AS the full impact of the Coalition's election massacre reverberates across the land, this is not a time for gloating, nor grieving. There's a lot of healing to be done. A lot of party mending, too, if democracy is to be the victor at the weekend. And reflecting.

John Howard had grown arrogant and presidential in the prime ministerial cloth. He'd fought and clawed his way for 33 years in a whatever-it-takes drive for personal power. Stubborn to the end, he wouldn't pass the baton.

But Howard's so-called battlers felt duped about interest rates claims that got him over the line in 2004. They didn't like Work Choices, either. And, like his cabinet colleagues months ago, they were frankly sick of him.

Anyway, he was only sticking around 18 to 24 months, which highlighted the elephant in the room that suddenly appeared from behind a screen - Treasurer Peter Costello.

Well, Howard's now a chapter on irony in political history and Costello will quit politics for a business career. Pity we weren't warned. But, as Alex Hawke, our new MP for Mitchell said:''I don't think he nor any of us expected a defeat of this magnitude.'' Labor did.

Personally, if I were Peter Costello I wouldn't want to spend the next three or so years in exile watching my back for the ambitious Malcolm Turnbull.

The country is unlikely to go to the dogs now that it's wall-to-wall Labor. Unions may bung on a blue here and there, but there just might be more state-federal co-operation.

Kevin Rudd is not union aligned and owned his own China consultancy business, so he's obviously pro-enterprise. Some of his colleagues may go home to a red in the bed, but not Rudd. Therese Rein is doing quite well, thank you. Mark Latham was a hater with a big working-class chip on his shoulder and we rejected him in 2004.

Kevin Rudd is not a bit like that. I think he really is a low-risk conservative; call him John Howard without the bigotry and bitterness.

Now the election is over we can only hope Rudd is prepared to govern for all Australians.

The author Thomas Keneally wrote a plea at the weekend for a return of equity, justice and fraternity to the country. As the Liberals re-group and rebuild their shattered party, let's hope they reject once and for all the mean, tricky, sneaky, divisive.

The nation just did.