Respect the past

As a political history buff, and former librarian, I am mildly interested in the news of the establishment of the Robert Menzies Institute. Due to open later this year, it will incorporate a library and museum, and a research facility to examine the life, political career and legacy of Australia's longest serving Prime Minister. To my mind, it is a worthwhile endeavour, and one that surely any fair minded Australian can find it in themselves to support, regardless of their political beliefs. 

https://www.theage.com.au/national/robert-menzies-institute-to-open-at-melbourne-university-20210430-p57nv1.html

Of dubious educational value

For some reason, I like to relax by watching documentaries on Netflix. No wonder I have trouble relaxing. The quality varies from good to mediocre. One of the mediocre ones is Top 10 Secrets and Mysteries. Season 2, Episode 5 looks at unsolved disappearances. Since Australia barely rates a mention in such programs, I was surprised that the disappearance of former Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt was covered in this episode. In December 1967, Holt went missing, presumed drowned, whilst swimming in treacherous waters in Portsea, Victoria. His body was never recovered. This part of the segment was correct, but it contains two glaring errors.

The archival film footage used is incorrectly captioned as being from December 1967. The crowd of people in this screen grab are clearly attending a campaign rally for Malcolm Fraser, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. They are also wearing 1970's fashions, and the campaign slogan on the shirt, "Liberal. Doing the Job" was used in the 1977 Australian federal election. Secondly, it is erroneously stated that Holt led the Liberal Party to power in 1966. At that time, the Liberals had held power federally since 1949 under Robert Menzies. Holt became Prime Minister when Menzies retired in January 1966, and became Prime Minister in his own right in the November 1966 federal election. 

Is more careful research on these shows too much to ask for? 

Fiddling while Rome burns?

Robert Menzies

If you believe the analysis of the Canberra press gallery, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's leadership of the Labor Party is again under threat by another poor opinion poll rating, with Labor trailing the Coalition by 14 percentage points. According to the Nielsen poll, the Coalition is now leading Labor 57% (up 3) to 43% (down 3) in two party terms. The poll also shows an 11 point rise in Labor’s primary vote, to 40%, when people are asked how they would vote if former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was reinstated as leader. If Rudd were leader the two party vote would be 50-50.

Rudd is more popular with the electorate than Gillard, but not with his parliamentary colleagues. If Rudd were to successfully depose Gillard in a leadership challenge, it would only be because the Labor caucus are motivated by pragmatism. Motivated by self-preservation, they would put up with a leader they dislike. They would still lose the September election, but by a smaller margin. It seems unlikely that Rudd would be more effective as Prime Minister than Gillard. As of the time of this writing, despite all the mutterings and media speculation, there is little chance of yet another leadership challenge after the debacles of February 2012 and March 2013. 

There is historical precedent for a Prime Minister returning to the office after a party room coup. Robert Menzies was Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941. In 1949, as leader of the Liberal Party, he returned to office for a second time, and held it for 16 years until his retirement, becoming Australia's longest serving Prime Minister to date. No doubt Rudd is aware of this, but he is no Robert Menzies. Menzies was a competent and capable leader who carried himself like a statesman, whereas Rudd was not.

Gillard is a resilient and formidable leader, and by standing her ground, she would retain more respect with the public than Rudd, who for the good of his party, should accept that he will never again be Labor leader and move on. Australia needs stable, functional government led by a Prime Minister that has the nation's respect, and not leadership sideshows. 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-17/leadership-tensions-in-final-sitting-fortnight/4757450

http://theconversation.com/men-flay-gillard-in-poll-15228
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/don8217t-forget-why-kevin-rudd-is-no-longer-prime-minister/story-e6frg6n6-1226664351038