Seems the UNIONS run this country not the elected labor govt...
So does Paul Howse runs the govt and Australia? YES it would appear.....
Union officials threaten to strip Labor MPs of preseclection if they don't back Julia Gillard
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/union-officials-threaten-to-strip-labor-mps-of-preseclection-if-they-dont-back-julia-gillard/story-fni0cx12-1226670092584
UNION officials have begun threatening Labor MPs that if they vote against Julia Gillard in a leadership spill they will be stripped of their preselection.
The Daily Telegraph online had learned that the Transport Workers Union and the Australian Workers Union issued threats to several Labor Senators this morning, despite both unions claiming they never directed MPs how to vote on leadership.
The threats involve stripping key Senators of their endorsement on the Labor Senate ticket - not just for those up for re-election this year but for the next as well.
Three Labor sources have confirmed that the TWU and AWU officials had been calling Senators this morning.
“This is a real problem for the Rudd camp,” said one source.
“They are trying to pick Senators off.”
But Kevin Rudd faces another major hurdle, with several MPs now demanding that Mr Rudd deliver the Independents support, to ensure that he could form Government if he succeeded to take back the leadership.
It now appears likely that Mr Rudd could have to rely on the votes of Peter Slipper and Craig Thomson to form Government if a no-confidence motion was put to the Parliament tomorrow.
There are two major problems for Rudd now,” said a key senior Labor faction leader.
“The caucus won’t drift across for Rudd if he cannot guarantee that the Independents will support a Rudd Government.
“Having the leadership change and losing the Government is pointless.”
“If we can’t get the Independents…how can caucus vote for Rudd.”
Senior Rudd backers this morning said they now had the numbers for a petition to call a special caucus meeting possibly for this afternoon or tomorrow.
Ms Gillard appears to have backed away from threats that she would deny MPs a secret vote to determine the leadership.
But MPs considering switching over to Mr Rudd now claim they want assurances that he has the numbers and that he can deliver enough Independent support in the Parliament to survive a no-confidence motion if one was put.
“People want to be assured of the numbers and of his ability to form a Government,” said one senior MP.
With Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott indicating they would back a no-confidence motion if Opposition leader Tony Abbott put one to the Parliament.
Mr Thompson, Bob Katter and the Greens would not back such a motion – if it meant delivering a caretaker Government to Mr Abbott – meaning Mr Rudd would need to ensure the support of Mr Slipper and Andrew Wilkie to form Government.
