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PM Kevin Rudd calls on a showdown with Julia Gillard after leadership crisis talks
Christian Kerr From: The Australian June 23, 2010 10:27PM
KEVIN Rudd has called a leadership showdown with Julia Gillard tomorrow morning after conceding he had lost the support of key Labor figures.
After a night of talks with the Deputy Prime Minister, a defiant Prime Minister fronted a press conference at Parliament House about 10.30pm.
He said he was “quite capable of winning this ballot tomorrow” at 9am.
Ms Gillard confirmed she would contest the leadership.
“I will be a candidate in tomorrow's ballot,” Ms Gillard said shortly after the Prime Minister's announcement, but she refused to say any more.
Speculation is mounting that Wayne Swan, the Treasurer and Mr Rudd's fellow Queenslander, is backing Ms Gillard.
Sources suggested Mr Swan would become deputy leader and Ms Gillard's fellow left member from Victoria, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, would take the Treasury if the challenge succeeds.
The leadership ballot comes after a series of Newspolls showing Mr Rudd in trouble in key marginals and opposition leader Tony Abbott narrowing the gap as preferred prime minister.
Mr Rudd conceded that a number of factional leaders no longer supported his leadership, and said it was important that the leadership issue was “resolved as a matter of urgency”.
“It has become apparent to me in the course of the last period of time ... that a number of factional leaders in the Labor party no longer support my leadership,” he said.
Mr Rudd said Ms Gillard, who several MPs have told The Australian put every effort into killing leadership speculation, had requested a ballot.
“I will be writing to the caucus to convene a special meeting at 9am tomorrow morning,” Mr Rudd said.
He tried to brand his challenger as a captive of the factions, saying he was elected by the people of Australia as prime minister of Australia.
“I was elected to do a job,” he said.
“I intend to continue doing that job.
“It has become apparent to me in the course of the last period of time... that a number of factional leaders in the Labor party no longer support my leadership.
“That is why it is imperative this matter be resolved."
Mr Rudd said he was “not elected by the faction leaders of Australia, of the Australian Labor Party to do a job, although they may be seeking to do a job on me”.
Mr Rudd made it clear that if returned he would not be moving to the right on refugees and climate change.
“This party and government will not be lurching to the right on the question of asylum-seekers though some have counselled us to do so,” he said.
He also promised to outline a timetable for the implementation of an emissions trading scheme.
Mr Rudd said was important for the stability of the government and the party that the matter be resolved.
“It's far better for these things are done quickly rather than being strung out over a period of time,” Mr Rudd said.
He said if he was returned as Labor leader and prime minister, he would send a clear message to the right faction.
“This party and this government will not be lurching to the right on the issue of asylum-seekers,” he said.
He conceded Labor had hit “heavy weather” in recent times.
“A few people have become a bit squeamish about that,” he said.
But Mr Rudd said he was not squeamish and was committed to continuing his reform agenda.
The leadership crisis emerged tonight just as Mr Rudd appeared safe before the start of the long parliamentary winter break and as he prepares to leave for Canada for the G20 meeting tomorrow.
But there have been a fierce revival of complaints and concerns about Labor's collapse in the polls.
Labor MPs said Ms Gillard was “very angry” with suggestions that her loyalty had been questioned by Mr Rudd.
Prompted by reports that Mr Rudd had sent his chief-of-staff, Alister Jordan, to check MPs' loyalty and whether there were moves to replace him with Ms Gillard, MPs angrily accused Mr Rudd of disloyalty himself.
Christian Kerr From: The Australian June 23, 2010 10:27PM
KEVIN Rudd has called a leadership showdown with Julia Gillard tomorrow morning after conceding he had lost the support of key Labor figures.
After a night of talks with the Deputy Prime Minister, a defiant Prime Minister fronted a press conference at Parliament House about 10.30pm.
He said he was “quite capable of winning this ballot tomorrow” at 9am.
Ms Gillard confirmed she would contest the leadership.
“I will be a candidate in tomorrow's ballot,” Ms Gillard said shortly after the Prime Minister's announcement, but she refused to say any more.
Speculation is mounting that Wayne Swan, the Treasurer and Mr Rudd's fellow Queenslander, is backing Ms Gillard.
Sources suggested Mr Swan would become deputy leader and Ms Gillard's fellow left member from Victoria, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, would take the Treasury if the challenge succeeds.
The leadership ballot comes after a series of Newspolls showing Mr Rudd in trouble in key marginals and opposition leader Tony Abbott narrowing the gap as preferred prime minister.
Mr Rudd conceded that a number of factional leaders no longer supported his leadership, and said it was important that the leadership issue was “resolved as a matter of urgency”.
“It has become apparent to me in the course of the last period of time ... that a number of factional leaders in the Labor party no longer support my leadership,” he said.
Mr Rudd said Ms Gillard, who several MPs have told The Australian put every effort into killing leadership speculation, had requested a ballot.
“I will be writing to the caucus to convene a special meeting at 9am tomorrow morning,” Mr Rudd said.
He tried to brand his challenger as a captive of the factions, saying he was elected by the people of Australia as prime minister of Australia.
“I was elected to do a job,” he said.
“I intend to continue doing that job.
“It has become apparent to me in the course of the last period of time... that a number of factional leaders in the Labor party no longer support my leadership.
“That is why it is imperative this matter be resolved."
Mr Rudd said he was “not elected by the faction leaders of Australia, of the Australian Labor Party to do a job, although they may be seeking to do a job on me”.
Mr Rudd made it clear that if returned he would not be moving to the right on refugees and climate change.
“This party and government will not be lurching to the right on the question of asylum-seekers though some have counselled us to do so,” he said.
He also promised to outline a timetable for the implementation of an emissions trading scheme.
Mr Rudd said was important for the stability of the government and the party that the matter be resolved.
“It's far better for these things are done quickly rather than being strung out over a period of time,” Mr Rudd said.
He said if he was returned as Labor leader and prime minister, he would send a clear message to the right faction.
“This party and this government will not be lurching to the right on the issue of asylum-seekers,” he said.
He conceded Labor had hit “heavy weather” in recent times.
“A few people have become a bit squeamish about that,” he said.
But Mr Rudd said he was not squeamish and was committed to continuing his reform agenda.
The leadership crisis emerged tonight just as Mr Rudd appeared safe before the start of the long parliamentary winter break and as he prepares to leave for Canada for the G20 meeting tomorrow.
But there have been a fierce revival of complaints and concerns about Labor's collapse in the polls.
Labor MPs said Ms Gillard was “very angry” with suggestions that her loyalty had been questioned by Mr Rudd.
Prompted by reports that Mr Rudd had sent his chief-of-staff, Alister Jordan, to check MPs' loyalty and whether there were moves to replace him with Ms Gillard, MPs angrily accused Mr Rudd of disloyalty himself.
The word is Gillard will win easily.
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