Bracks Watch

As Darryl Kerrigan would say "Tell Him He's Dreaming!"

If Steve Bracks thinks he is going to get away with letting his factional cronies stack out his enemies within the ALP, then, as Darryl Kerrigan would say, we need to tell him he's dreaming!

Everybody loves a winner, and so for the past five years Bracks has held the different Victorian factions together. However now Bracks' power has peaked and the factions have turned on each other. Bracks is unable to keep them in line.

Beazley has already washed his hands of involvement in the affair. Beazley knows that factional battles are political suicide. He will leave Bracks out to dry if need be - after all the ALP State Premiers didn't even give the last Federal leader of the ALP that much slack.

Kirner may be the one publicly calling for revolt but you can bet your bottom dollar that members of Steve's own parliamentary team are chafing at the bit to have a go at the do nothing Premier.

With the support of his party down to that only of his own faction, only the media and the ballot box stand between Steve Bracks and a parliamentary pension. While Steve won't be meeting his maker at the ballot box till the end of 2006, the media might even wake up and put his feet over the coals a bit before hand.

Today, that infamous reflection of the Victorian chattering classes, The Age's Editorial, has called on Steve to pull his head out of the sand in regards to branch stacking in the Victorian ALP.

Steve Bracks' success so far has rested on a media unwilling to challenge him and a Victorian ALP happy to have government with him rather than opposition without him. With these delicate unwritten pacts fraying at the seams, the days of Bracks do nothing government are now numbered.

posted by JP @ 3:03 PM