“Prime Minister John Howard is tipped to reshape his ministry in the wake of Labor’s leadership change to toughen up the Government in vulnerable areas such as industrial relations and the environment,” the Telegraph reports today .

You don’t say! There have been rumours for weeks – and after the events that closed the Canberra year, this is the reshuffle we had to have.

Kevin Rudd is clever and driven. Look at how he went for the leadership. Look at his life story. He has the sort of hunger that is needed to prevail at the polls.

“Parliamentary foes Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are set to face off once again as a result of a Howard Government reshuffle,” the Telegraph reports.

This is where the story gets interesting. Canberra sources say the Rudd/Gillard team is a winner with women, especially among women aged 25-50. If she gets whacked round the head on a daily basis by one of John Howard’s hard men, that will surely help Labor.

Perhaps we’re at the stage where a serious Government reshuffle – a considered reshuffle – should include the top job.