When shadow cabinet was announced in December 2006, Joel Fitzgibbon in Defence was the jaw-dropper.

He had been a founding member of the Lemmings who got Mark Latham up as Labor leader in 2003. He was Latham's best mate in politics and a funster who would just cack himself at Mark's jokes.

When Beazley was brought back as leader in early 2005, core Lemmings set about destabilising him, and Fitzgibbon was the chief destabiliser. They wanted Julia Gillard leader but eventually had to settle for Kevin Rudd.

Lemmings could never stand Rudd. He was in the Beazley camp in 2003 but became the compromise Lemming candidate in 2006. He would make a big show about appointing a ministry on talent, but it and the shadow ministry were disproportionately Julia's. (Recall DTFA).

Gillard and Fitzgibbon are mates and comrades, and yesterday's 'Insiders' talk of her carpeting him doesn't ring true. He played a big role in getting her where she is today and when the time comes will destabilise on her behalf again. She's beholden to him.

Perhaps George Megalogenis had it right. Rudd says to Gillard: 'you insisted on giving this guy defence, you fix this. If you don't fix it he goes.'

(When/if Gillard becomes leader, will she be able to shaft the people who got her there? It won't be much of a government if she can't.)