A place of execution

Parliament House in Canberra, where the affairs of Australia are debated and the laws of the land enacted. It is a modern, elegant building dug into a hill and overlooking a sophisticated custom-built National Capital. But, politics being what it is, sometimes blood flows in the corridors of power. A few weeks ago, the knives were out (not for the first time) for the country's first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and she fell to her arch-enemy, Kevin Rudd. Three years ago, she herself had led an attack on Rudd and seized the leadership of the Labor Party and the prime-ministership from him. He licked his wounds and patiently and cannily set about seeking his revenge. A Federal Election is due in just a few more weeks. Rudd stands an infinitely better chance than Gillard would have had of defeating the conservative Liberal Party-National Party Coalition, led by Tony Abbott. He is well ahead in the opinion polls. However, disenchantment with Labor is likely to be revived with the recommendation today by an anti-corruption commission that two former New South Wales Labor ministers face criminal charges.

We are in Canberra today visiting our family before heading north for a holiday. We had intended driving to Darwin, but left our planning too late for that this time, and so will content ourselves with Outback NSW and Queensland and the Whitsundays. We may have problems here and there with Internet coverage. Please forgive me if I fail to report.