Rudd has resigned

[Tas]

Cripes! Anyone who has a clue about the infrastructure debarcle that is NSW, and the stories around public hospitals would hardly be applauding the move to see Carr again.

[baloo]

Ah, but he's ok with gays in boats.

[Joseph27]

I would agree that his record in NSW was hardly great - I do however think he will make a good FM which obviously requires a very different skill set. He is very smart, has a very deep interest in foreign policy and an international network that is strong - when you get a job and the first person on the phone calling you is Henry Kissinger - it says something about his credentials and network.

If Gillard can put together a few wins and the polls start crawling back to the higher 30's, the Libs will start looking closely at whether Abbott has the skill set to win the next election. Many political pundits have already written Gillard off but its 18months to an election and by the time that comes around, the Carbon tax will be already in place and people will have been more used to it, you will most likely have Gay marriage passed, and Gillard's team minus the leaky Rudd will look a lot better. For Abbott to promise to come in and remove the tax will require a level of trustworthiness that he is capable to doing it with a very strong financial package independently audited and verified - I dont believe Abbot has those skills.

Rudd was a cancerous growth on the ALP - what I would be interested to see Rudd leaving the ALP and joining Katter's Australia party - with Rudd on board, and a few other prominent Queenslanders, you could have a 4th party with some decent numbers in the House. It would make sense for him to do this if he wanted to stay in federal politics. Rudd is dead in the ALP now though there is even money on him staying around until a suitable role in the UN becomes available.