Wets rule as Howard readies for election

John Howard and former Labor machine man, Graham Richardson, have more in common than they would admit.

It was Richardson who brazenly titled his autobiography, "Whatever it takes". Richardson's book is now on sale at a modest $2.90, but it is Howard who again is showing that when it comes to elections he will do what ever is necessary to win.

The two big winners of his reshuffle are Malcom Turnbull and Joe Hockey, the leading lights of the NSW left liberal faction, otherwise known as the 'wets'.

Such was the factional enmity, in his earlier Prime Ministerial days Howard would not have even considered these two for Cabinet.

Both Turnbull and Hockey were high profile supporters of the Republic and continue to be.

Howard the conservative, pro monarchist was from the right "dry" end of the NSW and Federal Liberal Party and for a long period was decidedly reluctant to promote his factional enemies.

Time, and now ten percentage points behind in the polls, has left Howard increasingly desperate to re-establish his now ten year supremacy over Labor.

With Labor's news leader, Kevin Rudd, scoring points against the Government on the water crisis and Industrial Relations still burning the Government, Howard has ignored any idealogical issues and lifted Turnbull and Hockey to Cabinet to strengthen the Governments performance in these two critical issues.

Water is THE issue of the moment and Turnbull will use this position to strengthen his case for the leadership, an ambition he scarcely hides.

Watching he and Treasurer, Peter Costello, maneuver around each other over the next 12 months will be intriguing.