Rudd's adviser grabbed the reins:

Kevin Rudd reportedly asked his chief of staff to fill his spot as prime minister at the head of the nation's most important security body on several occasions.

In its first major report, new digital TV channel ABC News 24 has said the former prime minister showed a casual disregard for matters related to the National Security Committee of Cabinet.

Mr Rudd's chief of staff, 31-year-old Alistair Jordan, often deputised when the prime minister was running late for the meetings, it said.

The secretive body includes spy agencies and defence groups and is the supreme decision making council of government when it comes to matters of war, border security and terrorism.

Mr Rudd's office did not deny the report when contacted by the ABC while the office of Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she did not comment on matters of national security.

On Thursday Ms Gillard was maintaining her offer to Mr Rudd of a spot on the frontbench of a re-elected Labor government.

Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said that if the claims are true, Mr Rudd should not be considered for any ministerial position in future.

"If true, this demonstrates a contempt for Australia's national security by the Rudd-Gillard government," she was quoted by the ABC as saying.

Mr Rudd stood aside on June 24 to avoid humiliating defeat at the hands of Ms Gillard, who had the backing of the party's right faction to take over the Labor leadership.

The ABC said the revelations had left Ms Gillard with questions to answer about her knowledge of Mr Rudd's reported actions in relation to the security committee.

The ABC said that on occasions, Mr Jordan had deputised for Mr Rudd on the committee when the then prime minister had not attended meetings at all.

The meetings often started after Mr Rudd had kept the departmental heads waiting for more than an hour, it reported.

"Commonwealth officials were appalled and some complained because they believe it compromised the work of the committee," the ABC said.

It said other government sources had reported that Mr Jordan, or another senior staffer, sometimes stood in for Mr Rudd on the Strategic Priorities and Budget Committee of Cabinet - the so-called gang of four that made many of the government's major decisions.

ninemsn 23 July 2010

Just another example of how politics is run from the inside.

A pathetic way of governance which has made light to the general populous.