As the Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd leadership spill grew, Australian politics came for a while to resemble a US-style presidential primary, writes Alexandra Lamb, a research assistant for The Age in the press gallery in Canberra
ALP leadership
Crikey Says: Crikey says: we’ll cop most criticism, but not sexism, not this time
Many of you certainly aren’t copping criticism of Gillard’s record, especially from our own Bernard Keane. But to suggest that his criticism is misogynist?
Can Rudd bring about the demise of zombie politics?
Where are the bbbbrrraainnnns? asks Martin Hardie, who argues that the Julia Gillard/Kevin Rudd stoush has exposed the ALP as a ‘zombie party’.
The Artist and Hugo the big winners at the 2012 Oscars
Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist and Martin Scorcese’s Hugo were the top performers at this year’s Academy Awards, snagging five Oscars apiece, reports Luke Buckmaster.
Come in Spinner: the Greek/Roman/Shakespearean tragedy of Labor
Reading essays and works on 19th and much of 2oth centuries politics it is difficult to avoid the frequent classical allusions and the strong sense of historical context that gave events.
Crikey Says: Labor’s lingering smell
In the unlikely event that the Labor party manages to unite after all this, the collateral damage from this flare up will have lasting damage.
Comparing KPIs: Gillard v Rudd
Countless words have been written about the ALP’s leadership contest but rarely have the leadership styles of the two contenders been comprehensively compared, writes Ad astra.
A second chance for Julia Gillard?
Every female politician knows that it’s harder to demonstrate authority in a job dominated by men. The Labor leadership spill might just provide Julia Gillard a second chance, writes Julia Baird.
Nielsen: ALP turmoil no affect on voting intention
Both Nielsen and Galaxy suggest the last week’s turmoil have had essentially no impact on voting intention. Nielsen has two-party preferred at 53-47, with primary vote for Labor on 34 percent, reports William Bowe.
Gillard will win, but margin is key
Julia Gillard will keep her job tomorrow. But the victory margin will decide whether Kevin Rudd or a third candidate will be prime minister later this year, writes Bernard Keane.
Guy Rundle: While Kevin woos Labor, Therese embroiled in UK labour scandal
Kevin Rudd’s PM pitch is not the only thing consuming his family. Wife Therese Rein’s Ingeus has become embroiled in the “welfare-to-work” scandal currently engulfing the UK.
Kevin 07 returns, but loyalty questions remain
In contrasting media conferences, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard have made their public pitches for the leadership of the Labor party, to be decided in a leadership ballot at 10am on Monday.
Labor’s leadership spill a zero-sum game
When the smoke clears from Labor’s civil war and the guns die down, it’s hard to see anyone emerging as a winner, writes Paul Barry.
Hey Labor: business needs you to stop the stoush
Labor’s leadership stoush is adding to the fragility of business and consumer confidence. What SMEs want is for the government to get back to the business of governing — and quick, writes James Thomson.
ALP spill: Day 2 — Rudd will challenge
Crikey live blog: Prime Minister Julia Gillard questioned why Kevin Rudd did not deny undermining the government with off the record conversations with journalists, after Rudd launched his formal challenge for the Labor leadership.
Julia Gillard vs Kevin Rudd: the re-match
Julia Gillard will seek to clear the air by calling a leadership spill. This makes the timing of the next Newspoll very interesting indeed, writes William Bowe.
Are Rudd and Gillard really that different?
It’s hard to spot the differences between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, except voters are done with Gillard.
Maiden: Rudd’s quivering lip
It was a bittersweet affair for Kevin Rudd’s swearing in as foreign minister, amongst the magnolias and “faceless men” at Government House yesterday in Canberra, reports Samantha Maiden.
Aarons: Too many factions, too many focus groups
Spinning deals and generating funds form the heart and soul or lack thereof of NSW Labor, and its role in making and breaking Kevin Rudd provides more evidence that the ALP place far too much emphasis on factions and focus groups, says Mark Aarons.
Sonti: Eerie flashbacks to 2008
This federal election is like time travelling to the last WA state election, writes Chalpat Sonti. Liberals ran a low-profile campaign while just allowing the incumbent Labor to stuff it all up royally.
Keane essay: Abbott and Gillard two strikingly different politicians
For all the superficial similarities — they are both novice leaders and both reached the top job by knifing their predecessors — Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard are strikingly different politicians.
Gillard the gambler’s risky dice roll
Julia Gillard’s decision to rush to an election after only a few weeks in the top job seems both opportunistic and desperate. Burdened by the failed policies of Kevin Rudd, she is taking a big risk and going for broke, says John Wanna.
And so the baby smooching begins
Even though Julia Gillard is presumably against prodigious mass child-bearing - sustainable population and all that - she was nevertheless seen on the weekend drenched in a sea of baby craniums. She’s not exactly the first pollie to have kissed an infant.
PM hit by Oakes ambush
Daily Media Wrap: Yesterday a ho-hum economics speech from the Prime Minister at the National Press Club was ambushed by veteran scoop-breaking journo Laurie Oakes, who came to the event armed with a bombshell.
Gillard watch out, Laurie’s about
Julia Gillard’s National Press Club address was overshadowed by Laurie Oakes’ revelations of the events of spill night, which formed the basis for his question following the address. Did Rudd leak the info, asks Bernard Keane?
