Paul Sheehan Sydney Morning Herald columnist
June 27, 2013 - 2:11PM
Julia Gillard: her time was up. Photo: Andrew Meares
It was so very typical of Julia Gillard to choose the most conspicuous place in Parliament, short of the dispatch box during question time -the Aussies cafe - to sit and sup in full view, the morning after she died by the sword, having lived by the sword.
She seemed chipper, just as she was characteristically sturdy the night before in her concession speech. With time to reflect, she will see her political demise as a mercy killing. Her condition had been diabolical. She had become the issue. She had become the liability. She was leading her party to an annihilating defeat.
In his short political career, he had knifed both his leaders. He has blood on both hands and both arms.
And she was seen, rightly, as the worst kind of hypocrite. In knifing her leader three years ago, she had cited his poor opinion poll numbers, saying the public had lost confidence in him. Her poll numbers were far worse, with far greater consequence, and had been far worse for much longer. Yet she felt entitled to remain as leader. It was a double standard.
Bill Shorten: backed Kevin Rudd. Photo: Harrison Saragossi
She will see that now. She will know that being betrayed by Bill Shorten was far preferable to being pulverised by the public, creating the worst kind of precedent for the first female prime minister.
As for Bill Shorten, why would you hold a press conference half an hour before a leadership ballot, to announce that you were deserting your second prime minister? In his short political career, he had knifed both his leaders. He has blood on both hands and both arms. After weeks of stating that he was supporting Gillard, no one will trust him now. His former comrades at the Australian Workers Union regard him as a rat.
The only logical reason to hold a press conference was to seek to ensure he had made the winning switch, creating an impression of fracturing support for Gillard, and signalling the unions were no longer solid behind Gillard.
Another big day in federal politics
Prime Minister designate Kevin Rudd leaves his Canberra hotel in the front seat on Thursday 27 June 2013. Photo: Andrew Meares
What he achieved was a massive dent to his role as Future Leader, which had looked very strong until 6.31pm yesterday.
Then there is Rudd, who can now take his time and announce an election date of his choosing. It won't be September 14, on principle. The Greens have given him until the end of September, but he can wait longer if he wants the public to get comfortable with his return.
I have been struck by the pervasive cynicism about Rudd in the Canberra press gallery. When his office put out a press notice from the "Prime Minister", even though he was still a backbencher, nobody believed it would take place on time, at 10.15pm. By the time he finally arrived at 10.42pm, there had been much droll comment in the room about "the new Rudd".
He did not even pretend to be new. There was no reference to any reasons why a cascade of ministers were pulling the pin as he spoke.
Rudd said there would be a "renewal" of the ministry. A fine word for carnage. By then, the Liberal Party had put out a video on YouTube made up of insulting comments about Rudd by Gillard, Wayne Swan, Craig Emerson, Peter Garrett, Stephen Smith, Stephen Conroy, Kate Ellis, former senator Graham Richardson and former leader Mark Latham, saying Rudd had been "universally despised by his cabinet colleagues".
Within an hour of Rudd's victory, Gillard, Swan, Garrett, Emerson, Greg Combet and Joe Ludwig had resigned from the ministry.
After the obligatory nod towards "humility", Rudd was fulsome in his praise for the woman on whom he had just exacted revenge: "She is a woman of extraordinary intelligence, great strength and energy."
That is not what he had been telling journalists during numerous background briefings over the past three years.
He spoke at length and said little. This was not the new Rudd. This was Rudd.
Blood on Julia Gillard's guillotine | Kevin Rudd Australia PM
