Wayne Swan's statement on Rudd's resignation

Updated February 22, 2012 20:57:30
Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan has issued a statement slamming Kevin Rudd, following his resignation as foreign minister:

Prime Minister Gillard and I and the overwhelming majority of our colleagues have been applying our Labor values to the policy challenges in front of us and we’re succeeding despite tremendous political obstacles.

For the sake of the labour movement, the Government and the Australians which it represents, we have refrained from criticism to date.

However for too long, Kevin Rudd has been putting his own self-interest ahead of the interests of the broader labour movement and the country as a whole, and that needs to stop.

The Party has given Kevin Rudd all the opportunities in the world and he wasted them with his dysfunctional decision making and his deeply demeaning attitude towards other people including our caucus colleagues. 

He sought to tear down the 2010 campaign, deliberately risking an Abbott Prime Ministership, and now he undermines the Government at every turn.
He was the Party's biggest beneficiary then its biggest critic; but never a loyal or selfless example of its values and objectives.

For the interests of the labour movement and of working people, there is too much at stake in our economy and in the political debate for the interests of the labour movement and working people to be damaged by somebody who does not hold any Labor values.

Julia has the overwhelming support of our colleagues. She is tough, determined, forward-looking, and has a good Labor heart.  She has a consultative, respectful relationship with caucus while Kevin Rudd demeaned them. 

She's cleaned up a lot of the mess he left her and has established a good, Labor agenda.  She's delivering major reforms, and getting things done that her predecessor could not.  Colleagues are sick of Kevin Rudd driving the vote down by sabotaging policy announcements and undermining our substantial economic successes.

The Labor Party is not about a person, it's about a purpose.  That's something Prime Minister Gillard has always known in her heart but something Kevin Rudd has never understood.

First posted February 22, 2012 20:48:39

From ABC News Site

The ALP clean-out needs to start today.

The ALP clean-out needs to start today - but it probably will not.

Already the Media is pointing out that John Robertson IS part of the PROBLEM, not part of the SOLUTION. I agree.

What about this comment, from Crikey today?

• "The arrogance of Iguana-gate was far from unusual in NSW Labor, he said -- recalling one senior frontbencher, still in the Legislative Council, who entered a restaurant late at night and ordered staff to re-open the kitchen just so he and his team could have a meal. Senior Labor figures, he added, regularly spoke with utter disdain about the working-class people they were supposed to represent.
• "He had sailed too deep into NSW Labor's heart of darkness. Now he campaigns for the Liberals.
• "Pat's tale is a personal one -- yet it is also the story of the election. Over the past four years, many Labor loyalists in NSW decided the party no longer represented their interests or their values. The ALP was seen not as a light on a hill but as a patronage machine interested above all in perpetuating its own power."

As I have said before, the ALP needs to resurrect Ben Chifley. Trouble is the poor old Labor Train Driver now lies buried in an Alien Territory (Bathurst). The Boys from Sussex Street would need to apply for a Visa to get there.

And their applications would be rejected - stamped "Suspected Terrorist".

Its all too late.

Bid Bitar Bye-Bye!

Today's  Crikey says: "Bitar's reign of mayhem comes to an end too late for NSW and Fed Labor" 

Ain't that the truth.

Bye Bye Bitter Bitar (Source ALP website)

Today's SMH reports this: ''I am extremely optimistic about the Party's future and absolutely confident that the Government under Prime Minister Gillard will go from strength to strength in the coming months and be in a strong position for a decisive win at the next election,'' he said in a statement today." Read more here:


Now all we have to do is get rid of Mark Arbib. 

For that we will probably need the permission of his "controllers" over at Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600. But history shows once he has outlived his usefulness, as a "protected source" he will be discarded.

Well, not all, but that's be a great start to bringing the Labor Party back to its true beliefs and principles and values.

Ben Chifley

"I try to think of the Labour movement, not as putting an extra sixpence into somebody's pocket, or making somebody Prime Minister or Premier, but as a movement bringing something better to the people, better standards of living, greater happiness to the mass of the people. We have a great objective - the light on the hill - which we aim to reach by working for the betterment of mankind not only here but anywhere we may give a helping hand". Source: Chifley Research Centre


Well, that is unless we can dig up Ben Chifley - from his grave in Bathurst?

• "If an idea is worth fighting for, no matter the penalty, fight for the right, and truth and justice will prevail." 

That's my favourite quote from Ben Chifley.

Baleful influence of "NSW Right" on ALP

Bernard Keane in Crikey has hit the nail on the head today (in Crikey's Morning Election Update).
He says:

• "Getting rid of the baleful influence of NSW Labor on her campaign style might turn out to be a smart play by Gillard, but it’ll only be of any use if she goes all the way and removes the likes of Mark Arbib and Karl Bitar from the government’s policy process as well. That’s where the real damage has been done."

Dead right.
NSW at the State level is addicted to coal mining revenues.
The Union Movement in NSW is addicted to Coal Miners.
The NSW ALP is addicted to the belief that the coal miners keep the Newcastle and Hunter Valley seats in their "safe" hands.

Senator Mark Arbib -
"close adviser to the (former) Prime Minister (Rudd)
and his link to the New South Wales branch of the ALP.

Karl Bitar
National Secretary of the ALP

These backroom boys persuaded Kevin Rudd to abandon any serious response to Global Warming.
The rest is history.

• Rudd is history.
• Gillard will not touch Global Warming, as evidenced by her ridiculous proposal to randomly select 150 unqualified persons to advise the Government.
• It remains to be seen if the Labor Government is history.
  

Costello's "Substance" abuse problem.

Peter Costello has a "Substance" abuse problem.

In the report in today's "Age", we find Peter Costello claiming: "Substance is what counts, you've got to have substance in politics if you are going to deliver jobs and successful businesses," he said.
Source: The Age - Fairfax Digital - 14 September 2007

Given that the main body of the article (and the Headline) is about "Rudd "arrogance" - out of control", the concluding sentence (quoted above) amounts to "substance abuse". In that report, there is not a single word of substance issued by Mr Costello, just abuse of Mr Rudd.

Costello's ideas of "Substance" apparently are limited to abusive words: Arrogance, Triumphalism, Arrogance and then a prediction that the Labor Party's new advertising campaign "will not get much traction with (sic) the electorate".

This amounts to "Substance Abuse".

Blog closed and deleted

I had a Blog which ran for more than a year and a half, which most recently carried the name "Rudd for PM - Beazley for GG (maybe)". It started out as "When will Kim Beazley resign?"

The "maybe" was added some time ago, after it became Kim Beazley was partaking in an early retirement from public office, (while still on the public payroll).

Well, tonight I have taken down that entire Blog - as I am afraid I no longer believe in where Kevin 07 is taking the Labor Party.

The latest proposal for watering down of the Labor Party's IR proposals is the last straw.

See what Miss Eagle thinks - on her Blog (today). Miss Eagle is an experienced industrial representative (former union official). She knows how this stuff works, in the real world (or doesn't work). If she is calling for changes to policy, its because she is aware that what is proposed is just rubbish policy.

*****

Australia needs the Labor Party to stand up for what it is meant to believe in.

Gutless is as Gutless does.

Peter Garrett was whining hopelessly a few days ago, saying, in effect, when will people realise that I am a member of the Labor Party, and am following its policies? Leave me alone - I am no longer a rock singer. What he should have said was "I am no longer a political activist". I'll leave you alone, Peter. As Joh Bjelke-Petersen used say: "Don't you worry about that!"

Its "Sell-out City" at Labor Party HQ, these days.

My response is to cancel and delete that old Blog (which I had not added to since about February or March - such was my lack of enthusiasm for "the Rudd Cause"). But now I have gone the whole hog, and deleted it entirely - because having the title up on my side bar was becoming an embarrassment. I no longer believe in that cause - because Kevin 07 appears not to believe in the Labor Party's heritage and traditions.

Democracy is dying in Kiama Electorate.

Kindly read my posting over at The Nature of Robertson about how our political freedoms in Kiama are being restricted.

Some body (or some people) have been pulling down signs opposing the pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer.

These signs are comments on a particular engineering project which is being implemented by the Sydney Catchment Authority.

They in no way say who to vote for in the next election.
They do not contravene any provisions of the Electoral Act (we have checked).
The Council is not likely to have paid overtime to their employees, to pull down signs about a project which the Council itself opposes, over a weekend.

Some of them are made by kids, for goodness sake!
Not all of these signs have yet been removed (as far as I know). Let us hope this outrage stops RIGHT NOW!


Freedom of expression is being repressed in the Kiama Electorate. Strangely, further east from Sheepwash Road (in the Goulburn Electorate) our signs have not been touched.

When considering such an action, ask yourself: Who stands to benefit?
Well, it ain't Rocket Science.

There is only one political party which supports the pumping of water from the Kangaloon Aquifer. It does this, regardless of risks to the environment, and risks to the livelihood of local farmers.

That is the ALP.

Their representative in Kiama is Mr Matt Brown.

Kindly draw your own conclusions.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Where do I start?

1. Kelvin Thompson's stupid lapse?
2. Kevin Rudd's appointment of Young Ludwig as Shadow Attorney General? (a "courageous decision" in the terms of "Yes, Minister" methinks).
3. Shelley Archer, in WA, getting caught up in the CCC investigations over there - lets blame everyone else but ourselves, eh, Shelley?
4. Dr Heather Beattie, (Peter's wife, apparently an academic specialist in Nursing issues) about to be drafted for Lord Mayor of Brisbane. What? I can just hear the screams of anguish over that one. It didn't help Nick Greiner's Premiership, having his wife on the Sydney Council. Heather may well be a thoroughly well qualified candidate, but...
   
5. Morrie Iemma's announcement of a pipeline from the Wingecarribee Reservoir (between Robertson and Moss Vale) to Goulburn. This idea was kicked around back in 2005, but nothing has happened since. Great - a mere $40 million, for a pipeline, which is supposed to be able to be constructed in 12 months. What a joke! Try 3 years, if it would take a day. The people of Sutton Forest, etc will resist this pipeline going through their Horse Studs and vineyards. But, hey, Morrie don't care about them, as there's not a single Labor Vote to be lost from there. I am not against giving the people of Goulburn a helping hand, but what happened to John Howard's announcement of a pipeline from the Googong Reservoir to Goulburn? That idea was floated just a few weeks ago. This Canberra Times report of November 2006, says coyly that Mr Iemma was "unaware" of the proposal. Cute. That's Morrie, at his best.
6. Of course, the water from the Wingecarribee Reservoir is primarily Shoalhaven Water transferred (stolen) by the SCA, anyway. So, having been stolen by Sydney, what's to prevent Morrie giving it away to Goulburn. After all they have an independent candidate there, who was Mayor of Goulburn until a week ago. Not that I am suggesting there is any political component to this idea!
7. And today we learnt of rumours that two coal mining groups are seriously investigating extending coal mining under the Southern Highlands. One from Sutton Forest through Moss Vale towards the catchment area. That might take them under the Wingecarribee Reservoir, and would definitely require it going under the Wingecarribee River. This is a longwall mining proposal. Subsidence issues abound. The second one is of an Indian Mining company talking about mining under the kanaloon Aquifer area itself. Terrific. There's every likelihood that subsidence will destroy the Nepean and Avon Rivers, if that goes ahead.
   

What a day of bad news!

The Ghost of WA Inc.

The ghostly figure at the centre of the WA Inc scandal from years ago has re-emerged at the centre of yet another scandal, supposedly to do with currying favour on behalf of clients.
Now the Schoolboy has been caught out sharing the Ghost's play-lunch, it seems.

It is a terrible mess, and of course, there is probably nothing to it (on a true ethical or moral basis). But the Little Headmaster is wanting to beat the Schoolboy's trousers. Unfortunately for him, the first person to get in the way of the Headmaster's wildly swinging cane was Senator Soup-Can (one of the Headmaster's own team).

It might look tough justice for Senator Soup-Can. However, I would favour the view that it is the very least he deserves for his failure to protect the Barrup Peninsula and the ancient Aboriginal Rock Art (petroglyphs) from the Woodside company's Natural Gas operation. I figure it is a kind of political karma, for the Soup-Can man.

Interestingly, the "holier than thou" tones being propagated out of the hauty noses of Abbot and Costello might cause embarrassment to numerous business leaders, with interests in WA (and who of them doesn't?). It is apparent that if anyone in business wanted to succeed in WA, they first hired Brian and Julian, to smoothe their path. And that means we are talking about the largest merchant bankers, and mining companies in the land. Careful, Pete. Don't let your enthusiasm for "fagging the new Schoolboy" find yourself causing embarrassment to your own partisan bank-rollers. It's just not done, Peter. Ask Ron, and some of his mates, for some advice, before you make more of a fool of yourself than normal.

If you are interested in more on the current harrumphing of politicians and media pundits, go to " The Road to Surfdom".

NSW has a weird view of land rights.

The Sydney Morning Herald has a poorly written piece today. Are all SMH journalists as uncritical as Andrew Clennell? His piece was entitled "Native title deal after 11 years". Look at the whole article before proceeding.

*****

Here is an annotated version of this article - which I was sent by a friend. I think it warrants being published in its own right. (The comments in red are not from the original published article - but that will be self-evident.)

*****

Native title deal after 11 years

TWO native title deals - including the biggest ever settled in NSW - are to be announced by the State Government before the election in March.

Depending on your point of view:- this is an announcement so you will be ready and waiting when we do make an announcement, or - the more likely reason - we want two bites at the PR cherry, the now and the photo opportunity later when everyone is back from the beach/Thailand/Bali/New York

The Government confirmed yesterday that it would approve the biggest native title claim, with the Githabul people in an area north of Tenterfield, next month.

We want every blackfella in NSW and all members of ANTAR to recognise what we are doing for Aboriginal people

It is also about to settle a claim with the Arakwal people, near Byron Bay.

Ditto

The native title claimants gave up the fight for freehold title to make the deals possible.

We didn't teach the A Team to negotiate like Keating did, so if they don't like the deal they only have themselves to blame.

The Premier, Morris Iemma, is expected to attend a ceremony at Toonumbar dam in the state's north-east on February 28 to settle the Githabul people's 11-year-old claim.

We have looked up the SOI and consulted Phil Koperberg and decided that there will be neither rain nor bushfire in the vicinity so have decided that this will be the best day and the best light for the aforesaid photo opportunity. The date is probably as close as we can get to Election Day and still allow time for the good news of our good deed to sink in and to allow the voting public to study Morrie's picture so they can identify him.

Settling the claim will give the local Aboriginal corporation about 120 hectares of land, allow Aborigines to hunt for turtles and give them a say over the handling of national parks and state forests. It should also provide job opportunities for Aboriginal people with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Read aforesaid comments on negotiating skills and techniques. Haven't checked to see if there are turtles there. EPA keeping its fingers crossed that turtles do better in the vicinity of Toonumbar dam than Sydney Rock Oyster farms have done. And, yeah, the blackfellas will get a say over how to open the gates to the national parks and state forests but we'll decide how much money and to whom the money flows from aforesaid national parks and state forests. For job opportunities for Aboriginal people with the National Parks and Wildlife Service see aforesaid sentence.

The deal is largely restricted to 70,000 hectares of national park and state forest land and will not affect farmland.

We are not putting up with the aggravation from all those rural whingers in the Western Division like the Feds did with Mabo. And of course, we - the government, ahem, the people of NSW actually control the national parks and the state forests so no one will notice anything different. All photo opps and no aggravation.

The director-general of the NSW Department of Lands, Warwick Watkins, said yesterday a final settlement was also expected before March with the Arakwal people. In 2001, the Government announced that it would negotiate with them about how the national park there would be used, but there has been a further claim, which is about to be settled.

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

Trevor Close, the native title claimant for the Githabul land, which extends from Tenterfield to Kyogle, said Aboriginal people got "very little" out of the deal other than the right to hunt turtles and a say in how the national parks were run.

Please note above.

However, he was happy to see it resolved after 11 years of negotiations.

Wasn't getting anywhere anyway, so we are trying to walk away from the lack of negotiating table with some dignity still intact.

"A lot of people think it's a great deal," he said, "but they don't actually see how much the Githabul gave up - we moved a hell of a lot to get this deal."

Some of us thought some sort of deal signed, sealed and delivered to-day would be better than nothing and might let us have an opportunity to try again another day.

Mr Watkins agreed the deal was largely symbolic, but said it was important spiritually to Aboriginal people and similar to a native title agreement reached over Crown land covering Perth several years ago.

See above and ditto. We don't really believe in this spiritual stuff but they reckon they do so there's nothing in it for us and doesn't cost us much so we're letting 'em, have a bit of a dreamtime.

The National Party leader, Andrew Stoner, said that the native title agreement was an "obvious vote-buying exercise in the lead-up to the March state election".

How dare they pinch our template for doing deals with blackfellas if and when we get to government.

He said greater involvement of Aboriginal people in the management of the areas was "likely to result in a more commonsense approach than the extreme green approach taken by the NSW Labor Government".

And you say I'm colour blind if I think Morrie Iemma and the socialists are extreme green. I'll have you know that green is my favourite colour but only the green on the National Party website and election posters and advertising - and, of course, when we are wearing it with our Irish Catholic neighbours at the various St Pat's Day races around country NSW.

PS: Just remember this is democracy in action - there are plenty of dictatorships and one party governments that you can live under where this doesn't happen at all, and some of them are at war or killing their own!

What does the ALP believe in?

Well, as a first post, let us start with the big one.

Is the Labor Party a believer in Socialism, Democratic Socialism, Chardonnay Socialism, Volvo Socialism, or sweet F.A.?

Here is a link to The Age of this morning, which carries as a banner headline "Rudd rejects Socialism". Kevin Rudd's outpourings to a women's group last night have not been picked up at all by the ABC News services, for reasons which puzzle me. Just because Michelle Grattan of "The Age" got the story does not usually cause the ABC to ignore it.

Is it a true story? I would love to know.