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| Abbott steadies himself for office as Rudd departs with one last bounce | Abbott steadies himself for office as Rudd departs with one last bounce |
| (12 days later) | |
| It was an upside down kind of election night, with Tony Abbott so determined to acknowledge the seriousness of the office Australians had bestowed upon him that he appeared slightly subdued – and Kevin Rudd so relieved he could claim to have saved some of Labor's electoral furniture that he seemed positively elated as he conceded defeat and resigned as party leader. | It was an upside down kind of election night, with Tony Abbott so determined to acknowledge the seriousness of the office Australians had bestowed upon him that he appeared slightly subdued – and Kevin Rudd so relieved he could claim to have saved some of Labor's electoral furniture that he seemed positively elated as he conceded defeat and resigned as party leader. |
| For Abbott there had been time to prepare the tenor and mood of his acceptance speech. It was one of calm and steadiness and readiness for office – which is what he believes Australians want and need after a period of political turmoil. | For Abbott there had been time to prepare the tenor and mood of his acceptance speech. It was one of calm and steadiness and readiness for office – which is what he believes Australians want and need after a period of political turmoil. |
| Abbott is determined to cement his victory, to preside over an administration of steady but not radical change, to restore confidence in government and the parliament. | Abbott is determined to cement his victory, to preside over an administration of steady but not radical change, to restore confidence in government and the parliament. |
| He will follow his normal exercise regime on Sunday morning before taking briefings from senior public servants. But there will be none of the hectic pace and constant press conferences of Kevin Rudd's early days in 2007. | He will follow his normal exercise regime on Sunday morning before taking briefings from senior public servants. But there will be none of the hectic pace and constant press conferences of Kevin Rudd's early days in 2007. |
| Part of Abbott's plan for a long reign was a Labor rout, and both Liberal and Labor strategists had been absolutely certain it was on its way. Abbott's victory was decisive – he has probably gained 15 seats – but Labor has retained enough numbers and enough of its frontbench talent to rebuild and regroup. | Part of Abbott's plan for a long reign was a Labor rout, and both Liberal and Labor strategists had been absolutely certain it was on its way. Abbott's victory was decisive – he has probably gained 15 seats – but Labor has retained enough numbers and enough of its frontbench talent to rebuild and regroup. |
| The better than expected result meant Rudd could resign on election night claiming to have achieved what he had set out to do, and finally allow the party to put the politically disastrous Rudd-Gillard era behind it. | The better than expected result meant Rudd could resign on election night claiming to have achieved what he had set out to do, and finally allow the party to put the politically disastrous Rudd-Gillard era behind it. |
| That doesn't mean the future will be trouble-free. One of Rudd's last acts was to impose a new system for grassroots participation in the ballot for party leaders, which will mean Labor could remain leaderless for weeks if there is more than one candidate to replace him. Then it must decide how to deal with the Coalition's agenda in the Senate. | That doesn't mean the future will be trouble-free. One of Rudd's last acts was to impose a new system for grassroots participation in the ballot for party leaders, which will mean Labor could remain leaderless for weeks if there is more than one candidate to replace him. Then it must decide how to deal with the Coalition's agenda in the Senate. |
| And Abbott's determination to govern with discipline and caution means the Coalition probably won't provide the politically "target-rich environment" that Labor gifted Abbott when he was trying to rebuild his own shattered party. | And Abbott's determination to govern with discipline and caution means the Coalition probably won't provide the politically "target-rich environment" that Labor gifted Abbott when he was trying to rebuild his own shattered party. |
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