard at some international meeting looking out shielding his eyes with his palm desperately seeking someone who knew what he was supposed to do. The same PM who lost eight members of his team in the first term. Well enough of that so lets toss those silly codes of behaviour overboard. After that it was see no evil speak no evil unless to defame a professional who had the temerity to speak the truth on WMDS. I respected Menzies wit and some of his policies but Howard was the only PM of any stripe to make me cringe that he was our PM. Menzies left his party in good fettle but Howard left his party a rabble. Instead of a PM he was the career politician who was in it for himself. It would have been a travesty if he had broken Menzies record .
The polls show people aren’t as dumb as some commentators. They can finally see through the smoke and mirrors and spin to see what’s behind Rudd - more smoke and mirrors and spin. Wake up true believers, it’s not just the mining tax, it’s a whole list of Labor debacles ranging from the disastrous pink batts fiasco (Kevin was going to fix that), walking away from “the greatest moral challenge of our time” (the ETS is now just a Rudd thought bubble), the Education Revolution and most recently “the sick cancer on our society” political advertising, which he pledged to end during his first term of office or resign: “You have my absolute 100 percent guarantee on that, you can all hold me accountable”. Well $38 million dollars worth of super tax propaganda later, the best you can come up with is, “Kevin should pull his finger out”.
Funny if it wasn’t a bit pathetic.
Well one thing Rudd will never be able to top the 2 billion in advertising Howard racked up but then again I doubt anyone could. Pink batts fiasco ? Well over a million homes insulated but some problems with a few because of installers not obeying the standards set by both federal and state governments. Education as had not only an improvement in infrastructure but as with the batts has achieved what the stimulus was meant to do namely keep us out of recession. Name one major infrastructure project from the previous government or in fact find where they got anywhere near the funding of health or health that Labor has in just its first term. Putting off till later because of senate obstruction from both the opposition and minor senators is not walking away thats pragmatism.
I too thought Howard was an odious worm but this guy Rudd really does take the take cake. If only the supporters of Rudd/Labor could be less ‘one eyed’ they would admit it too.
Let’s be honest, Howard and his ‘me too’ with the US and a host of other issues was on the nose, but little Kevin is really no different. Are we out of Iraq yet? or How many queue jumping economic refugees have drowned since his opened the doors? All the while, I might add for the bleeding hearts here, real refugees without the dollars the jump on a boat are left to rot in camps without proper sanitation - let alone hope and pushed to the back of the queue.
And, at least Howard/Costello left us with a budget SURPLUS. Can anyone here recall the last time a Labour Government left Australia with a SURPLUS? Oh, that’s right - NEVER. LOL
No, Howard was a little worm to be sure, but Rudd is far, far worse. Worse than 1974/5 by a country mile. Labour [sic] will be out of power for a generation - 2025 or 2030.
Labor hasn’t left us with a surplus? Should governments run at a profit? Surely a break even or manageable debt is better - it means redistribution of wealth. As a Labor icon, King, you should understand that. And didn’t you bring in the name change? I mean, honestly, pick an Australian politician, sure: even one worshipped by the looney right, but get it right…
Mongo’s conversation with the woman who thought Abbott lacked charisma was good. As Mongo pointed out she likely meant gravitas, not charisma. Abbott has made a critical error, in as much as a good politician never lets on the size of his tools. Act like you swing a big axe and don’t let the punters see whats’ really down there. Abbott, unfortunately, has show what he’s got in those budgie smugglers and it’s not pretty. He’s not up to the job, and frankly, I don’t even think he’s up to Mrs. Abbott.
To ‘Sickofitall’
If you knew anything about the ‘King’ you would surely know that ‘debt’ only leads to the enrichment of the private banking system. Which is why the bankers actually love Labor more than Liberals. Labor always means more profits from debt borrowing than do the Liberals. And let’s be honest, if SuperProfits were to be taxed then Banks with the private credit monopoly and FIAT money factoring are the real cash cows. Why does not Rudd suggest we tax the banks on their ‘super profits? After all, the ‘money’ they use is the people’s resource backed as it is by our parliament endorsed ‘legal tender’ laws.
Australia’s current Reserve Bank is a private corporation you realise? Probably not. Like most ‘bloggers’ on here you have no idea the universe which you inhabit. Flotsam and Jetsam on the tide of history.
King promoted an American style ‘credit’ system (not in existence since 1913) where there the Australian government, through its ‘CommonWealth’ bank could utter long-term credit (not debt) at 1-2% interest for the development of the nation.
So, as neither party can utter such a truth and restore true monetary sovereignty, a pox on all their houses. But, in that moment of clarity let us call a spade a spade and acknowledge that Krudd and his mates are totally useless and have no understanding of what should be a ‘core’ labour [sic] principle - the people should control and utter its money - not the private banking system.
For some time I have wondered who Rudd is taking advice from given the apparent death wish behind his policy stands. I had formed the opinion that the Labor machine has sand in its gears. Either that or he had chosen to ignore sage advice. The article in the Oz headed Novices at the wheel of state (and linked to on Crikey) goes a long way towards explaining it.
That Rudd chooses to surround himself with inexperienced people underscores for me that he lacks the judgment required to lead, especially through crises. He can therefore expect, sooner or later, to be hoist on his own petard.
NICOLINO comments, “If Twiggy and Palmer want to go offshore then let them.”
And the workers who will lose their jobs? Screw them?
“Hopefully Brazil and other mining countries will follow our lead and get the miners to part with some of their profits made at the expense of the environments of the host countries.”
Hopefully indeed. And if they don’t? Where will that leave Australia? Kevin Rudd’s middle name is “Hopefully”. Kevin “Hopefully” Rudd. KHR.
For starters, Howard didn’t promise to resign if he didn’t stop tax- payer funded political advertising whereas Rudd gave an ironclad 100 percent guarantee. Also the money Howard spent was explaining programs already adopted, such as the GST, not promoting some wishful thinking which might be adopted if Kevin does another giant backflip and moves away from the incentive killing 40 percent tax on all mining profits above six percent. That’s a “super profit”? You and I could do better with a decent term deposit, so could these big greedy miners who have paid $80 billion in taxes and royalties while they have been “ripping us off” over the past decade. At the very least, Labor’s timing is woeful with the world staring the possibility of a double-dip recession in the face and our miners providing some hope for keeping Australia afloat unless Captain Rudd capsizes the boat.
Attention the Honourable Julia Gillard. We know you’ve made some blunders, but your flexibility was handicapped by an egotistic control freak. However, we’ll give you a spin behind the wheel and see where that takes us; anywhere’s better than here… just hurry!