Crowds for PM past... and future?

Kevin Rudd speaks at the inter-faith conference today at the Ingle Farm Community Centre in northern Adelaide. Picture: Sam Wundke Source: adelaidenow

AN ABBOTT government would commit to a "flagship" road project for Adelaide, could consider a national approach to criminal gangs, and would never, ever ban live animal exports.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott faced a friendly crowd yesterday in the seat of Boothby, which the Liberals hold with a margin of less than 1 per cent.

The only challenge he faced was the "Ban Live Exports" protesters, whose chants threatened to drown out the community forum he was hosting with local member Andrew Southcott.

The protesters turned up to Prime Minister Julia Gillard's Community Cabinet last month, which was also held in the electorate of Boothby.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott walks into a community forum at Clovelly Park, with live export protesters behind him. Picture: Dean Martin

While Mr Abbott made no real announcements, one thing he made clear was that he would never cave in to the animal advocates on live exports.

He also said "watch this space" on infrastructure for SA.

After a meeting with state Liberal Leader Steven Marshall yesterday morning, Mr Abbott said substantial federal funding was on the table for a road project, with more details to come "between now and polling day".

Kevin Rudd at the Ingle Farm Community Centre in northern Adelaide, where he was speaking at an inter-faith conference. Picture: Sam Wundke

"I'm conscious of the fact that the current government did commit $500 million (to road funding) - that money has been frittered away ... What I want is to contribute the Commonwealth's assistance to a long-term solution rather than a series of Band-Aids," he said.

"The suggestion ... that we look at the north-south corridor ... is a very, very good one."

Mr Abbott also gave highly qualified but in-principle support to a plan for a national approach to gangs, organised crime and illegal firearms, saying it "sounds a bit like a proposal we had going to the last election".

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott speaks at a community forum at Clovelly Park, with the member for Boothby Andrew Southcott. Picture: Dean Martin

The Prime Minister wants the states to refer their powers to the Commonwealth under the FBI-style plan. The State Government also cautiously welcomed the plan. Attorney-General John Rau said the idea hadn't been discussed with him and he would like to see more details.

Mr Abbott's community forum, at the Clovelly Park Memorial Community Centre, was mainly attended by older voters, with some youth leaders from various schools.

The Opposition Leader fielded questions on welfare, same-sex marriage, climate change and a range of other issues, most of which he responded to with stock answers.

One bright child got a laugh by asking what his tactics were to beat Ms Gillard.

"I hope my tactics are successful, OK," Mr Abbott said, later describing the question as "cute".

Meanwhile, for Mr Rudd, it was 2007 all over again as KRudd dusted off his rockstar persona at a small recreation centre in Ingle Farm.

Making the hero's welcome accorded to Kevin Rudd all the more astonishing was the former Prime Minister was in front of an audience of 200 people at a religious conference - not exactly a wild crowd.

He spoke for about 35 minutes on the importance of different religions working together to generate greater understanding and world peace.

But when the floor was opened up to the audience, it took only two questions to get to the nub of the matter.

"Mr Rudd, after hearing you speak today ... I think you need to be prime minister of Australia as soon as possible," one questioner said to huge cheers.

With a restrained smile, the once and possibly future PM replied: "I think I have made my position on that very clear."

Last month, Mr Rudd cancelled a visit to Ingle Farm as it was to be on the same day Julia Gillard was bringing her cabinet to SA.

Mr Rudd has consistently dismissed the idea that he wants to return to the Lodge but reading the between the tea leaves yesterday provided enough evidence he hasn't completely abandoned the idea.

While Ms Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have spent time in the past week demonising refugees and foreign workers, Mr Rudd yesterday spent a great deal of time praising the strength of Australia's multicultural system and the need to "welcome the strangers in our midst".

Asked later what he made of former One Nation MP Pauline Hanson supporting Ms Gillard's visa crackdown, he muttered an enigmatic "Mrs Hanson is entitled to her political views".

Perhaps more significantly, he expounded at length on the idea of "passive tolerance" and why in a religious sense it was not enough just to put up with those you didn't like. "Respect means not just a passive tolerance," he said.

Makes you wonder how long he'll stand by and watch the polls continue to plummet as the September 14 election nears.