Australia leadership: Vote looms for Gillard and Rudd
Australia leadership: PM Gillard defeats Kevin Rudd
(about 7 hours later)
MPs from Australia's ruling Labor Party meet shortly for a leadership ballot pitting Prime Minister Julia Gillard against her longtime foe, Kevin Rudd.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defeated Kevin Rudd in the Labor Party leadership ballot, officials have confirmed.
Ms Gillard, who ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010, called the vote after weeks of speculation.
Ms Gillard, who ousted Mr Rudd as PM in June 2010, won by 71 votes to 31.
While she is tipped to win the secret ballot on Monday (late Sunday GMT), many MPs are said to remain undecided.
She called the ballot after weeks of speculation that Mr Rudd was going to challenge her for the top job.
Mr Rudd says he has the backing of some senior ministers but has pledged her his "unequivocal" support if she wins.
A cabinet reshuffle is now expected to fill Mr Rudd's position as foreign minister, from which he resigned last week.
The result is being seen as a comprehensive defeat for Mr Rudd, who is now expected to retreat to the backbenches as promised.
He came to power with an electoral landslide in 2007 after more than a decade of conservative rule and enjoyed some of the highest popularity ratings for a prime minister in years.
He came to power with an electoral landslide in 2007 after more than a decade of conservative rule and enjoyed some of the highest popularity ratings for a prime minister in years.
However, he went on to lose the confidence of colleagues over his environmental and taxation policies.
But he went on to lose the confidence of colleagues over his environmental and taxation policies, and was ousted by Ms Gillard who at the time was his deputy.
After being deposed by Ms Gillard, he returned as foreign minister, a post from which he dramatically resigned on Tuesday.
He returned to the cabinet as foreign minister, but in recent months as Ms Gillard's support fell in opinion polls there was widespread speculation that a leadership bid was imminent.
There are very few actual political differences between the two politicians, the BBC's Duncan Kennedy reports from Sydney, so the contest is more about personal style, temperament and the ability to take on the opposition.
Before the vote, he was quoted in Australia media as saying that Ms Gillard would have his "unequivocal support between now and the next election'' if she were to win.
'Very confident'
"This thing is bigger than all of us. If I get mowed down by a bus tomorrow - political or physical - the bottom line is this: the party and the government and the country is much bigger than me," he said.
Julia Gillard remains favourite to beat Kevin Rudd, but few here are predicting exact numbers in what has become a nasty battle of words between the candidates and their supporters.
Ms Gillard now has to focus on healing divisions within the party and reasserting her authority, says the BBC's correspondent in Sydney, Duncan Kennedy.
Whilst dozens of Labor members of parliament have publicly declared their voting intentions, around 30 or 40 have not and there has been a frantic bout of phone-bashing by the two camps to secure their votes.
Australian media earlier reported the win as 73 to 29.
A series of opinion polls suggest Kevin Rudd, the former prime minister, is most liked by the public. But Ms Gillard is highly respected among her colleagues who regard her as calm and effective.
There are very few political differences between the two who both believe in greater social welfare, balanced budgets and climate control so the result will be much more about a preference for personal style, temperament and ability to take on the opposition.
The secret ballot in Canberra is due to begin at 10:00 on Monday (23:00 GMT).
Mr Rudd has the support of only around 30 of the 103 Labor MPs, despite his continuing popularity with the voters.
But between 30 and 40 MPs have not declared their hand.
Despite opinion polls suggesting Labor would fare better under Mr Rudd at the next general election, a survey of the 20 most threatened Labor MPs by The Age newspaper on Sunday found 15 would back Ms Gillard, preferring to lose their seats than return Mr Rudd to the prime ministership.
"I am very confident of the strong support of my colleagues," Ms Gillard told reporters.
"I believe Labor, every one of us, will unite after Monday's ballot.
"We will unite... and we will get our shoulders to the wheel delivering Labor's programme and plans."
Pledge
Mr Rudd defended his record as prime minister, saying: "None of my colleagues, in cabinet meetings or privately, ever said that [there were problems] to me."
But he added that the wishes of the party should come first.
"If Julia is returned on Monday then she will have my unequivocal support between now and the next election, because we have interests way beyond individuals here," he told the Nine Network.
"This thing is bigger than all of us. If I get mowed down by a bus tomorrow - political or physical - the bottom line is this: the party and the government and the country is much bigger than me."
Opposition leader Tony Abbott has repeated his calls for minority MPs who support Labor's coalition government to withdraw their support and force an election.
"I think for Australia's sake this government should go," he said.
"[Monday] will resolve nothing and we will be left with a seriously bad government," Mr Abbott added.
Are you in Australia or an Australian living overseas? What is your reaction to the leadership challenge?
