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| Julia Gillard calls leadership ballot in bid to head off Kevin Rudd challenge | Julia Gillard calls leadership ballot in bid to head off Kevin Rudd challenge |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Three months out from a general election and in the last sitting week of parliament, Australia's embattled prime minister, Julia Gillard, is facing yet another bid to replace her with Kevin Rudd. | Three months out from a general election and in the last sitting week of parliament, Australia's embattled prime minister, Julia Gillard, is facing yet another bid to replace her with Kevin Rudd. |
| Gillard has announced that a ballot for leadership of the governing Labor party, and therefore the prime ministership, will be held at 7pm on Wednesday and Rudd has confirmed he will stand against her. | Gillard has announced that a ballot for leadership of the governing Labor party, and therefore the prime ministership, will be held at 7pm on Wednesday and Rudd has confirmed he will stand against her. |
| "We are on course for a catastrophic defeat unless there is change," Rudd said, adding that he accepted an ultimatum from the PM to retire from the federal parliament if he lost the ballot. | "We are on course for a catastrophic defeat unless there is change," Rudd said, adding that he accepted an ultimatum from the PM to retire from the federal parliament if he lost the ballot. |
/> The petition, being circulated by supporters of Kevin Rudd – the man she ousted as prime minister three years ago this week – had called for a special meeting of Labor parliamentarians, known as the caucus, where a leadership ballot could take place. As rumblings about the petition were building on a dramatic sitting day of parliament, Gillard brought the matter to a head by announcing the ballot and declaring that whoever lost – herself or Rudd – should quit parliament. There have been weeks of intensive leadership speculation during which Rudd supporters have openly campaigned against the prime minister. Several opinion polls returned results that, if repeated on election day in September, would deliver a crushing defeat to the governing Labor party. | Australia's first female PM made the dramatic decision to hold a snap vote in a bid to head off Rudd backers who had started gathering signatures on a petition to force the matter to a ballot. /> The petition, being circulated by supporters of Kevin Rudd – the man she ousted as prime minister three years ago this week – had called for a special meeting of Labor parliamentarians, known as the caucus, where a leadership ballot could take place. As rumblings about the petition were building on a dramatic sitting day of parliament, Gillard brought the matter to a head by announcing the ballot and declaring that whoever lost – herself or Rudd – should quit parliament. There have been weeks of intensive leadership speculation during which Rudd supporters have openly campaigned against the prime minister. Several opinion polls returned results that, if repeated on election day in September, would deliver a crushing defeat to the governing Labor party. |
| Throughout, Gillard has made it clear that she will not stand down. While the petition was being circulated she answered questions in parliament. "I can assure the Australian people that as the prime minister I am getting on with the job," she told MPs. Gillard derided the petition as being like the Loch Ness monster: no one was sure whether they had seen it. "I haven't seen this petition," she told Sky News. | Throughout, Gillard has made it clear that she will not stand down. While the petition was being circulated she answered questions in parliament. "I can assure the Australian people that as the prime minister I am getting on with the job," she told MPs. Gillard derided the petition as being like the Loch Ness monster: no one was sure whether they had seen it. "I haven't seen this petition," she told Sky News. |
| "Call me old-fashioned but the way in which these things are normally done is a challenger approaches the leader of the Labor party and asks them to call a ballot for the leadership, they shake hands, and then a ballot is held," she told Sky News Australia. | "Call me old-fashioned but the way in which these things are normally done is a challenger approaches the leader of the Labor party and asks them to call a ballot for the leadership, they shake hands, and then a ballot is held," she told Sky News Australia. |
| "That hasn't happened." Gillard said that while she had not seen the petition, it was "in the best interest of the nation and the Labor party for these issues to be resolved". | "That hasn't happened." Gillard said that while she had not seen the petition, it was "in the best interest of the nation and the Labor party for these issues to be resolved". |
| Rudd responded: "Many many MPs have requested me for a long long time to contest the leadership of the party because of the parlous state in which we find ourselves. | Rudd responded: "Many many MPs have requested me for a long long time to contest the leadership of the party because of the parlous state in which we find ourselves. |
| "For the nation's sake I think it's time this issue was resolved." | "For the nation's sake I think it's time this issue was resolved." |
| For observers of Australian politics it is a case of deja vu all over again, with leadership tension dogging Gillard – the country's first female prime minister - for the entire duration of this hung parliament. In February 2012 Kevin Rudd was resoundingly defeated by Gillard 71 to 31 in a caucus ballot and went to the backbench. In March this year Gillard called another leadership "spill" – effectively declaring her role and the office of prime minister open – after one of her most senior cabinet ministers withdrew his support and called for the party to clear the air over leadership once and for all. | For observers of Australian politics it is a case of deja vu all over again, with leadership tension dogging Gillard – the country's first female prime minister - for the entire duration of this hung parliament. In February 2012 Kevin Rudd was resoundingly defeated by Gillard 71 to 31 in a caucus ballot and went to the backbench. In March this year Gillard called another leadership "spill" – effectively declaring her role and the office of prime minister open – after one of her most senior cabinet ministers withdrew his support and called for the party to clear the air over leadership once and for all. |
| But instead of challenging, Rudd astounded observers by refusing to run against her. Ten minutes before the vote was due to take place Rudd said the only way he would return as prime minister was if an overwhelming majority of Labor party MPs drafted him and if the position was vacant. Neither condition had been met. Despite then asserting that he could not see any circumstances in which he would lead the Labor party in the future, his supporters continued to brief against the prime minister and the soap opera continued, culminating in Wednesday's petition, Gillard's announcement and Rudd's confirmation that he will mount a challenge. If there is a change of leadership a number of options would then arise, including the possibility of an early election or the government changing hands to the opposition Liberal-National coalition led by Tony Abbott if the independent MPs who hold the balance of power in parliament refuse to support a new Labor prime minister. | But instead of challenging, Rudd astounded observers by refusing to run against her. Ten minutes before the vote was due to take place Rudd said the only way he would return as prime minister was if an overwhelming majority of Labor party MPs drafted him and if the position was vacant. Neither condition had been met. Despite then asserting that he could not see any circumstances in which he would lead the Labor party in the future, his supporters continued to brief against the prime minister and the soap opera continued, culminating in Wednesday's petition, Gillard's announcement and Rudd's confirmation that he will mount a challenge. If there is a change of leadership a number of options would then arise, including the possibility of an early election or the government changing hands to the opposition Liberal-National coalition led by Tony Abbott if the independent MPs who hold the balance of power in parliament refuse to support a new Labor prime minister. |
| In announcing his decision to stand, Rudd said: "I believe what the nation needs now is strong, proven, economic leadership. Mr Abbott's alternative economic policy is to copy the British conservatives. | In announcing his decision to stand, Rudd said: "I believe what the nation needs now is strong, proven, economic leadership. Mr Abbott's alternative economic policy is to copy the British conservatives. |
| "The Australian people deserve a competitive choice at this election. I do not seek to fudge the fact I have changed my position on the leadership." | "The Australian people deserve a competitive choice at this election. I do not seek to fudge the fact I have changed my position on the leadership." |
| Thirty-five signatures out of a caucus of 102 would have been needed on the petition to force a vote for the leadership but Gillard's announcement made this a moot point. | Thirty-five signatures out of a caucus of 102 would have been needed on the petition to force a vote for the leadership but Gillard's announcement made this a moot point. |
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