Graham I'm suprised I usually find that you are pretty even handed. But you have read this completely wrong. Howard looking for blood...more like costello doing a dick cheney and shooting a friend/s. This has backfired on Howard and Costello totally.

You say that Howard sacked Campbell because Howard smells Rudd's blood. More like Howard has jammed himself.

I think that it was because he found himself in far too deep, especially after Costello's comment that: "anybody who has any dealings with Burke is morally compromised".

In too deep and he had no choice but to keep going. When the newspoll tomorrow shows that this stuff hasn't dented Rudd and Labor too much I think the Campbell sacking will rapidly come to look like a spectacular own goal.

Dear Graham Howard is a serial liar,this thing about Rudd is just a sideshow,for a man who has left totaly incompetent ministers in place after scandals they should not only been fired for but possibily charged with fraud or neiglence,all this shows is Howard knows that he is looking down the barrel of a beating at the next election,and will do or say anything or get his lackys to,so he can keep his job

luke could be right, but chances of anything coming to light are not good. however, it doesn't really matter, so long as ozzies are content to be ruled by a group of people that would fail the entrance exam for the motor traders association due to dodgy character.

are you really ok with being political cattle? wouldn't you prefer to have citizen initiated referendum, direct election of ministers, and open administration of public affairs?

I think any reasonable person must now have grounds to say that Campbell was corrupt. He was sacked!

Hey Luke, I'm sure it's defamatory to say Campbell did something seriously corrupt, but I'd be surprised if anyone takes the allegation seriously, so I'll let it stand.

Howard's ruthless. Campbell's gone so Howard can go back at Rudd, which he will do.

Rudd is looking pretty smug and smart. He doesn't recognise the trouble he's in. He ought to also pull Maxine out of the limelight. The ABC managed to convey the impression that the PM might have had something to do with death threats to her. Puhleese! Might work in Green Left Weekly, but out in the burbs they'll be having a chuckle about it.

Do you really think it was because Howard "smells blood"? I think it is likely that over the next few days we will find out that Ian Campbell actually probably did something seriously corrupt ... I mean, he was the minister for the environment probably with powers over the planning approval process for that turf club. And we know that Howard rarely sacks ministers for ... well, anything!

Howard is probably hoping to deflect Campbell's resignation by saying it's to send a message to Rudd, but what better way to deflect from a possible real sacking due to corruption?