16 months out, The Labor Leadership debate

Who can take the Federal Labor party to success in the 2007 election? Will the party face further demise with Kim Beazley, or will we see a challenge for the leadership?

Currently Kim Beazley is 14 per cent behind John Howard in the latest preferred Prime Minister, AC Nielsen poll. Kim Beazley has a 35 per cent rating compared with John Howard’s 49 per cent. On the two party preferred basis, the coalition edges out Labor by 7 per cent.

Surely, our alternative Government is already thinking about a campaign and a strategy to unearth the Liberal Government’s stalwart John Howard. Is Kim Beazley the man to do this?

Another leadership crisis in the Labor Party would be all too damaging if a decision is not made now. With the next federal election due within 17 months, a decision needs to be made without delay if Labor intends to change its leadership.

Mark Latham replaced Simon Crean as Leader of the Opposition just 10 months before the last time we went to an election in October 2004. This proved to steamroll the Labor party into further demise, with the Coalition Government controlling a majority of seats in the Lower and Upper Houses.

Labor needs an injection of life and smart policies that will woo potential voters.

Mumblings about Beazley’s leadership appear in the news every month. Labor either needs to immediately show a united front and support Kim Beazley or quickly find a replacement.

Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard are two possible replacements. Alternatively, there may be a total overhaul of the Labor Party with outsiders Greg Combet, ACTU National Secretary or National Workers Union Secretary and overnight hero, Bill Shorten being sourced as potential leaders.

Greg Combet and Bill Shorten would first have to be elected to the Labor Party then to Parliament, so appear as unlikely candidates in the immediate future. Kevin Rudd seems the safest and most conservative leadership candidate.

Rudd holds the office of Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister and has been a member of the Shadow Ministry since 2001. He has been a voice for the Labor Party and is consulted for his view and opinion on many issues.

Julia Gillard is the other Labor option. Elected in 1998, she’s had a meteoric rise, holding various portfolios including Shadow Minister for Population, Immigration, Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs. Today, Gillard’s the Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business within the House of Representatives.

Even if it’s considered too radical a move to install Gillard as the new leader of Labor, she is the woman for the job. It’s time for change; it’s time for a breath of fresh air. Labor need to stop the ‘safety first’ image that Beazley conveys and create a new image which will lead Labor forward.

Installing Mark Latham as leader in December 2003 was a gutsy move and one which could have worked if given time. Opposition Leaders need time to develop and Beazley’s time is over. He is not the answer. Install Julia Gillard now.

She may not get Labor across the line in 2007, but she’ll close the gap between Labor and the Coalition. In 2010, who knows, we may be crowning our first female Prime Minister.