Promises, politicians, points of view

From w

 A rockstar reception I don’t think. Curiosity perhaps. Many people have mixed feelings surely. Questioning  motives. The frank and honest questions to be asked might be dismissed as the three – Rudd, Cheeseman and Marles – are concerned about the seats of Corangamite (part of Geelong and western district, once  a safe Liberal seat) and Corio, probably still a safe Labour seat. I plan to be at Diversitat for the 9 to 10 gig so I hope I have a chance to ask a question. I’m not a member of a party and look at issues, one at a time, especially a fair go for people, rural and urban, and I’m against throwing money right left and centre just to be popular.

Fanfare tipped as Kevin Rudd rocks in

Cameron Best   |  June 7th, 2013

FORMER Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to get a rockstar reception when he tours Geelong today.

The popular leader, now Queensland backbencher following his failed attempts to topple Prime Minister Julia Gillard, will hit the hustings to campaign for local MPs and Rudd backers Richard Marles and Darren Cheeseman.

On his itinerary are meetings with multicultural leaders at the Diversitat Northern Community Hub in Norlane and a school visit at Christian College in Highton.

Mr Rudd will be at Corio Village from noon, meeting the public and pushing the Labor message.

"He's Kevin Rudd and he's here to help," Corangamite MP Darren Cheeseman quipped, echoing the former PM's famous line.

"It's a chance to reintroduce Kevin to Geelong and he wants to make sure we win all of the seats across the region."

But images of Mr Rudd being greeted by Geelong people alongside the local MPs will do little to bolster solidarity within the Gillard Government, reeling from bad polls and predictions of a wipeout.

"People will read all sorts of things into it and that can't be helped, but the point is Kevin wants to work with all Federal Labor MPs to get them re-elected," Mr Cheeseman said.

Corio MP Richard Marles said Mr Rudd was keen to talk to locals about the future of regional cities like Geelong.

"From my point of view, to have a former prime minister and a man of his standing coming to campaign on my behalf and that of Darren Cheeseman is a really good thing," he said.

"He will talk about what Labor has done for regional cities and the vision for regional cities and how difficult it would be if Tony Abbott were ever elected prime minister of this country."

Mr Rudd denied his visit was a show of support for Mr Marles and Mr Cheeseman, who backed him in two failed leadership spills.

"I campaign for people right across the country, including people who have never backed me," Mr Rudd said.