He Leads With His Left

Prime Minister John Howard makes a 'blistering' personal attack on Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Labor frontbencher Bob McMullan comments:

"I haven't seen the Prime Minister as angry and out of control like that for 20 years," he said. "He's clearly feeling a bit desperate and under pressure."

Perhaps it's because Howard can see the country is about to be hijacked by a two-faced con artist:

Mr Howard said Mr Rudd was "full of himself" and had "the biggest glass jaw in Australian politics".

He said Mr Rudd made life "hell" for journalists who reported what was true.

Joining Mr Howard in the debate was Treasurer Peter Costello, who said Mr Rudd was a man who did not tell the truth, used crude language and held no strong convictions.

"We know what he's like when he's speaking in private," Mr Costello said. "He's not the person that he would have you believe."

Indeed.

One of the greatest insights into Rudd in recent days was buried deep with comments on a Courier-Mail on-line story about Rudd's wife's WorkDirections company ripping off its workers under Union-favoured common law contracts:

Posted by Mark L of Brisbane on Fri 25 May 07 at 09:15am

There is something curious about the fact, that Work Directions became so successful, so quickly.

In the early 1990’s, it sprung from nowhere to become a mega business. I bet there are teams of journalists, digging and probing at the moment, to see if her husband Kevvie gave it a little push along. Remember that, Kevvie was Wayne Goss’s Chief of Staff and later Director General Office of Cabinet.

If you are one of those journalists digging and probing, you can stop right now. You don’t have to go past the Public Service culture which existed post Fitzgerald in the 1990’s.

Remember the “Gulag”? I am sure there are many public servants who remember what it was all about. It was all about compliance with the wishes of the heirarchy in control. Remember Goss was virtually a one man band, who kept a tight control over his Ministers.

Under the direction of individuals, such as Peter Coaldrake, Glynn Davis and Kevin Rudd public servants knew what was expected. They didn’t have to be asked. They were well aware of the consequences of non-compliance.

Remember also that Work Directions received a good portion of its business from Workers’ Compensation.

Now do you realize, why the business became so successful so quickly.

The bottom line is, that Kevvie wouldn’t know what a conflict of interest was, in the slightest.

News.com.au reports Labor is now riding a 20 year popularity high and set to take government.

Astounding that the Australian people, enjoying full employment and one of the strongest economies in the world, should appear about to commit mass suicide, having been charmed by a snake and often with no more consided a motive than feeling like a change.

Oh, you'll get a change, all right.

-- Nick