Gina-Marie CheesemanCostello lands punch on Rudd
March 1st 2007 14:26
Today in Federal Parliament the government lead by Peter Costello landed their first major punch on the “Rudd for Canberra Campaign” by exposing three meetings the now Labor Leader had with disgraced former Western Australia Labor Premier Brian Burke.
Costello exposure of this meeting was a major embarrassment and set-back to Kevin Rudd’s creditability.
Though what really stuns me about this situation is why no journalist in either the Canberra parliamentary Press gallery or anywhere else for that matter had not asked the question of Rudd earlier. That is Mr Rudd do you at anytime meet with Brian Burke?
The Western Australian Labor government has been in damage control for weeks and has seen a string of Ministers forced to resign over shady dealing with Brian Burke and his associates.
Burke who was convicted and spent time in jail for his mis-dealings with shady business characters such as Alan Bond and Laurie Connell as well as stealing campaign funds from the Labor Party itself.
However Burke was able to rise again like a phoenix out of the ashes with still the firm support of many former Labor colleagues. This is now come home to roost for the Labor Party as anyone mixing with Burke ends up with the stench of shady deal attached to them.
Rudd should have seen the writing on the wall. He should have known the fact that he had three meetings with Burke in 2005 would be exposed. He should have fronted the media as soon as the Burke affairs started to be exposed and admitted to meeting with Burke and acknowledge it had been a terrible mistake and reassure people that nothing untoward took place of course that is if nothing untoward took place.
He has certainly been damaged by this event and no more so then in western Australia a state that he has already got some healing to be done in given his rolling of Kym Beazley part of a Western Australian Labor dynasty. Western Australia and Queensland are the two states that Labor need to perform best in if that want to win government.
Journalists however should not be attacking Rudd to much for not being prepared for this as they have shown themselves to be left wanting when no one ask one of those basic political questions. Did you ever meet with Brian Burke?
It may be unfair but it would seem much of the press have been caught up in the Rudd euphoria and have failed to ask a few simple questions of him.
Costello attacks Rudd
Costello exposure of this meeting was a major embarrassment and set-back to Kevin Rudd’s creditability.
Though what really stuns me about this situation is why no journalist in either the Canberra parliamentary Press gallery or anywhere else for that matter had not asked the question of Rudd earlier. That is Mr Rudd do you at anytime meet with Brian Burke?
The Western Australian Labor government has been in damage control for weeks and has seen a string of Ministers forced to resign over shady dealing with Brian Burke and his associates.
Burke who was convicted and spent time in jail for his mis-dealings with shady business characters such as Alan Bond and Laurie Connell as well as stealing campaign funds from the Labor Party itself.
However Burke was able to rise again like a phoenix out of the ashes with still the firm support of many former Labor colleagues. This is now come home to roost for the Labor Party as anyone mixing with Burke ends up with the stench of shady deal attached to them.
Rudd should have seen the writing on the wall. He should have known the fact that he had three meetings with Burke in 2005 would be exposed. He should have fronted the media as soon as the Burke affairs started to be exposed and admitted to meeting with Burke and acknowledge it had been a terrible mistake and reassure people that nothing untoward took place of course that is if nothing untoward took place.
He has certainly been damaged by this event and no more so then in western Australia a state that he has already got some healing to be done in given his rolling of Kym Beazley part of a Western Australian Labor dynasty. Western Australia and Queensland are the two states that Labor need to perform best in if that want to win government.
Journalists however should not be attacking Rudd to much for not being prepared for this as they have shown themselves to be left wanting when no one ask one of those basic political questions. Did you ever meet with Brian Burke?
It may be unfair but it would seem much of the press have been caught up in the Rudd euphoria and have failed to ask a few simple questions of him.
| 42 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Anonymous