Where to begin?!?!

Oh God! What a day! Where does one even start? Obviously all the events of today have lead to the de-throning of the first female prime minister Ms Julia Gillard, to the former prime minister Kevin Rudd, but it was a long and treacherous ride to get to this point. 

The day started with Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott announcing that they would not contest the next election in the seats of New England and Lyne respectively.  Now on an ordinary day, in an ordinary parliament this would not make more than be few hours worth of news, but most people know the last three (some say five) years have been anything other than easy or straightforward! 

One of the other key Independents Bob Katter, then came out and said that he would support  his BFF Kevin in a Rudd lead ALP government, because in his words 'no one was driving the bus' anymore. At that point, I had Simon Crean flashbacks, of him eventually being the sacrificial lamb that was put up as a catalyst offering, in the hopes of sparking a Labor leadership vote, when in actual fact he lost his cabinet position and there was no leadership vote. 

Going into Question Time there was a rumour a flying around that a petition was making the rounds, to Labor MPs to force a caucus meeting to determine the leadership. It spread like wildfire, but no one could say, with absolute certain, that this was true.  When the Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott, rose to ask the first question of the day, people waited with bated breath as to how soon Abbott would call to suspend standing orders and seek to initiate a vote of non confidence. Very surprisingly, it was towards the end of questions today that the theme of leadership was brought up.  But alas the vote is not gain a majority, let alone an absolute majority. 

Adding to speculation also, was Foreign Minister Bob Carr making a personal executive decree that states that Foreign Ministers will not talk about domestic matters. How horrendous for a person hand picked by the then prime minister, to suddenly stop worrying about domestic affairs.... 

Julia Gillard then came out and proactively sought a caucus meeting for later in the day to decide/silence/fix/change the ALP leadership one final time before the election - presumably still on September 14. Kevin Rudd came out shortly after,  and agreed to put his name forward - a step up from last time. The condition both sides agreed to was, whomever loses the leadership battle, would bow out of Federal Politics and not contest the next election, and at this point it s still anyone's game! 

The battle lines were drawn, ALP members held 'secret' meeting with each other and Bill Shorten held a doorstop meeting with journalists ... The result, Shorten flip flopped to join forces with ex prime minister Kevin Rudd. It was a sombre affair, but the vibe I got, was that it needed to happen. After months of denying there was a real polling problem within the ALP, Labor MP's  had decided that if they wanted to be in a job come the election (according to the polls) they needed a change. 

One thing that stood out tonight was, at no point today did any Labor politician look happy about what was transpiring. Julia Gillard I can understand, but the other members, it was like they were doing something just because it was part of the bigger picture. Like when someone needs to get a vaccination to travel to some parts of the world, the needles aren't fun but the places you will go are. Only in our scenario the place is Canberra in a post-election Parliament. 

It emerged after nearly an hour of voting and deliberating, that in fact Kevin Rudd had made is long awaited return to the top job, ousting the one, who ousted him! 45- 57, by no means a landslide but a win is a win right? The tables have finally turned, and after years (we can say that right?!) of leaks and politicking, apparently Federal Labor is back on track. With the man who brought us Kevin07! Probably he will need to re-label to something more current Kevin13?  It doesn't have quite the same ring to it, but I am sure it will look just as good on a T-shirt and a poster and a stubby holder and a cap and as a Facebook picture and a ... Well you get the picture. Anthony 'Albo' Albanese was elected Deputy Prime Minister and a range of quasi cabinet appointments i am sure will follow. I say quasi appointments because in the not to distant future there will be an election (sooner if Abbott had anything to do with it) and who knows what will happen now! 

Julia Gillard has copped a lot of flack since she assumed the prime ministership in 2010 some justified and some seriously quite petty. One this is certain, she will go into the history books for a range of reasons. 

Looking back over the day, there is one thing I am not too sure about, and that is the reasoning behind Bob Katter coming out to the media,and professing his unwavering support for his BFF Kevin Rudd. We all know that Rudd and Katter are friends, but I don't recall any Members of Parliament (other than from the Coalition) ever coming out forcefully supporting an alternative Labor member (not the PM) for the leadership.  The language he used, of " no one is driving the ALP bus" and that "Julia Gillard can not control the party any longer'' was almost like he was hoping a spill would going to happen for the sake of his friend. The only difference between Katter and Crean, is that Katter would not (or could not) be dealt any punishment by the party as he is an Independent. A friend helping a friend, and not even making the ultimate political sacrifice in the process. Yes Katter did say was going against his party in doing so, but when you create a party, who is to say you can't go against yourself?

All I can say with certain is two things. 1) the word BREAKING: is now no longer relevant when discussing Australian Politics - especially after a day like today, and 2) That tomorrow will be just as crazy, given the Lower House in parliament has one more day of sitting. 

Baaa Baaa, but I am NOT a sheep.

I haven't written in over a month! Golly Wolly!! Why, you may ask? Suddenly have I lost the ability to type on my little iPad keyboard? Lost the will to live? (Almost, but no), No I have been dreading my next blog post because I do not want to become a sheep. Baa Baa. 

In the week after budget week, political commentators, journalists and nerds were talking about the governments need to administer an aggressive legislative agenda, as there were only 4 more parliamentary sitting weeks before the Federal Election in September. Important debates on policy were promised, and, like a misguided fool, I believed them. Wonderful I thought four glorious weeks in which the media, the journalists I look up to, and the public will be captivated by the magnitude of political debates on offer. But no, the next week Kevin07 came out in favor of Gay Marriage, and that in itself triggered another round of leadership speculation. When would the Prime Minister be out of a job? Would it be hours, days, or a week? Shock horror, she, after another month, is still in her job.  

Honestly, the Abbott Coalition must be sleeping easier, knowing the biggest threat to the government, and the prime minister come from within the party. I am currently re-reading Mungo MacCallum's How to be a megalomaniac (or, advice to a young politician),  and a quote about enemies, frighteningly resembles the ALP and the position Julia Gillard is currently in. "A newcomer took his place in the House and looked across the chamber. 'There they are,' he breathed. 'The enemy.'  An old hand sitting nearby smiled sardonically: 'No son, that's the opposition. The enemy are the ones sitting all around you.' The sad part about the current situation, is that, one only needs to think, let alone say the words 'leadership spill' and it becomes the mainstream media's front page news for the next week. That being said however, at the moment, Kevin Rudd just needs to leave his house in the morning, for him to be apparently 'contesting the prime ministership'. 

My, my how far have we fallen. One of the sad parts about watching the ABC's documentary on Gough Whitlam, is that I can see how much as changed in the way of political discourse. No longer, do we have question times, where the questions aren't rehearsed or predictable. Already, we know the Coalition will ask questions on: The carbon Tax, the budget 'black hole'  and either try to get a no confidence motion passed, or play with standing orders until Speaker Burke tells everyone to shut it or get lost.  

I do not want to be a sheep when it comes to political matters, but the way I see it, at the moment you are either a sheep (being disgruntled with the stupidity of federal politics) or an emu with its head in the sand. You are either shaking you head at the lack of any substance in the political sphere, or don't give a dam and plan to donkey vote, come Election Day. Neither of which, are options I like.  So instead, I am re reading the 2013-14 federal and state budget papers - a fun alternative really. 

I am mad, at the fact I can not turn on my tv / open a newspaper (or my iPad for online news) and find that, since the last time I looked, the government have come to a real, working compromise with the <insert: Greens, Coalition or Independents> on <insert issue here>. I am mad that it feels like every blog post I now read, is about one of three things, 1) Leadership speculation 2) Someones disdain with mainstream media and the way in which they report 3) Kim Kardashian's pregnancy (and apparent baby girl). Why are they my three options. 

From all reports, the 2010 Federal Election was one of the worst elections ever, and produced what the Leader of the Opposition claims is the worst government in the history of governments, but what about the 2013 election? If the last two and then some years have been anything to go on, the coming election may be even worse! Perhaps not in terms of a government at the end (polls show am almost landslide for the Coalition), but in terms of an election campaign, this one looks set to be as crappy as they come. The more ridiculous the better.  

And so, with so little time remaining before the election, (I have already received my first round of election propaganda!!) I beg people to stop engaging in the crap (cough, I mean leadership speculation/ politician bickering) that is engulfing our news, and care about making a difference in someone's life. A favored quote of mine is, "courage is not the absence of fear, but rather, the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, the the cautious do not live at all." Let us all be brave and have the courage take a stand against what is right. Life is short and we all are too busy to care as to whether or not Kevin07 will run again for the ALP leadership. If he does yay. If not, who cares. Focus on the tangible and with a bit of luck the 'scratchy feel' politics has, according to Annabel Crabb, will dissipate.