As noted by Lenore Taylor, Rudd and pals actually have "too much substance, too much policy fibre for the electorate to digest in just one electoral term." Although they can be accused of spin in that they are doing the early Blair government mistake of daily announcing some new message as they aim to impress themselves upon the 24-hour news cycle, they actually are doing heaps behind the scenes but just not talking about it enough. It seems they are either stuck in a pre-election/opposition approach... or just think us lot are really dense and have minuscule attention spans. I am quite offended and/or disappointed. Give us "a statesmanlike prime minister with big ideas and the courage to back them"! Yes! We want that! Don't talk to us like a bunch of children who prefer to watch 30 second commercials rather than the main program.
Anyway. His to do list:
So, ol' Ruddster is doing plenty. And that he will take on such things (unlike Howard) is why we love him. But Lenore is obviously as frustrated as me that he keeps singing and dancing - and a new routine every day! - when he just needs to speak sensibly about the important work he's doing. Tell us about the long-term hard work. We can handle it!
Has he considered that voters' increasing disappointment (though, not disillusionment) could be due to such an approach? That people may need to be reminded of the work he is doing instead of daily bits and pieces?
As Georges's article today notes:
Give us the headline act Mr Rudd. We're tired of ads.
Anyway. His to do list:
The emissions trading regime, with its price ramifications for households, drivers, businesses, farmers, exporters and, well, pretty much everybody in the country really, would probably be enough new policy to be getting on with all on its own.
But then there's a complete review of the tax system and all the payments people get from government.
Oh, and an industry policy review, which takes in everything they pay to business.
And through the Council of Australian Governments they are reworking all the payments they make to the states as well.
So, ol' Ruddster is doing plenty. And that he will take on such things (unlike Howard) is why we love him. But Lenore is obviously as frustrated as me that he keeps singing and dancing - and a new routine every day! - when he just needs to speak sensibly about the important work he's doing. Tell us about the long-term hard work. We can handle it!
Has he considered that voters' increasing disappointment (though, not disillusionment) could be due to such an approach? That people may need to be reminded of the work he is doing instead of daily bits and pieces?
As Georges's article today notes:
Like most Australians, Liberal voter Jon Warner was prepared to give the fresh-faced Mr Rudd a fair go when he replaced Mr Howard as prime minister.
The advertising director from Sydney's northern beaches was impressed by Mr Rudd's early move to ratify the Kyoto Protocol - a "nice bit of PR" - and the apology to the Stolen Generations. "His heart's in the right place," the 44-year-old Mr Warner said.
But over the past few months, he has grown increasingly sceptical of Mr Rudd's frenetic leadership style. "There's all the bells and whistles but not a lot of content - he's the master of the 30-second grab." His mate Luke Cook, 27, who also works in advertising, said the word on the street is: "Kevin 07, Mistake 08."
Give us the headline act Mr Rudd. We're tired of ads.
