The new Australian Labor Party

The new Labor Party of Australia
by GDL

On the 10th of June (see below), I wrote that there was political instability in Australia.
This period of uncertainty was becoming unhealthy and could not last as it was bad for
the country both socially and economically. The government was in a sort of stalemate
and business was losing confidence and well as consumers. There was a need to break the deadlock.

Then on Wednesday 26th June, some brave members of the Labour took the bull by the horns
and requested a leadership spill. The once deposed leader Kevin Rudd stood as a challenger to
sitting prime minister Julia Gillard and eventually won the contest.
So on Thursday 27th June Australians had a new prime minister, Honourable Kevin Rudd.
Three years later Kevin Rudd had his revenge on Julia Gillard and she was deposed the same way.
She cannot be too angry as she now bears the consequence of her own action. She paid the price
of deposing a first time sitting prime minister to fulfil her ambition of being the first female
prime minister of Australia. In retrospect she must be saying that she went to fast or burned
the red light.

Julia Gillard did not win the  elections in 2010 but managed to stay in power by negotiating with the Greens and the independents. Her alliance with the Greens was a mistake and was toxic; they forced her to introduce a carbon tax and prevented her to contain the asylym seekers, who came en masse during her term of office. This was another of her many failed policies.

During the prime minister ship of Julia Gillard, the opposition led by Tony Abbott was surfing on a wave of popularity. All the polls were favourable to the opposition from every corners. The polls indicated that voters were sick of this government and its prime minister. But whether they really
wanted a change of government and did they really trust the opposition and wanted Tony Abbott to be the next prime minster, was the real debate.
The question was answered by a snap poll which taken the night that Kevin Rudd replaced Julia Gillard as leader of the labor party. It showed that the primary vote of the labor party had increased by seven points, that on the two party preferred the result  was 50-50 and  that Kevin Rudd was the preferred prime minister. The polls also showed that it will not be a landslide victory of the opposition but a rather close election.

Now the opposition has a real battle on their hands. They cannot be complacent and can no longer
practice the politics of negativity, can no longer use slogans and has to put forward their policies
and plans for the country. Tony Abbott which was up to now sleeping quietly, has to wake up and
show his party's credentials. No excuse will be accepted by the voters, it is only three months to the
general elections and the people need to know the social and economic policies of the opposition.
The media which have up to now focused on the government troubles, will now shift their
attention to the opposition by scrutinising their policies. The pressure is now squarely on the opposition.

The real contest starts now, it is not a personality contest but one of ideas and policies. The party
who can convince the voters that they can best govern for the good and welfare of all the citizens
will be the winner.
Kevin Rudd has already taken the lead. It is up to Tony Abbott to follow.