The Daily Examiner Editor on 22 February 2012:
AS the voting public, excitable members of the press gallery and some nervous Labor politicians contemplate a return of Kevin Rudd to the prime ministerial suite, they should remind themselves of why he was booted out of there in the first place.
He was punted because members of the groups above lost faith he could do his job.
Forget the Opposition spin about knives in the back, backroom deals, and voters not getting the person they wanted as prime minister; that is just part of the political process.
The Labor caucus would have never contemplated changing leadership if they had not believed it necessary. And from where I sit, they were right.
After starting in whirlwind style, K Rudd recorded unprecedented popularity.
He honoured pre-election promises to make an official apology to the stolen generations, was everywhere man and appeared to have what his predecessor never had - a sense of humour and common touch.
But it did not take long for the gloss to wear thin and what soon emerged was a micro-managing control freak who wanted his hands on every piece of government policy.
There is simply too much for one person to do in that position and the result was the whole process of government came to a grinding halt, no decisions were being made and, rather than look on top of things, the prime minister looked drained and unable to meet the heavy demands of the position.
His axing from the top job may have been ugly, but these things are never pretty.
People might not be impressed with Julia Gillard's leadership style, but she is getting things done, which is no mean feat in a minority government involving people like the Greens, some rural-based independents and Andrew Wilkie.
Voters expect their politicians to govern; to make decisions and stick with them. But what they are seeing now, largely due to Mr Rudd, is an in-fighting, back-stabbing rabble not capable of governing.
It's time he pulled his head in.
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