Mark Latham vs his own side!

Mark Latham had a bit to say about his colleagues in the last few years. These are a few examples that may come in handy over the coming months:

Mark Latham’s had a bit to say about his colleagues in the last few years.

These are a few examples that may come in handy over the coming months:

Latham vs Laurie Ferguson

Latham Voter
“Laurie Ferguson…is one of the great embarrassments. His letter…is a rambling mess. The only reason he is in Parliament is his father had the numbers in Granville. The only reason he is on the frontbench is his brother had the numbers in the Left.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 31/03/01)

“If the Fergusons were listed on the stock market it would be under the trading name, Nepotism Inc.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 31/03/01)

“It is an embarrassment to the Labor movement to think of him as a future minister.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 31/03/01)

Latham vs Martin Ferguson

Beazley Voter

“As for Mar’n, the poor (expletive) can barely string two words together and get his tongue around the English language.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 31/03/01)

“…the Fergusons have become disconnected from reality.“ (Sydney Morning Herald, 31/03/01)

Latham vs Craig Emerson

Latham Voter

“…Emerson issued a press release on “the shrinking Australian dollar” in which he ‘revealed’ that the latest-issue $50 note is now two millimetres smaller, “a change of 1.3 per cent”. Emerson’s release was instantly circulated by Deputy Leader Simon Crean’s office to a distribution list of 315 computer addresses of Labor MPs, staffers and party officials. Which in turn sparked the email exchange. Latham: “what sort of s*** is this? Do you feel embarrassed having to send out this garbage?” Crean’s office: “No, I feel embarrassed at receiving abusive emails”. Latham: “please take me off your distribution list for Emerson’s infantile stunts. They are an embarrassment to the public policy functions of the parliament. Thank you”.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 04/11/00)

Latham vs Bob Carr

Beazley Supporter

“…accusing Mr Beazley of being intellectually and politically bankrupt and citing New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr, as the worst of what Labor has to offer. He writes that Federal Labor needs to avoid repeating the mistakes of Bob Carr in New South Wales – opportunistic in Opposition, followed by broken promises and pedestrian policies in government.” (quoting The Australian Economic Review, 1998)

Latham vs Wayne Swan

Beazley Voter

“machine man” (Brisbane Sunday Mail, 22/06/03)

“…one really has to ask the question why Steve Smith, Wayne Swan and Stephen Conroy are meeting with Kim Beazley in Sydney airport lounges plotting Beazley’s challenge to Simon Crean.
“Mark Latham: Plane spotters.” (Lateline, 03/06/03)

“Mark Latham: You can’t go to both meetings on the one day and this is the point that Simon made to these three roosters this morning.” [Swan, Smith and Conroy] (Lateline, 03/06/03)

Latham vs Stephen Smith

Beazley Voter

“…one really has to ask the question why Steve Smith, Wayne Swan and Stephen Conroy are meeting with Kim Beazley in Sydney airport lounges plotting Beazley’s challenge to Simon Crean.
“Mark Latham: Plane spotters.” (Lateline, 03/06/03)

“Mark Latham: You can’t go to both meetings on the one day and this is the point that Simon made to these three roosters this morning.” [Swan, Smith and Conroy] (Lateline, 03/06/03)

Latham vs Stephen Conroy

Beazley Voter

“…one really has to ask the question why Steve Smith, Wayne Swan and Stephen Conroy are meeting with Kim Beazley in Sydney airport lounges plotting Beazley’s challenge to Simon Crean.
“Mark Latham: Plane spotters.” (Lateline, 03/06/03)

“Mark Latham: You can’t go to both meetings on the one day and this is the point that Simon made to these three roosters this morning.” [Swan, Smith and Conroy] (Lateline, 03/06/03)

Latham vs Kevin Rudd

Beazley Voter

“Interviewer:…colleagues like Kevin Rudd in the past have dismissed your ideas as loopy.
“Latham: well, at least I’ve got ideas.” (Sunday Sunrise, 25/11/01)

“As expected Rudd has no suggestions of his own to assist the poor. As ever, rhetoric is easy in politics, change is hard.” (Australian Financial Review, 14/03/00)

“…Rudd…has the roar of a mouse rather than the crusading zeal of a parliamentary lion…As if the broadcasting of Question Time is not painful enough. Rudd now wants to give the Australian people wall to wall parliamentary tedium and cat fighting…The last thing we need is another generation of political committees, poncing around the country.” (The Daily Telegraph, 14/05/01)

“…Kevin Rudd has consistently misrepresented…my direct democracy system in Werriwa. While this system is less than perfect, it has a lot more going for it than Rudd’s little online fantasy…Rudd claimed to be running an internet chat room, or virtual town hall meeting, in his Brisbane electorate. This sounds good, if not for one small problem, Rudd’s website does not have a chat room.” (Daily Telegraph, 25/06/01)

After disagreeing with Rudd on the impact of R&D tax concessions, Latham sent an email to Rudd that began “Hey, Knucklehead!” (The Sydney Morning Herald, 4/11/2000)

Latham vs Anthony Albanese

Beazley Voter

“Anthony Albanese and that narrow factional politics is more the problem than the solution in the Labor Party…” (Radio 2GB, 14/12/98)

“…if anyone can find a positive speech or idea that Anthony Albanese has ever put forward in public life I’ll buy them a lottery ticket.” (Radio 2GB, 14/12/98)

Latham vs Kim Beazley

“The taxi driver was trying to steal my property and Kim Beazley’s trying to steal the Labor leadership off Simon Crean and I’m happy to tackle them both.” (Australian Financial Review, 13/06/03)

“You know, people think Kim’s a big angel, but some of this stuff is a bit dirty behind the scenes.” (Radio 2BL, 07/10/98)

Latham vs Michael Lee

“Presenter: Mr Latham, it was reported that you had a showdown – or run-in rather – with Michael Lee, the education spokesman. You said he had no ideas and wasn’t doing any work.” (Meet the Press, 11/06/00)