|
Well, the reshuffle of Federal Ministers is now complete. The Prime Minister competely suprised everyone by having the former Premier of New South Wales Bob Carr made a Senator for NSW to replace the resigning Mark Abib and serve out his time as a Senator, she then made him our Foreign Minister after first denying that she had ever approached Carr. She stared down Stephen Smith the present Defence Minister who badly wanted the Foreign Minister's job and lobbied hard for it, and he has remained in Defence. As predicted, McCelland did not survive and has moved to the back bench to join Kevin Rudd. He was just too strong in his public support for Rudd, and thus paid the price. The other Carr survived as a Minister, as did Martin Ferguson, also as I suggested, Albanese although coming out strongly for Rudd is still a Minister and Leader of the House, the PM just needed his toughness on her side in the day to day running of Parliament. Chris Bowen although coming out for Rudd retains the rather poisoned chalice of the Immigration Ministry. After some toing and froing Julia Gillard at last asserted her authority over her colleagues, but once more she was shown up as being an unmitigated Liar over Bob Carr's entrance into the Federal scene, not a good look. I am sure if the vacancy caused by Abib's departure had been in the Lower House, Carr would not be the Foreign Minister, by convention the PM always comes from the Lower House and never from the Senate, and Bob Carr would have been too much of a threat to Julia as her possible replacement. I think that Carr will do well as our Foreign Minister, I just wonder who thought up the strategy to draft him for that job. The caravan moves on, and we await the machinations of the next 18 months when an election must be called. Can the PM hold the fort and have any chance of winning that battle? right now Tony Abbott is poised to be our next Prime Minister in 2013. The Federal Parliamentary scene remains a fascinating study for Canberra watchers, of which I must confess I am one of them. |
