So soon after fighting off one former leader in one of the
most potentially party-wrecking leadership spills in recent history, it appears
the Prime Minister Julia Gillard may have to run the leadership gauntlet once
more, again against a popular former leader of the Australian Labor Party.
But this time, the challenger may be none other than former
Prime Minister Bob Hawke, one of if not the most popular long term Labor Prime
Ministers. Mr Hawke, 82, a self
confessed larrikin and recovering alcoholic, is buoyed by the wave of public
sentiment following his latest public appearances and is, according to sources,
considering making a comeback.
“He wouldn’t be the first relic of the 80’s to attempt a
comeback,” said one source, who could not be named. “Van Halen’s got a new
album out, It’s a Knockout and Hey Hey [It’s Saturday] have been on TV and
there have been numerous sightings of shoulder pads and leg warmers around
town. In some areas, the mullet haircut is still as popular as it was in its
back in the 80’s.”
Giving further evidence to the idea of a Hawke comeback was an
alleged meeting between Blanche d’Alpuget, Hawke’s spouse and biographer, and
out-going Minister for Sport Mark Arbib in a Canberra restaurant. Arbib, who
resigned his post as minister on Monday as a “gesture of goodwill” is known as
one of Labor Party’s most recognisable faceless men. He made no mention of giving up this role in
his resignation speech.
“They certainly seemed to be have a very frank discussion,”
said one onlooker. “It may have been about Bob’s options. Mind you, it could
also have been about what they were going to eat if anything, where they were
was hardly a temple of gastronomy.”
One of Hawke’s options is to take up the Senate place
vacated by Senator Arbib on Monday. As a member of the ALP and a resident of
New South Wales he is eligible to serve in that capacity, and although he
cannot become the Prime Minister from the Senate, he can follow the precedent
set by John Gorton in 1968. Gorton, who won leadership of the Liberal party
while a senator, then contested and won the by-election for the seat of Higgins
in Victoria, thus becoming the 19th Prime Minister of Australia. The
main stumbling block to this however, is the demand of the Federal Labor
government to have input into the nomination of the new senator, and it appears
unlikely the Ms Gillard will approve a senator desirous of he position as Prime
Minister.
A more likely option for Team Hawke, according to an
insider, is to contest one of the numerous by-elections that may appear
following the Gillard government “re-shuffle” following her resounding victory
over Kevin Rudd on Monday. “After being shifted from Cars and Manufacturing
Ministry, to being responsible for roundabouts and finger painting, some of
Kevin’s supporters may see the writing on the wall and get out altogether. Then
it’ll be Bobby’s time to shine.”
Whatever route Hawke intends to take to get into Parliament,
his means of winning the leadership spill are clear, if somewhat
unconventional. It is believed that he intends to challenge Ms Gillard to a
drinking competition, so confident is he in his ability to drink his opponents
“under the backbench.” Hawke is of course famous for his world record of consuming 2 ½ pints (1.4 litres) of lager in eleven seconds, and as a result
the potential leadership face-off is already being dubbed “Yard glasses at dawn.”
It looks like Julia Gillard has a real fight on her hands
this time.
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