Watch the bouncing Julia!

So do I sense a run coming or what?

It seems little Julia Gillard has had a toedip in the murky waters of leadership aspiration in the last few days.

More power to her.

If there is to be a credible alternative to Howard's increasingly inept regime it cannot come with the verbally diarrhoeic, distressingly avuncular Mr Beazley. Politics truly becomes beige in the hands of the man from the West. Essentially it is impossible to truly know what he believes on any issue, or to gain a true indication of passion, anger or concern.

For all his perceived failings, "Iron Mark"Latham always let the world know precisely what he was thinking on any issue at any time. Furthermore he didn't simply line up behind Howard on most issues, maybe a legacy of being further left than Beazley, maybe a sign of passion, idealism or belief.

Anyway, Latham is gone, but another of the Children of Simon has hoved into view, namely the mighty Julia Gillard.

Adelaide girl and proud product of the public education system, Gillard may yet prove to be the saving grace of the party. Together with Stephen Smith and Anthony Albenese, Gillard represents a departure from the tired old warhorse like Beazley and Crean.

She has also hit the nail on the head regarding the electoral poison of the factions. As an observer, someone who would like to be able to consider voting Labor, it is nice to finally see the chorus of support this week for her notion that the party remains unelectable whilst the factions maintain both their stranglehold and ridiculous taste for filial blood.

To take things a step further, maybe the views of Christopher Schacht, disallusioned ex mp need to be considered. His particular beef was the percentage of votes within the party that were held by the Union Movement, which in turn led to control of the party and its directions being exercised by a minority of the party membership. The obvious connection could then be made with events of the last week, where the unions/factions attempted to flood parliament with union hacks.

Now I would be the first to agree that generational change needs to come within not just Labor, but most parties, but surely it shold be the target of the party to elect the best and brightest, not just the time served? It is also not time to think of trying to poach mp's from other parties, remember the Cheryl experiment?

Hence Gillard's notions of reform (and Creans for that matter) are both timely and well judged.
Removing the leadership from factional hands, putting them beyond reach cannot be a bad thing. Maybe removing the prize of the Leadership from the hands of the factions means they will begin to wither? Surely this process can only be accelerated if the factions cannot force their nominations on the leader as well?

Can this go a step further?

I am not sure how, but the factions power needs to be broken.

I can hear the cry in the distance, "but the Liberals have factions!"Yes but the public perception does not embrace this. Furthermore it is not a publically held perception that the factions are a negative. I am sure Liberal factional politics is every bit as nasty as Labor, it is seemingly just done in darkened alleys using dull bladed Stiletto's, not in full view with personal WMD's.

Personally, I would like to bring back the Schacht notion of restricting the voting power of the unions as well, as this also appears to be both counter productive and a pr negative.

Anyway, having departed from my original point, watch the girl with the red hair, there is plenty more to come!

Anyway, I am spent, time for a bex and a good lie down!