Rudd could hurt Abbott now, but help after the election Terry McCrann says Kevin Rudd could help Tony Abbott dodge having to call a double-dissolution election: Rudd was re-elected leader of the Labor party and so Prime Minister, for one reason and one reason only. With the Budget already tipped to be $18 billion in the red, Rudd would bet the public isn't going to care much if it turns out $25 billion instead - and especially not if he buys some peace: The federal government is moving to combat its electoral weaknesses by cracking down on asylum seekers and examining changes to policies on Â­climate change, welfare and higher education that, combined, could cost more than $7 billion. With that kind of money, Rudd could buy a lot of votes. The Opposition should work hard to get commitments from Rudd on debt.