Mark Arbib ResignsMark Arbib, who played a major role in ousting Rudd in 2010, has quit as a minister and senator. His resignation is cited as being for “personal” and “family” reasons. There is much more to this than someone who just wants to spend more time with his family.

This story will develop over the next few hours as we gain real insight into the real reasons for this move by Mark Arbib. As one of the chief head kickers in the NSW Right faction he was one of the architects of the coup which ousted Kevin Rudd as PM in 2010.

Mark Arbib has been described by some as “intimidating”, one person we spoke to called him a “political thug who would not stop until he got his own way”. Certainly Mark Arbib was a powerful person and call us cynical but “spending more time with my family” is the most overplayed excuse for resigning there is.

Unlike the House of Representatives, Mark Arbib’s resignation from the Senate will not force a by-election. Convention is that he will be replaced by a new Labor member to replace him in the Senate. The NSW Government will choose his replacement.

Senator Arbib was one of the so called “Faceless Men” of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party known for his ruthless tactics to keep his faction, the NSW Right, in line. Mark Arbib described his resignation as a “gesture of goodwill” to help heal the wounds in the party. Wounds, it should be added, he helped make as he hacked away at Kevin Rudd’s position as Prime Minister.

Privately, many is the ALP say they “wont miss Arbib one bit” and someone else has said “this thug is better gone”.

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Filed under: Australian Labor PartyChallenge

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