Kevin Rudd the New Labor Leader
Kevin Rudd won the Labor leadership ballot 2 days ago, replacing Kim Beazley in the job. The leadership position in Labor is voted upon by an 88 member caucus in the party. Rudd won that ballot by 49 votes to Beazley’s 39 votes, with a candidate needing 45 votes to win it. The quirky thing is about the ballot is that if both candidates got 44 votes, then the winner will be determined by who’s name is picked out from a hat. Lol! 
Julia Gillard was also elected as Deputy Opposition Leader unopposed, after Jenny Macklin declined to run when it was revealed that Beazley has lost.
As a Labor supporter, I am very pleased with the result. Both Rudd and Gillard are dynamic and new leaders, and hopefully they will be able to make Labor more competitive against the ‘Man of Steel’, Mr Johnny Howard and his conservative zealots in the Liberal Party.
A friend told me that he disliked Rudd because he betrayed Beazley. I find that amusing, since I’ve always thought that betrayals are part and parcel of politics. How else are good young leaders supposed to rise in the ranks if an ineffective but stubborn leader won’t make way? I hope the so called ‘Asian values’ doesn’t take root in Australia like how it has taken root in Malaysia, Singapore and China, because it’s complete bunkus designed to discourage dissenting views and opinions.
At least Rudd has the balls to take on his leader for the top job, ala Keating vs Hawke, which is less than what I can say for the timid Costello in his attempts to take over from Howard.
Neways, I am confident that Labor will be a competitive participant in the next federal elections next year, and with Rudd at the helm, I will now definitely have no reservations voting for it.
Long live Labor!
