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Beware the Enemy Within!

Posted by: Steve Murphy | 28 July, 2010 - 12:35 PM

The second week of Campaign 2010 has tuned into a nightmare for the Prime Minister because deep divisions within Government ranks have been laid bare in the public arena thanks to deliberate and selective leaks that go to the heart of the Prime Minister’s character.

The Ms Gillard is accused of opposing the Government’s paid parental leave scheme; allegedly questioned the pension increase because the elderly don’t vote Labor and is said to have reneged on a deal that would’ve allowed Kevin Rudd to stand aside if he didn’t improve his poll numbers.

The ‘who leaked it and why’ is delicious political fodder that will engage the commentariat for 24 hours, but also reveals deep internal divisions and unrest within the Government. Voters don’t like disunity. As they say it is death in politics.

Remember Labor’s devastating campaign against the Liberals in the 1980’s.”If you can’t govern yourselves how can you govern the country?”

This is a now a political front on which a battle will be fought. It’s a battle Labor would not have anticipated and one which it will need to negate in hurry.
More seriously though is the damage these leaks could do to the PM’s credibility and her image as someone who has real empathy with the challenges and difficulties confronting Australians.

Empathy and inclusion have been the PM’s leadership style trademarks since assassinated Kevin Rudd and voters will now be asking themselves whether Ms Gillard really does care. Doe she really understand the everyday challenges of families and pensioners? Can we really take her at her word? Does she really say what she means and means what she says?

The problem is compounded by the PM’s response to the detail of the pension increase and paid parental leave leaks. She issued a carefully crafted statement that in part said “I was very pleased to be part of the team that delivered these two historic reforms.”
It’s a bit too clever by half because you can be part of a team that delivered reforms, but that doesn’t mean you supported them.
It all looks a bit too much like spin over substance. Voters aren’t stupid and the PM runs the risk of heightening voter suspicion that maybe she is not what she appears to be.

This is dangerous territory for a politician and particularly one who has gone out of her way to assume a ‘I am an everyday Australian’ approach to her political presentation.
So what to do. She could deny the allegations outright, but if she were going to do that, she should have done it yesterday, before the report was aired.

Significantly, the story would never have made it air if Julia Gillard and her people could have convinced Laurie Oakes that the source and content of his leak were not credible.

Labor will know this outbreak will burn for at least 24 to 36 hours. The campaign team will be telling the PM to stick to her story. Make a virtue out of the cabinet confidentiality argument, which they will argue will demonstrates her commitment to her word.
They’ll also be hoping that there’s enough good will out there to give the PM the benefit of any doubt that the voters might hold.

Blog comments

I wonder if Tim knew about Julia Not wanting pension rises, since both his parents are aged pensioners.

janet page Thursday 29 July, 2010 - 3:55 PM
Jonathan, the leaker is known only to Laurie Oakes. Despite the gumpf about cabinet confidentiality, the colleagues talk to their staff and others about cabinet meetings. So for anyone to suggest that only those in Cabinet could be responsible for the leaking is a nonsense. I don't believe it's part of a conspiracy to "frame-Up" Rudd, it's a blatant attempt to derail Gillard. Is it Kevin Rudd personally? No. He would want plausible deniability so he could say no categorically when directly asked if he leaked it. Doesn't mean someone close to him isn't responsible and that someone could be doing it without Rudd's approval or knowledge. Indisviasual loyalty in politics can be deep. When I was in the game we used to say "You pick and stick."

steve murphy Thursday 29 July, 2010 - 11:57 AM
Julia Gillards photo's are made for her to look good
The truth is the photo's are false, just like the person

dazza Thursday 29 July, 2010 - 9:10 AM
Steve,
Do you think Kevin Rudd is the leaker or is this part of an elaborate framing job? He has the motive but Gillard has her own enemies I'm sure. Someone with an axe to grind could safely leak to Oakes and Hartcher without being fingered themselves.
JA

Jonathan Appleyard Wednesday 28 July, 2010 - 3:42 PM
Gillard's defence doesn't stand up to scruity. If she was so worried about about fiscal responsibility, why didn't she exercise the same sort of vigilent on the waste and mismanagement going on with programs in her own portfolio like the school hall rip offs.
I sense a real momentum shift in the campaign. Labor is on the defensive and Mr Abbott has siezed the initiative with a timely announcement today on cuts to company tax.
Game on

Jonathan Appleyard Wednesday 28 July, 2010 - 3:35 PM