I actually think Rudd will change several Labor policies. He'll push to the right, despite being something of a leftist himself, in order to win votes. He'll almost certainl back-track on some of those more rightist moves - such as the new, harsher asylum-seeker policy - if he wins the election.
I very much doubt it. I think Rudd will want some more time than the average person in his position, simply so he can be seen to be "undoing" Gillard's "mistakes." It might be a little early - Rudd has already mentioned the coincidence of the election falling on Yom Kippur - but I doubt he'll make much of a change to the date.
It's hard to be PM if you've resigned from politics, which Gillard has done. She's not contesting the next election.
I had forotten all about that. I realised she'd been elected Senate Leader, but since I'm not a racist or a homophobe her ethnicity and sexuality never even occurred to me. Her gender only did because her predecessor mentioned it in his valedictory speech. I'm very surprised the media didn't make it an issue though. I'm even more surprised Abbot, noted bastion of tolerance, didn't either. He seems shell-shocked in his public appearances. I think he's scared that Rudd's numbers will result in an electoral defeat for the Coalition, or Turnbull taking him out before the election.
That is clearly false. If Labor did that they'd lose government for even longer than they had to wait under Howard. None of the current political players - Shorten being the obvious heir-apparent - would take such a risk, as it would eliminate any chance of themselves ever rising to the position of Prime Minister.
Which, if you remember, was also their reason for ousting him for Gillard in the first place (all these stories of a dysfunctional government and authoritarian leadership weren't revealed until Rudd made his first comeback attempt in February last year).
Isn't it the goal of all political parties to get as many people to vote for them as possible?
Rudd is so much better than Abbot that even if he was terrible at implementing policies - and I'd like to see a single example that's not the ETS or his APEC-style regional federation that was never intended as anything but a sound-byte - he'd still be the obvious choice for intelligent voters this election.
I'm firmly convinced that Rudd would have stepped aside for Gillard by now if she'd simply waited her turn. Now she's forced into retirement. Serves her right.I bet Rudd feels good now, especially after Gillard stabbed him in the back.
I guess it is all fair and square now
Very much so. He's incredibly sleazy and slimy, but Gillard was so unpopular that he was winning by default. In every interview he's given since Rudd returned to power he's looked somewhat shell-shocked. I think he's very frightened that Rudd will pull out a victory, utterly humiliating Abbot and ending his career, since if he manages to lose this previously in-the-bag election, he'll be kicked out of his own party forthwith.
