Beazley wins- and already the knives are being sharpened

So Kim Beazley won the Labor leadership unopposed (after Labors Right wing heavies scared off all potential challengers). Why the Labor Caucus had to go through the motions of gathering in Canberra to anoint him is anybody's guess.  But they managed to waste $100,000+ in taxpayer funds to go through the formalities.

Irrespective of the (lack of) candidates or location, after the Latham implosion, Beazley was "a given" to collect the leadeship hat.  A gun-shy Labor Party was always going to turn its back on any more "generational change", so they went the safe route- the comfortable old shoe, Kim Beazley – a competent and popular leader with a high level of support in the electorate.  But also the most practised loser in modern Australian politics.  A two-time failure.

But prooving that there is no support like ALP caucus support, Labor backbencher Rod Sawford has welcomed the new leader with this utimatum:

"I think the Caucus will hold him to that and 12 months down the track, if there has been no significant policy or party reform and there is evidence that procedures are not inclusive then people will not be quiet"

That's the way Rod!  Jump right in, support the new leader by reminding him that the gun is already loaded.  This statement coupled with the intense and deperate factional cajoling that occured this week makes a mockery of Beazleys "vow to unite the party."

All I can say is:

"Good Luck Kim.  The last month has demonstrated that your party is full of individuals that are driven more by feelings of revenge and hatred, rather than discipline and logic, infact any trace of party discipline has been shot to pieces.  Until your party realises that there is more to the game that personalities; like, I dunno, maybe some credible policies – not too many, but some policies, convincing policies as well as compelling personalities, the Australian people will never take you seriously."

So who knows (or cares) what the ALP do next , two things are assured though:

1. Under Beazley's leadership the ALP will move further to the right; both in terms of social and economic policy.  Don't believe his "sharp difference" blab; it's just typical Beazley wind-baggery
2. The ALP will continue to keep me amused....

(P.S: I reakon Kim made his first mistake by keeping the shadow cabinet intact;  he should drop some of the deadwood (like Macklin and Crean) put Rudd in as Shadow Treasurer, and work from there.  He's gonna need the best team he can muster, even if it means moving beyond factonal rules)