Behind the horror scenes, the ALP must now switch to election survival mode.

WHILE the government has squirmed and stressed all week under the horror of the Thomson affair, behind the scenes some Labor figures are mulling how it can ''save the furniture'' at the election.

And the furniture now at risk is not just all those House of Representatives seats, but the present control of the Senate by Labor and the Greens. It is becoming increasingly possible that Tony Abbott could end up with a Senate where the balance of power rests with crossbenchers who lean to the right.

Leaving aside the many ALP MPs set to lose their seats in a huge defeat, the size of the loss can have big implications for those who would have senior jobs in an ALP opposition: the likes of Bill Shorten, Jason Clare, Greg Combet, Chris Bowen, Mark Dreyfus, Mark Butler, Tanya Plibersek and Richard Marles. A result like Queensland could see such talent grow old(ish) in opposition

Despite Kevin Rudd's February trouncing, which suggested (including to this writer) that he was finished, he is again being talked about. Labor figures say they can't go to an election with about a 30 per cent primary vote (a Galaxy poll has federal ALP at 23 per cent in Queensland) and the dominant view is that if a change is made, Rudd is the only sensible option.

As Labor MPs start to contemplate whether they can stomach a change, and if so how to execute it, they might ponder the following scenario. (This is not a prediction - just an idea that could have some merit for a desperate party.)

Assume Labor could find a way through the problems of switching leader and installed Rudd by late this year. His intention before the February leadership vote was, if he won, to try to last the full term. But given the current political scene, to say nothing of problems he would face within Labor, the best and perhaps only possible course could be for him to go to the polls quickly.

Arguing the need for certainty, he could make a virtue of denouncing the Thomson affair, ditching the crossbenchers and distancing Labor from the Greens. He could also seek a mandate for modifying the carbon price, which key Labor people believe is one of the most important factors killing the government.


http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/labor-facing-battle-to-save-the...

Armchair_Politician wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 7:12am:

You are not alone. There is great anger and hatred toward labor. This latest thomson $770 issue should drag in a few more to hate labor.

Yes the media is doing a good job with their anti-gillard campaign.

SOB

progressiveslol wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 7:19am:


At least they can't blame Abbott for that - she's doing the work for them all by herself!