Gillard Government and Melbourne Football Club find losing a hard habit to break An acceptance of losing is dangerous, whether you're in government or a football team, writes Jeff Kennett. WHAT do the Gillard Government and the Melbourne Football Club have in common? They both have developed a losing culture. For almost six years now Australians have been misled by a series of commitments by Labor that have simply not been met. The carbon tax we were never going to have and surplus Budgets that have never been delivered, a National Broadband Network that has failed to deliver to those as promised at a cost beyond our wildest dreams. Worse, we have seen the personalities of Government publicly arguing and calling each other the most foul of names (imagine what they say to each other privately). It's hardly what you would expect from a group of supposedly mature adults elected to manage the affairs of state. Rudd, Gillard, Swan, Emerson and Shorten to name a few. They are losers, but the community is the bigger loser, because when this government is defeated, as surely must be the case 121 days from today, we will all pay the price for their incompetence and dishonesty for years to come. The Guilty Party! I can see the campaign that my party used successfully in 1992 to rid Victoria of an incompetent Labor government being dusted off to drive home the point that Australia needs an effective government after the next election instead of the self-serving, vindictive mob that occupies the Treasury benches today. As for Treasurer Wayne Swan, he has been the one constant in both the Rudd and Gillard governments. He has delivered Budget deficits in five of the six years he has held office. He has spent money from supposed revenue sources that didn't eventuate. Now rather than reining in expenditure that is outstripping revenue growth of 7 per cent he is saying, "You can't cut your way to growth." Rubbish. You must cut expenditure that has been made irresponsibly. You do that in order to put in place the ingredients that promote growth. So much of our money has been spent that you have to ensure such an approach to spending public monies stops. So Mr Swan is simply wrong - you have to cut your way to promote growth. And the Melbourne Football Club? Every organisation goes through tough times. In football, Collingwood, Geelong, Melbourne and Hawthorn 14 years ago were in diabolical trouble. Hawthorn and Melbourne almost merged, but fortunately that did not occur thanks to the efforts of Don Scott and then the leadership of Ian Dicker. Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn all rebuilt their clubs. All have gone on to be very successful businesses and all have won premierships since, in Geelong's case three times. But Melbourne continues to disappoint its members and sponsors and now wallows one from bottom on the ladder - with a percentage inferior to Greater Western Sydney. It's tragic because Melbourne is a proud club, with a proud history, and importantly it carries a strong brand name: Melbourne. No Victorian wants to see our capital city's name relegated by consistent failure. But that is where it is today. Melbourne, like the Federal Government, has developed a losing culture. It is not good enough and we all have a vested interest in reviving Melbourne Football Club's reputation. The AFL has sent experienced former Essendon CEO Peter Jackson to Melbourne to act as the equivalent of a modern Red Adair: a troubleshooter sent in to put out the fires and rebuild the club. But however good Peter Jackson is, he cannot do that on his own. The club's board has failed in exercising its responsibilities. Leadership comes from the top. While each of the current board members are qualified individuals, with the very best of intentions, the reality is that collectively they have failed to change the club's losing culture. It's a shame that the blame is being levelled at the coach Mark Neeld - that is grossly unfair. Certainly the playing group and coaches are not delivering results, but it is the culture as much as the football department. There is simply no pride and no one is providing the leadership required for players or supporters. Nothing is forthcoming from the board except for holding others accountable - but in fact the buck stops with them. RECENTLY I have spoken to many committed Melbourne members. Many are as qualified as those who currently serve. Many have offered to make themselves available as part of a new board. By year's end, at the next Melbourne Football Club's annual general meeting, there is serious talk of a resolution to sack the board and start again. There's nothing wrong with accountability and I am sure the current board members would not dismiss the concept of them being held accountable. But why wait six months? Why waste the opportunity to start the fresh approach sooner rather than later? At least that way, the club can assemble the people needed now to enter 2014 proudly, heads held high, with a business plan to start the restoration of a winning culture. The Demons can do it, but it should commence that process sooner rather than later. The 18th century French philosopher Denis Diderot once said: "Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things." I agree with that and there has been very little positive passion at Melbourne for some time. The losing culture, be it in Canberra or at the Melbourne Football Club, is not the Australian way. We are battlers, but we love battling for success. We are proud and we reject incompetence. We love winners and always want to be competitive. It is time for the administrations in Canberra and at Melbourne to make way for the next group of leaders.