ABCDiamond

Opposition leader Mark Latham has resigned as leader of the Labor Party and from the federal parliament.

January 18, 2005 - 2:56PM
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...810871499.html


The focus will now move on to a who will next lead the Labor Pary with many senior figures supporting former leader Kim Beazley.

mlbonner

If its anyone but Kim I'd be surprised. Equally its of no suprise that Mark Latham has resigned..... about time probably.

ABCDiamond

He does seem to have been dragging it out.
It's a good job he didn't win the election, and then have this happen. For someone who kept saying "Don't vote for Howard, he won't stay in office, and you'll end up with someone else", it would have been a bit embarrasing for him.

mlbonner

Just a bit. I can't say I was particularly enamoured by most of his election campaign.... just as well I can't vote here really

ABCDiamond

January 18, 2005 - 4:24PM

Beazley to run for Labor leadership

Former Labor leader Kim Beazley says he wants to lead the party again after Mark Latham's decision today to quit federal politics

"I am absolutely fired with ambition," he said.


http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...810871499.html

jayr

His resignation as an MP comes as a suprise. What's he going to do next - get a job at Woolies?

bondipom

Man Boobs is a gonner. Not sure that Beazley is the winner either although he'd give Amanda vanstone a run for her money in a pie eating contest.

anya4oz

Blimey. I was off sick, too, last week - & none of my colleagues have asked ME to resign....

Given his condition, it's possible that Latham is actually quite seriously sick. If so, despite the rights & wrongs of his campaign & personality, I think he's been treated appallingly. Even UK Tory leader Michael Howard managed to be polite enough to wish Tony Blair a speedy recovery from his heart op. the other week...

Just what is going on here...? Are we being told the whole story?

Anya.

bondipom

He seemed fully sik swimming in Terrigal. The bloke was on the way out anyway. This just made it a quick removal.

mlbonner

Its politics... do we ever get told the whole story!!

ABCDiamond

If he hadn't been seen at the Holiday Resort, whilst sick and unable to comment on the recent disaster, or if he had even offered an explanation for it, then "maybe" he wouldn't have been hounded as much ?

anya4oz

I gather that his condition can be potentially terminal, so I guess I htought he might have taken his family away so they could talk about it & work out what to do. Only time will tell of course, but I do think we probably don't know all the facts...

Anya.

ABCDiamond

I think that would be a very acceptable reason for the actions, and you could then understand why nothing would have been said in public.
I sure wouldn't want a politicians public life. Shoot first, ask questions later !

TheCrone

I'm sorry that Latham's illness has compelled him to retire from politics. I thought the Labor Party sadly and badly needed a new face and voice. His stance and comments about John Howard and Australia's involvement with the Iraq war were, I thought, dead on the button, even if less than diplomatic. But he did become more tactful after gaining the leadership of the Party and even though it was defeated at the last election, partly because of his inexperience, it was a position he could have grown into.
As for Beazley as leader, he's a tired old party hack, like his opposite number John Howard. Either man will say or do whatever's expedient to enable them to take and hold on to power, both are masters of the ambiguous phrase which never turns out to mean quite what we, as electors, thought it meant.

anya4oz

Yes, I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that Aussie politics are about as boring as Brit politics - full of middle aged white blokes in suits .

I think we should start up a branch of the Monster Raving Loony party here in Oz to add some interest to the current dull scene.

I will if you will....



Anya.