Feelings of Speech

It was Abraham Lincoln who said that "the best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly." Let's hope the silver lining in the atrocious decision in the Andrew Bolt case is that it drives the push for the Racial Hatred Act 1995 to repealed.

Carbon-maniacs

Gillard knows her carbon tax will be one of the many reasons Labor will lose office at the next poll. She is therefore attempting to Abbott-proof the legislation so that regardless of any mandate he receives to repeal it, the practicalities of doing so will be nigh unachievable.

Henry Ergas has identified the ways this will be enacted here and here.

This is political cunning. And will backfire: if Abbott faces any hurdles in dismantling the scheme, he's already made clear that he would seek a double dissolution election. If Abbott does this, the Australian people will punish both Labor and the Greens for the havoc they caused, and about to legislated unless common sense prevails in the ALP.

Bringing Back the Dudd

"Was it my poor choice of ties? Because I'm obviously smarter than her."

Rudd no doubt wants his old job back. The guy is prone to delusions of grandeur (think UN security council). Two big problems would need to be confronted if his self-righteous pomposity is to again be entertained:

1. What to do with Gillard and the rest of the front bench.

This is a case of who hates who in the Labor zoo. Rudd trusts few members of the current cabinet. Exacting revenge on the likes of Shorten and Swan would be enticing. As for Gillard, putting her on the backbench would be de-stabilising. She might get the urge to leak against him. After all, she'd only be returning the favour given Rudd's actions during the last election.

If Rudd were to return he'd have to dump key policies such as the carbon tax and the so-called Malaysian solution. The reason being, if the policies are good (in Labor's eyes) and better communication is needed then Rudd is not the man for the job. He has a proven record of being an awful communicator; he delivers his speeches with "programmatic specificity". Also, the ministers who previously advocated those policies would lose credibility.

The only things Rudd could feasibly do would be to tear up the agreement with the Greens (they'd never support the Liberals; so much for Gillard being a great negotiator, no negotiation was needed on that one). Rudd could also tell Wilkie to shove it and get Katter on board to hold the numbers. But this doesn't take into account the biggest flaw with such a move.

2. The gloss factor.

It took Abbott six months to knock off Rudd. They stared each other down and Rudd blinked and dropped the ETS. The comeback kid would have to race to an early election. Two years would see Rudd up chocolate creek without a popsicle stick (again).

At the end of the day, Rudd has two personalities: one for the public and one for behind-the-scenes. We caught glimpses of the latter when he irately spoke of 7.30 Report-land to Kerry O'Brien and his rudeness towards Kristina Keneally when they had a difference of opinion. Members of caucus loathe the guy which makes his return all the more impossible.

Read all about the personality of the "old fashioned Christian socialist" here.

The NSW-disease may be spreading to Canberra with these leadership rumblings. Labor would do well to save a few chairs and give whoever survives the next poll something to sit on.

Well Thug Me

Anyone who wants an insight into union culture should watch this.

Kathy Jackson may just be the last true believer (bleeding heart, if you will) of the union movement’s cause.

She, unlike some (most?) of her contemporaries, thinks that union money should be used only for the advancement of union members’ interests. Clearly the woman is crazy. Obviously the only reason a lowly paid hospital orderly would pay fees to a union would be so that the union leadership could frequent brothels and pay for renovations to their houses. And hey, what’s the point of a renovation if it isn’t architecturally designed. What are we? Plebs?

Now this Ms Jackson who has decided to speak out is copping her due. Some union gentleman decided to leave a shovel on her lawn covered in dirt in what was to communicate that she was ‘digging her own grave’. Let’s ignore the fact that Ms Jackson is divorced and is (from what I can gather) the only adult to live in her household. We're talking about real tough guys here. And none are tougher than Bill Ludwig.

Big Bill Ludwig is the head of the AWU in Queensland. He is a Labor Party powerbroker. Julia Gillard described herself as a friend of Bull Ludwig (anyone who isn’t will attract his ire, just ask Craig Emerson). He is also the head of Racing Queensland. He was criticised in this latter role by a former justice of the Supreme Court. Mr Ludwig thought the criticism defamatory and took legal action. Genius move – a former judge clearly has no idea about the law. The action was promptly dropped, but not before Mr Ludwig had accumulated $45 000 in legal fees.

So yes, big ‘ole Bill paid his legal fees. Well, sort of. Bill’s job comes with some sweet fringe benefits and it was the AWU that footed the bill. The explanation: any attack on a union leader is considered an attack on the union. I can hear the murmuring at this point. Surely Bill’s role with Racing Queensland is separate from his day job?

(the news story on this honourable octogenarian here)

Let’s be under no illusion. This was a blatant misuse of union money. The AWU, like the HSU and others, has a vague concept of accountability. Sadly, Mr Ludwig isn’t the only member of his species. Internal workings of unions are not subject to scrutiny in the way corporations and the like are. The current regulator for unions is Fair Work Australia which, for obvious reasons, doesn’t seem to rattle any cages.

Kathy Jackson may just be the last true believer (that we know of). It’s a shame no one in the AWU, not even the idealistic Paul Howes, has the courage to follow her lead.

Three words: you go girl.

Three more: give 'em hell.