National
Rudd is pandering pathetically to fear, bigotry and ignorance
The plight of the 78 Sri Lankans aboard the Oceanic Viking presents a test of Kevin Rudd’s leadership which he already appears to have failed.
When John Howard uttered the words, ‘We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come’, we all knew that he believed his tough stance was right. Sure, he elevated a narrow notion of national security above what many view as Australia’s international humanitarian obligations.
But Howard was willing to take the wrath of some of the population over this issue because he understood that a leader who is seen to take a firm stance based on genuine belief wins a certain amount of respect – and votes. He was relatively popular and successful for so long because people felt they knew his genuine views on a range of issues and that he would govern accordingly – even if they didn’t agree with all of his policies. On foreign policy issues at least there were few surprises.
In taking his tough stance Rudd believes that he is playing to the supporters of Howard’s Pacific Solution – and hoping to win their votes. This is not leadership. Rudd is pandering pathetically to fear, bigotry and ignorance and this is not what we expected of Rudd; nor is it what he allowed us to think he might do in such a situation in the run-up to the last election.
Rudd might emerge victorious in this stand-off with asylum seekers (though he would be disappointed at how untidy the process has become). But his hard-man strategy won’t necessarily win him the votes or the respect he wants at home. He has taken the wrong leaf from Howard’s book. It’s not a matter of mirroring tough though popular policies, but of convincing the public that the policies championed by Kevin Rudd Prime Minister are consistent with the beliefs of Kevin Rudd the person.
Who knows what Kevin Rudd really stands for? I don’t, and I don’t trust him.