FEW would have predicted the dramatic anti-climax that played out in the halls of Parliament house in Canberra this week, Wannon MP Dan Tehan says.
With the last sitting week of Parliament before the May budget, all the hysterical speculations pointed to a leadership spill but when the moment finally came there were no daggers.
Instead politicians and the public were left scratching their heads as Prime Minister Julia Gillard emerged as the only contender.
“If someone had told me at the beginning of the week that the only candidate would have been Julia Gillard, I would have said they were absurd,” Mr Tehan told The Standard.
“The mood was feverish. It was also one of disbelief.”
Mr Tehan would not say whether the Coalition had breathed a sigh of relief over former prime minister Kevin Rudd refusing to stand in the ballot. Polling has shown Mr Rudd could turn the government’s chances around in the lead up to the September 14 election date.
“There’s always plenty of ifs in politics. The reality is Julia Gillard is leading the Labor Party and her track record leaves a lot to be desired.”
The spill fell into the hands of the Coalition, who will likely exploit it in the impending election campaign.
“While all this was going on, no one was governing the country … this has never been a stable government,” Mr Tehan said yesterday.
“When is Julia Gillard going to understand the issue of being Prime Minister isn’t about your own survival?”
s.mccomish@fairfaxmedia.com.au