Triumph and Demise

The broken promise of a Labor generation

Paul Kelly

• Publisher: Melbourne University Press Digital
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780522867817
• eBook ISBN: 9780522867824
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Featuring a new introduction in response to Julia Gillard's memoir, this revised edition brings Paul Kelly's masterpiece on the Rudd-Gillard years up to the present. Drawing on more than sixty on-the-record interviews with all the major players, Triumph and Demise is full of remarkable disclosures. It is the inside account of the hopes, achievements and bitter failures of the Labor Government from 2007 to 2013. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard came together to defeat John Howard, formed a brilliant partnership and raised the hopes of the nation. Yet they fell into tension and then hostility under the pressures of politics and policy. Veteran journalist Paul Kelly probes the dynamics of the Rudd-Gillard partnership and dissects what tore them apart. He tells the full story of Julia Gillard's tragedy as our first female prime minister—her character, Rudd's destabilisation, the carbon tax saga and how Gillard was finally pulled down on the eve of the 2013 election. Kelly documents the most misunderstood event in these years—the rise of Tony Abbott and the reason for his success. It was Abbott's performance that denied Rudd and Gillard the chance to recover. Labor misjudged Abbott and paid the price.
Kelly writes with a keen eye and fearless determination. His central theme is that Australian politics has entered a crisis of the system that, unless corrected, will diminish the lives of all Australians.

INDEX

Abbott Government (2013– )

and balance of power in Senate 494

budget estimates 426

possible longevity 493

‘reality check’ budget 497, 508–9

violation of election promises 490, 503, 504

Abbott, Margie 406, 407

Abbott, Tony

acceptance speech as leader 263, 264

on alienation of Windsor and Oakeshott 360

ambition for leadership 238, 239, 260, 261

on asylum seeker policy 46, 391, 393–4, 397–8, 399, 400–1, 402

attacks on Gillard’s leadership 82, 362, 363, 366, 400–1

attacks on Rudd’s leadership 82

background 237–8

campaign against Turnbull 256–7

challenge to Turnbull’s leadership 261–3

character 269, 270, 486

climate change policy 22, 23–5, 27, 46, 244, 247, 264, 269, 363

conservatism 487–8, 489

‘direct action’ policy on emissions 366, 371, 373, 480

election to parliament 44

electoral strategy 36, 356–7, 503–4

elevation to leadership of Liberals 19–20, 27, 28, 238, 263

failure to condemn Jones attack on Gillard 407

on Fair Work Act 232

as family man 406, 485

on immigration 352

on importance of party unity 22, 23, 27, 247–8, 261, 264

intimidatory tactics 269, 270

on Labor–Green alliance 364, 371

leaders debate with Gillard 354

liberalism 488, 489

‘man appeal’ 486

on mining tax as election-defining issue 309

on National Disability Insurance Scheme 420

as Opposition leader 31, 350, 501

paid parental leave scheme 487, 488

perception of Rudd 269

performance as leader 477, 485–6, 494

policy f...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• I Turning Points
• II The Labor Malaise
• III The Crisis of the System
• IV The Rudd Triumph
• V The Rudd Project
• VI The Conservative Crisis
• VII The Demise of Rudd
• VIII Gillard in Office: Alive but Doomed
• IX The Demise of Labor
• Notes
• Index