Opinion

Labor blood will flow over Rudd dumping, says union boss

A senior union leader has predicted a post-election wave of Labor "bloodletting" in a furious backlash over the issue that has overshadowed its campaign: the dumping of Kevin Rudd.

Electrical Trades Union Victorian state secretary, Dean Mighell, said those involved in the axing of the former prime minister would be "targeted" after Saturday's vote.

Mr Mighell, a regular critic of the Labor government, said the ''brutal'' and ''ugly'' disposal of Mr Rudd had turned off some voters.

BLOW TO LABOR AS UNION BANKROLLS GREENS

Much of the retribution would focus on the right-wing of the NSW Labor movement, Mr Mighell said.

The faction's leaders - including Mark Arbib - were widely credited for plotting to oust Mr Rudd in June.

But Mr Mighell also foreshadowed retaliation against figures in the Australian Workers Union, whose former leader, Bill Shorten, was closely linked to getting the numbers to install Julia Gillard as leader.

"I think they've handled it badly, and the truth will come out, and you'll see a lot of bloodletting after the election within the ranks of Labor for people taking responsibility for the way Kevin Rudd was savaged," said Mr Mighell, who was expelled from the ALP before the 2007 election by Mr Rudd.

"I think the NSW Right will be targeted," he told Radio 3AW host Neil Mitchell.

Mr Rudd forced Mr Mighell to resign after a recording surfaced of an expletive-ridden speech in which the union boss bragged about winning pay rises for workers by threatening strike action.

The Opposition's treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, this morning seized on the comments - saying Labor was beset by conflict and could not be trusted to provide stable government.

''If senior union officials are warning of a bloodbath in the Labor Party after the election, Australians should be aware that there will be a focus on Labor, and not a focus on the Australian people, if Julia Gillard is elected,'' Mr Hockey.

''This is a warning from a union official that there is going to be turmoil and turbulence in a Julia Gillard elected government.''

In a blow for Labor, the ETU's Victorian branch has given The Greens their largest-ever political donationof $325,000 to help the party win the seat of Melbourne and its first Victorian Senate spot.

- with AAP

Posted By: Darren Goodsir on 18/08/2010 12:20:00 PM | Comments (7)

National Times

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/fede...

© AGE

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first

Why should we wait until the election is over? If we are frustrated with the way a political party acts, we should vote against them. A message should be sent to the NSW right wing that they can't keep running the show. They have already installed a Premier (who claims to be nobody's girl - how laughable) and now a Prime Minister who should be, by my reckoning, playing full forward for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. She didn't keep her word on not challenging for the leadership, will she keep any election promises?

Posted by moving full forward, 18/08/2010 2:13:12 PM

How can a NON ALP MEMBER claim that there will be bloodletting by labor ranks after the election. Their comments are irrelevant. Even better this Victorian union branch is now supporting the greens. So who cares what they say or do

Posted by suzid, 18/08/2010 4:22:29 PM

The fact is that us non-Labor members are being asked to vote for a bunch of factional coup-leaders, that is why Suzid. By all means, do within your party whatever you please but then subsequently don't come asking us to vote for your party during an election. The fact is also that, in my view, Rudd could have and no doubt would have won this election with perhaps some loss of seats. You see, I know why Rudd was removed. Rudd had no factional powerbase and while his popularity was high, everything was fine, but as soon as there was a slight decline in the polls, the factional knives came out led by the NSW Labor mafia. They simply could not act quick enough to get rid of Rudd in order to put in one of their own. And to conclude, let any bloodletting begin within Labor ranks and I indeed hope that proper democratic Labor processes deal with those coup-leaders who so disgustingly deposed Rudd. And I can assure Suzid that if Party member don't deal with this issue and deal with it properly, the voting public no doubt will. To be honest, in relation to Kevin Rudd's removal from office, I have never seen such a disgusting and grubby political episode in my life.

Posted by Henk Luf, 19/08/2010 2:42:40 AM

Never before, in my view, has the electoral landscape been such a policy-free zone. Real issues have been virtually ignored as leaders and party afficionados debate about debates and indulge in other obfuscatory distractions. Disenchantment with the two major parties is palpable. Unfortunately this may result in many votes going to a party with only peripheral and frivolous policies, which would then enable it to exert an influence well beyond its true support. It would be wonderful if voters took the time and energy to number all the boxes on the Senate paper rather than let party powerbrokers decide who benefits from preferences. Otherwise we could end up with troglodytes holding the balance of power.

Posted by bo, 19/08/2010 12:41:26 PM

Get on with it - so the leader was changed for what ever reason by the ALP... I personally didn't like what was done with 'Malcom" either but one vote was all that was requred to oust him because he got a deal for climate change (with amendments). We have to move foward.

Posted by Peewee, 19/08/2010 1:24:09 PM

I have been a devoted Labor voter, still am. Kevin Rudd was outed because he was impossible to work with and work for, no other reason. How quickly we forget all the whingeing while he was still PM. This is called DEMOCRACY folks. Happens ALL the time.

Posted by John, 19/08/2010 8:06:10 PM

Whether you are a Laborite or not, one would have to agree that it was Kevin Rudd who raised Labor out of it's deep gallows but his very own men/women especially those Rudd had supported and elevated into caucus had him, hung. Goodbye to Labor after that and back down into the gallows they go. Greg Combet is the 'light' for me and believe he would make a credible PM. I once had hope that NSW Labor MP John Watkins would be leader of NSW one day, but sadly he resigned. Sensible guy.

Posted by Eunice, 1/09/2010 1:55:24 AM

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