One thing most Australians wouldn’t be aware of, is the close relationship that Journalist Laurie Oakes  enjoys with Kevin Rudd and his family.

Gillard forced to explain

Today, in response to Rudd cabinet leaks from an anonymous source? Australia’s new Prime Minister Julia Gillard was forced to call a special press conference to clarify her concerns as Deputy Prime Minister, contrary to the substance of anonymous leaks, about the affordability of the popular Labor plan for “Paid Parental Leave”, and the proposal to increase the “Age Pension” by $30 pw. Both programs were both approved and implemented by the government.

Oakes was ready to pounce

As I watched Mr Oakes attack Ms Gillard at the National Press Club only days after she took over the top job, one couldn’t help but notice the personal emotion driving his questions?  The journalist’s questions as shown in the video record below, focused on the events leading up to and surrounding the deposing of Laurie Oakes’ friend, former employee, and valuable contact,  the former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.  Ever since, questions over Kevin Rudd’s Party loyalty have been rife.

Rudd’s bizzare behaviour

Since being deposed, Mr Rudd’s behaviour as a former Australian Prime Minister has been nothing short of bizarre.  First, he chose not to contest the challenge to his leadership after unequivocally stating that he would.  Then the next morning rather than meet the challenge at a party caucus meeting, he conceded.  A short time later after stepping down, he surprised by announcing that he would stand for re – election to his House of Representatives seat of Griffith in Brisbane, in the coming election. The next thing Australians knew, he had departed for America to attend a Leaders Summit and to have a “private discussion” with the Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki – Moon, about a role with the United Nations.

Rudd doesn’t mention Labor

On returning to Australia, all the former PM would say in a statement from his electorate office about his American excursion, was that he would be capable of  holding down a cabinet position,  if offered, as well as a role with the UN if Labor was re-elected to govern. In a later statement from his electorate office, Mr Rudd stated that he saw no conflict of interest with this approach. Meanwhile Mr Rudd still refuses to be interviewed about these matters.  Now quite unusually, Mr Rudd’s new election signs bear no reference to the Labor Party. When the media questioned this odd approach to electioneering, Mr Rudd’s spokesperson said that the people of Griffith already knew which Party Mr Rudd represents. What nonsense. You don’t need to be a psychiatrist to determine this accurately reflects Kevin Rudd’s true feelings about the Labor Party and his political demise.

Rudd’s wife launches Oakes’ 2008 book

One thing most Australians wouldn’t be aware of, is the close relationship that Journalist Laurie Oakes  enjoys with Kevin Rudd and his family. Reportedly it began with Rudd’s early days as a University student when he earned money by cleaning Oakes’ residence in Brisbane.  After Mr Rudd became Prime Minister, it was Mr Rudd’s wife, Therese Rein, who volunteered to launch Oakes’ book “Power Plays” on Australian politics a year later, in November 2008.

Who benefits?

Kevin Rudd’s sacking as Labor leader has brought about this unholy mess for Labor. Still, had the Party continued with Rudd as leader, Labor most likely would have lost the election.  And now the Liberal Party, trying hard to take advantage of this political godsend by crying crocodile tears over the method of Kevin  Rudd’s demise, can hardly believe their good luck. The body language and behavior of Kevin Rudd throughout this affair suggests that while he may not be the direct source of  the leaks to Oakes,  he would have a fair idea of who is. The journalist says his source for the leaks about Gillard in Cabinet, is not from the Liberals,” that it was closer to home”. The answer likely lies in response to the question in Latin posed by the renowned Roman Consul and Censor Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla, i.e. ” Cui bono? ” or ” Who benefits? ”

Who had the most to lose?

Who had the most to lose by Rudd’s political demise?  “Who would be most motivated to retaliate against Gillard?. You could surmise, perhaps Mr Rudd himself, or a member of Rudd’s family, or quite possibly one of Rudd’s senior office personnel now out of a job as a result.  Oakes won’t reveal his source. This well connected Journalist may not be able to get his friend Kevin’s job back, but in releasing leaks from a so called anonymous source, Laurie Oakes undoubtedly feels he is delivering some personal solace to Rudd and his family, while advancing his reputation as a journalist in compensation for his loss of a valued source.

One thing is 100% certain, and you can put your house on it, Rudd’s petulant, selfish and destructive attitude is doing nothing to help Labor’s election prospects.  It should come as no surprise that he was well past Labor’s use by date.

And this is only week two of a five week campaign! Who said Politics is boring?

Journalist Laurie Oakes challenges Prime Minister  Julia Gillard at Australia’s National Press Club – 2 mins 54

Outstanding comedic poetry from the fabulous British performer, writer and poet, Pam Ayres.  It’s impossible not to laugh and laugh and laugh!

No props are required when talent of this standard is on display.

You will love it!

Pam Ayres : They Should Have Asked My Husband – 5 mins 47

The New York Times & The Australian

25th June 2010

One day after seeing Julia Gillard become Australia’s 27^th Prime Minister, it was disappointing to read that President Obama and Ms Gillard, have “agreed to work closely on the Afghanistan war during their first official phone call ”.

A preferred headline might have declared, “Australia’s new Prime Minister states her concerns re US strategy in Afghanistan”. Now in the prime position to effect policy change, Julia Gillard needs to be aware that Australians in growing numbers do not support the Afghanistan policies of the Labor Party in government or the Coalition in Opposition.

Responsibility for the flawed military strategy in Afghanistan rests entirely with the Obama White House for pursuing the quicksand policy of believing, as did the disastrous Bush -Cheney administration, that conventional military action can prevail in such an environment.

In North America and Europe, opposition to the war in Afghanistan has already seen Canada and the Netherlands announce the withdrawal of their troops. It has also caused the resignation of the German President Horst Koehler and brought about the collapse of the Dutch Government.

Meanwhile nine years on, Australian troops in constant danger, remain trapped in the corrupt and hellish environment that is Afghanistan, and for what? Both the Government and the Opposition need to tell the Americans that they are wrong about Afghanistan. A good sensible ally – would and should.

Australia needs to bring its troops home. And so should the US. This will become a major issue in the forthcoming federal election. If the major parties don’t act on this matter, the Greens will benefit.

As certain as each day’s incoming tide, Afghanistan’s neighbours will move in as soon as the US forces are gone. And go they must. As history will reveal, it is only the Afghan people who can decide their future. The experience of America’s Vietnam and the Vietnam of today is living proof.

It’s time to board The Peace Train!

Cat Stevens ” The Peace Train” 4 min

Brisbane / Australia

Email: john@tellingthoughts.com

Australia's first female Prime Minister

Following months of negative personal and party polls for the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and facing a federal election loss later this year, he had no choice but to accept a challenge for the Labor Party leadership and the position of Prime Minister, from his deputy, Julia Gillard of South Australia.

Mr Rudd’s one man band approach to leadership, failure to accept responsibility for program implementation mistakes, policy flip flops, ongoing personal anger management problems, and his contribution to what has become a dispirited public service, meant that Rudd’s failure as a leader has been the main reason for his political fall from grace.

As Rudd has often stated publicly, with the exception of last night, Julia Gillard has proved herself to be a loyal deputy, and has handled herself well during this term of government.

However major Labor unions alarmed by Labor’s fast collapsing political polls, moved quickly this week to assess the level support for a possible Gillard challenge with an eye to her leading the Party to the Federal election later in the year.  Once her level of support was established they approached Ms Gillard late on Wednesday afternoon, to convince her to challenge the for the leadership.

A former partner in one of Australia’s leading legal firms Slater & Gordon, Julia Gillard will most likely settle the government down and take a more measured approach to governing and government. She has the common touch, a pleasant disposition and the ability to communicate simply, clearly and effectively. And she is a very talented debater. For the Australian Labor Party to have any chance to retain government following the next federal election, Julia Gillard was their best bet at this time.

Australia made political history today, 24th June, 2010 at 9. 36 am with the announcement of the election of Julia Gillard as Australia’s first female Prime Minister. She is ready and she is capable. It is very likely that a Labor government led by Gillard will have rescued its re-election chances.

Breaking News

At 10.20 pm EST, Wednesday 23rd June 2010 the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that his leadership would be challenged by his deputy Julia Gillard at a specially convened meeting of Federal Labor Party representatives at 9am Thursday, at Parliament House in Canberra ACT.

Mr Rudd acknowledged that over recent weeks he had become aware that factions of the Party no longer supported him as leader and as late as today Australia’s biggest unions also indicated they no longer supported the Prime Minister.

All indications are that South Australian Julia Gillard has the numbers to become Australia’s first female Prime Minister but the stubborn Mr Rudd stipulated he will contest the challenge and was anxious to get on with the delivery of his programs.

Tomorrow will be an important day in Australian political history, the outcome of which will decide who will lead the Labor Party in the forthcoming federal election.

As they say in the media – Watch this space!

Telling Thoughts

Texas Republican Joe Barton, proved today that he is not fit to occupy elected office of any kind. Including that of local dogcatcher. ( And I happen to like dogs).

First he made his groveling appeal to protect the interests of BP at the expense of his fellow Americans, then when hammered with an avalanche of deserved criticism, he blamed others for the interpretation of his outrageous remarks.

“ Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) apologized to BP, saying the deal made at the White House Wednesday to set up an escrow fund to cover oil-spill damages and claims amounted to a “$20 billion shakedown.”

What a disingenuous coward!

Joe Barton and disgraced ex Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich are cardboard cutouts of the very types of people who need to be weeded out of American politics and consigned to the dustbins of political history.

Even in that dark and overcrowded place, I doubt they would be welcome!

Breaking News
6 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time / 11th June 2010

Australia’s ABC national radio news has announced that a Qantas search and rescue flight out of Perth, Western Australia, manned by search and rescue experts, following  a 2000 kms  flight across the Indian Ocean, has located the upturned yacht of American teenage sailor, Abby Sunderland.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra, ACT, is co-ordinating the search.

The crew is reported to have been in communication with Amy, and found her to be well and in good spirits.  Australian authorities will be sending additional aircraft out tomorrow to overfly and coordinate the arrival of the nearest French ship, which is now proceeding to the wreck site and expected to arrive on Saturday afternoon.

This is great news for Abby and her family,

She drew on a wide range of  skills to execute a planned strategy to dampen and disrupt her opponent’s power game.

Australian Sam Stoser’s loss in the 2010 French Open tennis final will hopefully provide a timely lesson regarding her future at the highest level of the game.

In taking out the title at the Roland Garros Tennis Stadium in Paris, France, the 29 old Italian, Francesca Schiavone, previously ranked number 17 in the world, proved she was a deserving championship winner. Learning from her previous match defeats by the Australian, she drew on a wide range of  skills and executed a planned strategy to dampen and disrupt her opponent’s power game. For those fortunate to see the match, her performance was an outstanding display of court craft and shot making choices.

For Sam Stoser, a realistic post match review of her final, will reveal the need to both improve her court craft skills and add to her shot making options.  i.e.  (top spin or high sliced lobs can destroy a net rushing opponent)  ( running around the backhand to play a forehand shot rather than the backhand invites opponents to attack the weaker side on serve and offers an open court on return).

The Italian’s game fed on the emotion of a block of Italian fans, including her family, wearing T shirts  emblazoned with a message proclaiming “nothing is impossible”.  After every winning shot she acknowledged them and was rewarded in return.  Adrenalin fixes such as these can raise a player’s level of self belief and performance. The T shirted, message bearing supporters became her focus – theirs was the only acclaim she sought – these were the only voices she wanted to hear.  On cue, they delivered – and her growing self confidence was evident.

For Signorina Schiavone that day, peripheral audibility surrounding the red clay heart of Roland Garros must have seemed faint collateral noise. The interaction with her fan base somehow appeared to isolate Sam Stoser and the effect was inescapable. As the match progressed the Australian’s shot selections became more predictable and her returns often appeared hurried, such was the Italian player’s growing confidence, control, unpredictability and focus.

This was the kind of contest that tennis fans everywhere could appreciate and be inspired by.  Both finalists were a credit to their sport. They deserve our congratulations for their play, sportsmanship and grace.

Nancy Sherman
Professor Dept. of Philosophy
Georgetown University
Washington DC 20057
shermann@georgetown.edu -
Former Distinguished Chair in Ethics, U.S. Naval Academy
www.untoldwar.com <http://www.untoldwar.com>
www.nancysherman.com

New York Times Editor’s Choice:

The Untold War

“Sherman’s ‘philosophical ethnography’ is at its most powerful documenting the stories of veterans”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/books/review/EdChoice-t.html?scp=1&sq=Editors%27%20Choice&st=cse

Featured in Time Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1968116,00.html

Huffington Post: “One cannot overstate the importance of this book”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-alexander/the-untold-war-by-nancy-s_b_500530.html

Excerpts from Book Launch :-

Part 1 / Introduction 8 min – 28

Part 2 / Accident Guilt 4 min – 25

Part 3 / Luck Guilt 7min -14