Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd keeps asserting he chose his own ministerial team rather than having the selections of internal groups ratified by a token vote of the Parliamentary Labor Party. There were always discussions between the leader and the leaders of the factions before the factions settled on their choices, says Richard Farmer
Bob Hawke 
Two old Leaders keep their record
As votes get closer to being completely counted from last Saturday’s poll, two old leaders have kept their records by the narrowest of margins. Bob Hawke will no doubt be happier about it than Malcolm Fraser, writes Richard Farmer.
Tipping time: Labor heading for a 30-seat majority
I’m predicting Labor will win a 30 seat majority, which would mean Labor holding 90 out of 150 seats. How might those seats fall state by state? Here’s a possible combination, writes Peter Brent.
Christian Kerr: Fiscal conservatism takes centre stage
All the focus at Labor’s launch in Brisbane today was on new leadership – on Rudd himself, writes Christian Kerr.
Mackerras: 1 December is the day…
My prediction for the election date is Saturday 1 December and here is my reasoning, writes Malcolm Mackerras.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Comments, corrections, clarifications, and c*ckups
Burma … polls, election timing et al … drought relief … Christian Kerr v The Greens … new Magna Carta … Canberra airport development …
Hawke: Polls have probably got it about right
Bob Hawke’s most recent expedition on the campaign trail was to South Australia and Western Australia and who better to review what he did and found than the man himself.
Kim Beazley fighting the stage fright
Kim Beazley was a political actor who constantly had to battle his stage fright. Behind the apparently calm and confident man who lectured us with long words in lengthy sentences was a nervous Nellie quite lacking in confidence, writes Richard Farmer.
Costello would have been worth a try
It looks like the Liberal partyroom has chickened out, but flicking to a Costello leadership would have been worth a try, writes Peter Brent.
The many anecdotes of Richard Woolcott
Richard Woolcott is Australia’s most respected diplomat with connections world-wide second to none - but Howard and Downer won’t have a bar of him at APEC, where he is known personally to most of the participants.
Crikey Says: Crikey Says
Another loopily soft left, Howard-hating rant from that nest of rabid Ruddites at Crikey? Nope. Just some edited highlights (life being too short etc) from today’s editorial from The Australian. Poll sometime soon PM?
A Hawke’s eye view on the form
Speaking with what he describes as “a certain amount of authority, from my own personal history in such matters”, my old boss and former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke thinks Kevin Rudd’s night on the tiles in New York “made it easier for a lot of punters to identify with Kevin.”
It’s not time, it’s the economy
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the election will be a choice between the “It’s Time” factor and economic management. Wobbles in international financial markets will make voters more likely to stick with the managers that steered them through the Asian crash of 1997 and the wake of the dot com bust, writes Christian Kerr.
Will Rudd’s arrow through the forest hit its target?
There is in fact no substantial evidence to suggest the 2004 forest policy made a difference in any seat in the country apart from Braddon (Tas), writes Peter Brent. So Rudd should beware.
…and you, sir, are no Paul Keating
We did not need Peter Costello to tell us that he’s not like Paul Keating. If he was he would be Prime Minister today.
