When Collingwood and Saint Kilda drew in the 2010 AFL Grand Final, immediately after the game there was a sense of shock which quickly spilled into a quite eery feeling of nothing. Not dread a such. Not sadness per se. Definitely not happiness, but a feeling of 'what the hell just happened?' Speaking to a pair who attended the game, they remarked at just how silent the walk out of the MCG was. Saints and Collingwood fans equally depressed with the fact NOTHING happened. After the build up of Grand Final week the outcome (that week) bore no resemblance to the expectedness of what should have happened. What was expected. And the fans walking out of the MCG together that fateful day, were in mutual agony at the result. With that in mind, going to sleep tonight feels a lot like the Grand Final Draw.
Most people went to bed last night wondering if and what would happen today and/or tomorrow. It was the huge stampeding white elephant in the room/chamber/house and everyone - from Political Journalist/Commentator to average person on the street had an opinion on whether or not the Prime Minister should still be PM, or in fact resign/step down and make way for
My newly acquired book 'The Rise of the Ruddbot - OBSERVATIONS FROM THE GALLERY' by ABC's Annabel Crabb (so far) has depicted the last months in office for the Howard Government. Hilariously humorous but not completely earth shattering. However the thing that strikes me as fabulous is, that the way Crabb describes Howard, is the same way the media now is portraying Gillard. Deeply unpopular yet still somehow able to retain leadership. Another non political example is in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, one of the main themes specific to that book is History repeating itself, which effectively is what is going on here. Granted Howard's demise, came after, over a decade in the Prime Ministership and the current state of politics looks set to dispose of Gillard after one 'outright' term.
The contest for the Labor Leadership, which has been bubbling for a long while now, finally spilled over again this week, after the ALP looked set to try and rush through Media Reform Bills before the Autumn Recess (which starts when Parliament adjourns tonight). So when Prime Minister Julia Gillard stood up in Question Time on Tuesday, and said "The election which I have called in September [will be a] choice between "a strong feisty woman and a policy weak man" [and] "I will win" frankly, many thought shit was about to hit the ceiling. Wednesday saw the enlarged elephant in the room as the leadership problem and was not helped at all by (former/ex) chief Government Whip Joel Fitzgibbon fanning the fire late Wednesday night.
Why does everything happen on a Thursday? People die, Universities are overloaded and people are at their crankiest on a Thursday, so why should anything else happen. Last year it was Asylum Seekers before the Winter Break and today it was Leadership speculation before the Autumn break. Thursdays are just crappy days. But I guess the only thing that is good about a Thursday, is that Friday follows. Nevertheless, the day that was intended to D Day for the Government turned out to be a flop for everyone whose name is not Julia Gillard. Not only do we go to sleep tonight with her as Leader, she is also Leader unopposed. What even?!?! After Simon Crean burst the puss filled pimple that is Labor Leadership, in a Press Conference earlier this morning, where he tried to call (some might say blackmail) Rudd into contesting the leadership he also volunteered himself as a possible deputy. Why? Was it just as simple as he said? To help fix and bring about change in the Labor Party, or was there something else? Never mind now I guess...
The point being, Im pretty sure someone should have consulted our friend Kev on this matter before the Press Conference, because really it was his decision right? He didn't get a voice in his political assassination, but maybe he would like a voice in his apparent comeback? And you know, if someone had, you know like asked, maybe the hoopla of today would need not have happened. As Rudd came out and said something like (but not quoting) 'hey guys, I'm the good guy and I keep my promises, so you won't see me on the ballot paper today' Just a thought. As between the real looking, fake Twitter accounts, and the MSM how is one, let alone a political junkie supposed to even grasp what the heck is going on in Canberra. At least 3 authentic looking, Rudd Twitter accounts were made and confused the living braincells out of many people today. Who knew an ill-placed underscore in a Twitter name would cause SO much shenanigans!
Nevertheless, as we close our eyes tonight and switch off our love affair with Canberra for another 7 weeks, while our representatives go out and mingle with society, let us remember our fallen pollies, who tonight might be feeling a little bit silly. And maybe even our pollies, who like our courageous Prime Minister has wiped the (metaphorical) sweat after today's proceedings from her brow, ready to face another onslaught of mind-numbing questions tomorrow.
And remember the only thing more exciting for this Opposition other than a Labor Leadership spill, is the lack of a budget surplus come May. So hold on to your horses as when Parliament resumes things may get even stickier!
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