Photo Courtesy of: theage.com.au
I said on my 3AW program yesterday that things had got so bad between Prime Minister Gillard and Foreign Minister Rudd that they hadn’t talked to each other for yonks. Even on the phone. According to one report Gillard’s people call Rudd ‘that C—‘ and Rudd’s people call the Prime Minister ‘the Bitch’. Charming way to run a country.
And I said one of them had to call a showdown. One way or t’other get it over with.
Well, according to strong reports this afternoon it looks like the PM has decided to bring it on. The date, they say, is next Tuesday. When the Ruddster returns from Mexico the PM will dare him to toss his sombrero into the ring.
The proof that something is on is the the Prime Minister’s decision today not to comment on it at all.
Of course there are still several scenarios. She could call a spill and if she wings big sack her Foreign Minister and send him to the backbench.
Or she could sack him first and presumably he would then make a challenge.
Although what grounds she would use for a dismissal? In recent days Julia Gillard has been repeating how well her foreign minister has been doing his job.
The pressure for some sort of showdown was increased by Simon Crean this week urging the PM to carpet Rudd or sack him. And today Greg Combet told the National Press Club: ‘ Enough is enough, It is time the matter was resolved’.
There is the option of course that, if sacked, Kevin Rudd could resign his seat and push the Minority Government closer to the edge. But nobody is tipping that to happen.
He’d do a Keating and go to the backbench to plot and plan and wait for another day to bid for the crown he believes was illegitimately stolen.