Victorian Labor Party Leadership (Monday)

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I was shocked when I found out that Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and Deputy Premier John Thwaites resigned on Friday. Now, a caucus meeting will be held on Monday morning to decide who will take control of the Victorian Labor Party and thus the Victorian Premiership.

The current and only candidate for the Premiership is Treasurer John Brumby. Brumby was actually leader of the ALP in Victoria from 1993-1999, but in March 1999, Brumby resigned after agreeing to resign in favour of Steve Bracks.

In November 1999, Steve Bracks shocked the Victorian public to become Premier of Victoria after surprisingly defeating incumbent Jeff Kennett.

There are many likely candidates for the Deputy Premiership. Some names that have come to mind are: Health Minister Bronwyn Pike, Transport Minister Lynn Kosky and Attorney-General Rob Hulls.

It should be interesting to see who becomes John Brumby's Deputy on Monday, and it will be interesting to see how John Brumby performs as Premier, the job that is finally his.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

This afternoon, as many people expected, John Brumby was elected unopposed as leader of the Labor Party and thus Victoria's 45th Premier. Attorney-General, Rob Hulls was elected unopposed as Deputy Premier aswell.

It should be an interesting time in Victorian politics.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Why has Bracks resigned? I had heard he was very popular.

Yes Bracks was quite the popular Premier. At one stage his popularity rating was at 76%, If my memory proves to be correct. He said in his resignation speech, that he resigned because he wanted to spend more time with his family.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Well i'm a particularly unhappy chappy at the moment; the only candidates now for the by-election are John Middleton and whoever Labor puts up. Middleton is a long-term Greens candidate-he runs for everything under the sun, and he gets a few votes, too. Around 20% last time around, and with him as the only alternative to Labor, he just might win this time around. I'll vote for him with a held nose if Labor parachutes, but i'll probably vote Labor if they don't. I hate having to choose between far leftists and the ALP, neither represents my views well.

In an interview with the Herald Sun yesterday, Opposition Leader Ted Ballieu said if it was up to him for the Libs to contest Williamstown and Albert Park, he would. However Ballieu said it was the party's decision and he's not complaining. I wish they did run though in both those electorates, they got a 3 percent swing towards them in the last election in November, who knows if they would have a gotten a swing towards them in both those safe ALP electorates.