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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd resigns | Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd resigns |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has resigned amid widespread reports of a leadership tussle between him and Prime Minister Julia Gillard. | Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has resigned amid widespread reports of a leadership tussle between him and Prime Minister Julia Gillard. |
| He made the announcement at a press conference in Washington DC, where he had earlier met US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. | He made the announcement at a press conference in Washington DC, where he had earlier met US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. |
| There has been ongoing tension in the Labor Party in recent weeks over the leadership. | There has been ongoing tension in the Labor Party in recent weeks over the leadership. |
| Ms Gillard ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010. | Ms Gillard ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010. |
| "The simple truth is that I cannot continue to serve as foreign minister if I don't have Prime Minister Gillard's support," he said late Tuesday night at the press conference in the US, which was broadcast live in Australia. | "The simple truth is that I cannot continue to serve as foreign minister if I don't have Prime Minister Gillard's support," he said late Tuesday night at the press conference in the US, which was broadcast live in Australia. |
| "I therefore believe the only honourable course of action is for me to resign." | "I therefore believe the only honourable course of action is for me to resign." |
| He did not say if he would be challenging Ms Gillard for the leadership, but confirmed that he would leave the US the next day, arriving home in Brisbane on Friday morning. | He did not say if he would be challenging Ms Gillard for the leadership, but confirmed that he would leave the US the next day, arriving home in Brisbane on Friday morning. |
| He said he would not be involved in a "stealth attack on a sitting prime minister". | He said he would not be involved in a "stealth attack on a sitting prime minister". |
| "We all know that what happened then was wrong and it must never happen again," he said, referring to how he was ousted. | |
| Mr Rudd said he would consult with his family and community before making an announcement about his future. | |
| He would do so before parliament returned next week, he said. | He would do so before parliament returned next week, he said. |
| 'A soap opera' | |
| In the past few days, speculation had been mounting that Mr Rudd's supporters were planning a leadership challenge. | |
| The ruling Labor Party government is struggling to regain voter support and Ms Gillard has been slipping in popularity polls. | |
| Ms Gillard was grilled by Australian media last week over allegations that her staff worked on a "victory speech" two weeks before she ousted Mr Rudd. | |
| She refused to say for certain if she knew the speech was being prepared in advance, but stressed that she did not commission it. | |
| After the interview, polls published in The Australian newspaper showed that she had lost ground to opposition leader Tony Abbott. While support for him rose three points to 40%, hers dropped to 37%. | |
| Australia's next national election is due in 2013. | |
| "The truth is the Australian people regard this whole affair as little better than a soap opera and they are right," Mr Rudd said at the press conference. "And under current circumstances, I won't be part of it." |