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Rudd, Gillard and Beyond: Penguin Specials
Troy Bramston is a former principal speechwriter for Kevin Rudd and an adviser to the Rudd government. He spent 10 years working as an adviser to federal Labor politicians in government and in opposition. He has been a party member for nearly 20 years and has held many positions in the party at a local and state level, including President of NSW Young Labor.
- GenresPolitics
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 14, 2014
Sometimes authors write books because they have to, not because they need to. One gets the feeling this book sprung from the desire of a publisher to have a 'what it all means' tome after the end of the recent Labor government. Or perhaps given Bramston's obvious ambition, the initiative came from the writer. Either way, the purpose of the book seems set well before the content of it was conceived.
That is not always a bad thing, and this is no bad book. But it's an odd end product. It's far too insiderish for much appeal to the wider apathetic general public, yet there themes and issues are too well known and discussed in a generic way for those inside the triangle* to get much use.
Still, i suspect many who follow politics the way most normal people follow sport will pick up a copy. There interviews with Rudd and Shorten help to present both men in perhaps as good a light as they could hope for. For me, Shorten came away as a figure to look at closer, Rudd as even more delusional than seems safe. Gillard is the only one who didn't speak to Bramston and so the writer seems unsure what to think.
Bramston has set himself up as the medium of Labor, but when Labor people don't give him access, the resulting prose is decidedly medium.
I do like Bramston's work and think he plays an important role. But if he wants to step into the Paul Kelly/George Megalogenius upper tier of journalists who can help define Australian politics, he needs to take more time than 'two brief bursts'. A serious engagement with the wealth of insight from the political science fields would be a rich starting point. Like his subject of the Rudd and Gillard government, simply being productive is never enough. Valuable, honourable legacies are built upon having a defined purpose and a language which elevates to that level. Maybe next time.
* Ala Washington DCs beltway, Canberra has a parliamentary triangle which seperates those inside and in the know from the general mass.
That is not always a bad thing, and this is no bad book. But it's an odd end product. It's far too insiderish for much appeal to the wider apathetic general public, yet there themes and issues are too well known and discussed in a generic way for those inside the triangle* to get much use.
Still, i suspect many who follow politics the way most normal people follow sport will pick up a copy. There interviews with Rudd and Shorten help to present both men in perhaps as good a light as they could hope for. For me, Shorten came away as a figure to look at closer, Rudd as even more delusional than seems safe. Gillard is the only one who didn't speak to Bramston and so the writer seems unsure what to think.
Bramston has set himself up as the medium of Labor, but when Labor people don't give him access, the resulting prose is decidedly medium.
I do like Bramston's work and think he plays an important role. But if he wants to step into the Paul Kelly/George Megalogenius upper tier of journalists who can help define Australian politics, he needs to take more time than 'two brief bursts'. A serious engagement with the wealth of insight from the political science fields would be a rich starting point. Like his subject of the Rudd and Gillard government, simply being productive is never enough. Valuable, honourable legacies are built upon having a defined purpose and a language which elevates to that level. Maybe next time.
* Ala Washington DCs beltway, Canberra has a parliamentary triangle which seperates those inside and in the know from the general mass.
January 16, 2024
Having worked my way through "Rudd, Gillard and Beyond" by Troy Bramston, I found it to be a disappointing exploration of the tumultuous period in Australian politics. While the book attempts to dissect the complex dynamics between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, it falls short of delivering the in-depth analysis one would expect from a political commentary.
Bramston's writing lacks the depth and nuance required to navigate the intricacies of the Rudd-Gillard era. The narrative often veers into superficial retellings of events without providing the critical insights or behind-the-scenes revelations that readers might anticipate. The book appears to gloss over the profound policy debates and focuses more on the personal animosities, resulting in a narrative that feels more tabloid than scholarly.
Moreover, the author's biases are conspicuous, and it often feels like a partisan account rather than an objective analysis. Bramston's affiliation with the Australian Labor Party may color his perspective, leaving readers questioning the impartiality of the narrative.
The book's organization also leaves much to be desired, with a disjointed structure that hampers the flow of the narrative. Transitions between events and chapters lack the coherence needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the political landscape during that period.
In essence, "Rudd, Gillard and Beyond" by Troy Bramston fails to live up to its promise of being a definitive account of a crucial period in Australian politics. The lack of depth, perceived biases, and organizational shortcomings make it a less-than-satisfactory read for those seeking a thorough examination of the Rudd-Gillard era.
Bramston's writing lacks the depth and nuance required to navigate the intricacies of the Rudd-Gillard era. The narrative often veers into superficial retellings of events without providing the critical insights or behind-the-scenes revelations that readers might anticipate. The book appears to gloss over the profound policy debates and focuses more on the personal animosities, resulting in a narrative that feels more tabloid than scholarly.
Moreover, the author's biases are conspicuous, and it often feels like a partisan account rather than an objective analysis. Bramston's affiliation with the Australian Labor Party may color his perspective, leaving readers questioning the impartiality of the narrative.
The book's organization also leaves much to be desired, with a disjointed structure that hampers the flow of the narrative. Transitions between events and chapters lack the coherence needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the political landscape during that period.
In essence, "Rudd, Gillard and Beyond" by Troy Bramston fails to live up to its promise of being a definitive account of a crucial period in Australian politics. The lack of depth, perceived biases, and organizational shortcomings make it a less-than-satisfactory read for those seeking a thorough examination of the Rudd-Gillard era.
March 4, 2024
Too much assumed knowledge about policies and events mentioned only in passing but as explanations or justifications for actions. This book was probably supposed to be a contemporary account of current events so the reader would be aware of what he’s talking about but 12 years on to someone with a poor memory it is a bit wanting.
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March 2, 2021this cost $1 at lifeline so i bought it and honestly I now understand the rudd-gillard thing a bit more so worth it
May 14, 2014
A short but powerful read highlighting the faults of the previous Labor Federal Government and the wider problems that currently plague the party.
Supported by interviews (apart from Gillard)and other research conducted, Bramston provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the government during its time in power and suggests key ways the party must reform to remain relevant and successful as a political party in modern Australia.
Supported by interviews (apart from Gillard)and other research conducted, Bramston provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the government during its time in power and suggests key ways the party must reform to remain relevant and successful as a political party in modern Australia.
June 10, 2014
Good balanced read thou Julia Gillard didn't contribute to the book.
Has some good recommendations on how to make the Labor party relevant again.
Reading Bill Shortens vision I am optimistic. People may say that he isn't showing this at this point of time, but one could not of foretold Tony Abbott's very ordinary start to his prime-minister-ship. A opposition normally takes 2 years to lick its wounds and to formulate a new direction/ alternate policies, so I trust this will come in time.
Has some good recommendations on how to make the Labor party relevant again.
Reading Bill Shortens vision I am optimistic. People may say that he isn't showing this at this point of time, but one could not of foretold Tony Abbott's very ordinary start to his prime-minister-ship. A opposition normally takes 2 years to lick its wounds and to formulate a new direction/ alternate policies, so I trust this will come in time.
June 8, 2014
This is a concise but intelligent book about the Australian Labor Party that doesn't really anything new as such but it clearly articulates the issues and problems that the party is facing. I found the interviews with Keating and Hawke interesting and is a great book for anyone involved in the union movement and labor party politics.
April 16, 2015
Pretty good historical account of Labor's 2013 election defeat with good contributions by Keating, Hawke and Shorten especially. That Gillard was unwilling to participate in the research does leave the book with a fairly gaping hole, though at only 160 pages, it's probably worth the brief time it takes to read anyway.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews