Not often I do a post and events over-take it immediately, but that’s what happened to the previous one. Ian Campbell has resigned from cabinet. Howard’s not noted for sacking ministers, and this is probably a record for the speed with which it occurred, which means that Howard smells blood.
Rudd is now effectively jammed. He’s being forced to abandon the moral high ground permanently.
Will Rudd resign? Will the electorate see Howard’s move as too cute? Who will win the next federal election? Not sure yet (except that Rudd won’t resign), but I can see the Sport Bets odds on Howard tightening significantly. If you’re a gambler might pay to get down there before they tighten too much. Just watch out in case you bump into Brian Burke.
March 03, 2007 | Graham
Howard springs trap
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Do you really think it was because Howard “smells blood”? I think it is likely that over the next few days we will find out that Ian Campbell actually probably did something seriously corrupt … I mean, he was the minister for the environment probably with powers over the planning approval process for that turf club. And we know that Howard rarely sacks ministers for … well, anything!
Howard is probably hoping to deflect Campbell’s resignation by saying it’s to send a message to Rudd, but what better way to deflect from a possible real sacking due to corruption?
Comment by Luke — March 3, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Hey Luke, I’m sure it’s defamatory to say Campbell did something seriously corrupt, but I’d be surprised if anyone takes the allegation seriously, so I’ll let it stand.
Howard’s ruthless. Campbell’s gone so Howard can go back at Rudd, which he will do.
Rudd is looking pretty smug and smart. He doesn’t recognise the trouble he’s in. He ought to also pull Maxine out of the limelight. The ABC managed to convey the impression that the PM might have had something to do with death threats to her. Puhleese! Might work in Green Left Weekly, but out in the burbs they’ll be having a chuckle about it.
Comment by Graham Young — March 3, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
I think any reasonable person must now have grounds to say that Campbell was corrupt. He was sacked!
Comment by Luke — March 4, 2007 @ 7:01 am
luke could be right, but chances of anything coming to light are not good. however, it doesn’t really matter, so long as ozzies are content to be ruled by a group of people that would fail the entrance exam for the motor traders association due to dodgy character.
are you really ok with being political cattle? wouldn’t you prefer to have citizen initiated referendum, direct election of ministers, and open administration of public affairs?
Comment by al loomis — March 4, 2007 @ 9:02 am
Dear Graham Howard is a serial liar,this thing about Rudd is just a sideshow,for a man who has left totaly incompetent ministers in place after scandals they should not only been fired for but possibily charged with fraud or neiglence,all this shows is Howard knows that he is looking down the barrel of a beating at the next election,and will do or say anything or get his lackys to,so he can keep his job
Comment by John Ryan — March 5, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
You say that Howard sacked Campbell because Howard smells Rudd’s blood. More like Howard has jammed himself.
I think that it was because he found himself in far too deep, especially after Costello’s comment that: “anybody who has any dealings with Burke is morally compromised”.
In too deep and he had no choice but to keep going. When the newspoll tomorrow shows that this stuff hasn’t dented Rudd and Labor too much I think the Campbell sacking will rapidly come to look like a spectacular own goal.
Comment by Benno — March 5, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Graham I’m suprised I usually find that you are pretty even handed. But you have read this completely wrong. Howard looking for blood…more like costello doing a dick cheney and shooting a friend/s. This has backfired on Howard and Costello totally.
Comment by aj — March 7, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Fantastic exclusive. Kevin Rudd hasn’t given any other iervtniews all year. Or all week. Or even on the same day this was going to air.Sigh.I’ve also given up defending myself when it comes to bias. Being a member of a profession which is clearly peopled with lefty, Howard-hating pinko scum while at the same time clearly being a Howard-arse-licking Nine Network fascist is quite an achievement in contortion.Ross, I agree. When it comes to a couple of programmes in particular my feeling is they follow their perception of public opinion rather than trying to form it. A loungeroom sit-down would be driven as much by Rudd’s office as TT. Same principle applies in other areas: just because Howard absolutely refuses to do FM radio doesn’t make those stations left wing just because they get Rudd on.And when the election is called possibly as soon as this Sunday don’t forget this speck of gold dust:Birch Barlow: There are three things we are never going to get rid of in this town. One, the bats in the public library; two, Mrs. McFuly’s compost heap; and three, our six-term mayor the illiterate, tax-cheating, wife-swapping, pot-smoking spendocrat, Diamond Joe Quimby.Mayor Quimby: Hey, I am no longer illiterate!God bless Diamond Joe.
Comment by Akinbowale — May 20, 2012 @ 12:44 pm