What, if any, are the moral limits of political affiliation? As a lifelong ALP voter, I have reached mine. Recent political events have provoked a moral crisis in me. The elevation of Kevin Rudd was met with jubilation by many. At the same time, it posed sickening questions of morality for many lifelong ALP members and voters.

After losing the support of almost the entire federal parliamentary caucus in 2010, Rudd aligned himself with the interests of the Liberal Party in the 2010 election campaign by his behaviour. It is alleged that he leaked confidential cabinet deliberations. His conduct guaranteed a hung parliament.

The perverse irony of this was that by virtue of the hung parliament, the ALP was unable to decisively deal with Rudd by expelling him. Instead, for a time great efforts were made to placate him. His behaviour was rewarded with his appointment as Foreign Minister. This did not halt his relentless, destructive campaign, which continued for three years until the ultimate reward was bestowed on June 23, 2013: the prime ministership.

Rudd used all and any means necessary to return to the leadership. His return was too much for some. One-third of the cabinet quit. Among the casualties was one of the best and brightest, Greg Combet. Speaking about his decision on Meet The Press, Combet elliptically referred to the ''competing moralities'' that the caucus had wrestled with over the Rudd issue. This was code for accepting the popularity of Rudd in the polls and rewarding Rudd's behaviour or continuing to support Julia Gillard, notwithstanding her terrible poll numbers. Ever the diplomat, Combet resisted further invitations to expand on this theme.