Kevin Rudd has questions to answer on grubby deal that would deliver a hung Parliament

Kevin Rudd must explain why Labor has done a sleazy preference deal with Craig Thomson in the seat of Dobell. Mr Rudd has to explain why he is preferencing a man facing 173 charges for the misuse of union funds over Karen McNamara, a hard-working, local mother. Mr Rudd’s Dobell deal is a new low for Labor. It makes a mockery of Mr Rudd’s intention to reform the Labor Party. The Labor candidate for Dobell says she is ‘disgusted and appalled’ by Mr Thomson’s alleged conduct. So why isn’t Mr Rudd? Mr Rudd and Anthony Albanese refuse to say what was discussed just a few weeks ago ‘over a beer’ with Mr Thomson. Mr Rudd is even refusing to say whether he knew that Mr Albanese was having a beer with Mr Thomson. The Coalition has preferenced Labor ahead of the Greens on every ticket and Tony Abbott has ruled out doing any deals to form a minority government. This preference deal in Dobell is further proof Mr Rudd is willing to do anything and say anything to save his job – even if it means subjecting the Australian people to another three years of chaos, division and dysfunction in the form of another hung Parliament. 19 August 2013