Special Minister of State John Faulkner will move to the Defence portfolio to cover the resignation of Joel Fitzgibbon.
Fitzgibbon resignation
Crikey Says: Britain v Australia: a tale of two MP scandals
Crikey is normally shy of the crass nationalism so readily found in the mainstream media. But for once, it’s worth pondering the effectiveness of the Australian political system…
Defence Department v Defence Ministers: an unhappy relationship
Once again Defence has proved to be a ministerial graveyard, with Kevin Rudd now having to appoint Australia’s sixth defence minister in little over a decade … What is troubling about his tenure is his suggestion last night that people in the Defence organisation may have worked to undermine his stewardship of the portfolio, writes Patrick Walters.
Unassailable Rudd looks vulnerable for first time
Fitzgibbon was forced to resign just as he was beginning the most ambitious reform of the Defence Department in decades. It is an open question whether that reform program will be salvaged. Rudd’s political immortality is probably unsalvageable, writes Peter Hartcher.
What Rudd did next
Rudd wants only a very limited reshuffle. There are some underperformers in the outer ministry and the young and restless parliamentary secretaries are itching for promotion. But for now stability is probably the better course, says Michelle Grattan.
Wright: Nice try Rudd, but you’ll have to pick up the pace
Did Howard really misplace five ministers in his first term? And three parliamentary secretaries? Quite a mover, that old bloke. Better try to catch up, writes Tony Wright.
Banham: Monster portfolio too big for Fitzgibbon
The Defence portfolio was a reward from Rudd for helping him obtain party leadership — but it was too much for a cautious minister like Fitzgibbon to handle, argues Cynthia Banham.
Phillip Coorey: first Rudd government casualty
Mr Fitzgibbon’s downfall stripped the gloss off a week in which the Government learnt it had kept the economy out of recession.
Dodd: Undone by his own failings
Joel Fitzgibbon was brought down by his own sloppy ministerial standards, says Mark Dodd.
Pearlman: One banana skin too many
Fitzgibbon’s ministerial career ended after a sorry history of oversights rather than one single sackable offence, says Jonathan Pearlman.
politicians behaving badly Defence Minister Fitzgibbon’s gone
The beleaguered Defence minister is gone (read the back story here). Who will replace him?
