Mr Rudd won a party-room ballot by a margin of 57-45.
Anthony Albanese has been elected deputy leader after facing off with Labor
elder and Rudd backer Simon Crean. The ballot was the culmination of a
three-year internal war within the Labor party, after Ms Gillard toppled Mr
Rudd for the leadership in June 2010.
It was Mr Rudd's third attempt to re-take the top job,
after an unsuccessful coup in February 2012 and an aborted leadership tilt in
March this year.
GILLARD
CONCEDES DEFEAT
"I announce that I will not re-contest the federal
electorate of Lalor in the forthcoming electorate," she said.
Ms Gillard listed the carbon tax, the Royal Commission into
child sexual assault in institutional settings, and Australia's strengthened
foreign ties as her greatest achievements. She congratulated Kevin Rudd and
thanked her Labor colleagues for their support throughout her leadership.
"I understand that at the caucus meeting today the
pressure finally got too great for many of my colleagues, I respect that and I
respect the decisions they made," she said. "I have had loyal and
capable colleagues and I want to thank them for their dedication and
determination."
Gillard urged the Labor party to continue to victory in the
forthcoming election.
"I also say to my colleagues that will best be done by
us putting the division of the past behind us and uniting as a political party,
making sure we put our best face forward in the forthcoming election campaign
and in the years to come. Don't lack the guts, don't lack the fortitude, don't
lack the resilience to go out there with labor agenda & win this
election."
The Prime Minister received a round of applause from
reporters as she left the room.
LABOR
DIVIDED
However, senior ministers including Deputy PM Wayne Swan,
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Environment Minister Greg Combet has
resigned from cabinet. Gillard loyalists Craig Emerson and Joe Ludwig have also
moved to the back bench, with more resignations.
Former Immigration Minister Chris Bowen widely tipped to
take on the Treasury portfolio. Exiled MPs and Rudd backers such as Joel
Fitzgibbon, Martin Ferguson and Kim Carr are all expected to re-join the
cabinet.
RUDD'S
BROKEN PROMISE
"I do not seek to fudge the fact that I have changed
my position. I'll leave it to you, the good people of Australia to judge
whether I have made the right call." he said.
But Mr Rudd said he could not stand idly by and allow
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott become Prime Minister unchallenged. "[The
Australian people] are genuinely fearful of what Mr Abbott could do to them if
he’s elected," he said.
"People are afraid, they are very afraid that they’ll
try to do it again under a different name. But no one forgets work choices. And
the truth is if were all perfectly honest here, is that we're on course for a
catastrophic defeat, unless there is change. I'm seeking to respond to your
call that I've heard from so many of you to do what I can to prevent Mr Abbott
from becoming Prime Minister."
Mr Rudd was forced to challenge after Julia Gillard earlier
called his bluff, declaring she would call a spill for the leadership positions
of the party.
GILLARD
FORCED TO CALL SPILL
Ms Gillard admitted she had not seen a petition calling on
her to resign, but was calling a spill anyway in order to bring the issue to a
head. "I've been joking with my colleagues that this is the political
equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster", she told Sky News.
Citing her key achievements as PM, including the National
Disability Insurance Scheme, Gonski education reforms and environmental
policies, Ms Gillard was adamant she was the best person to lead Labor. "What
has also driven me in politics, and will continue to drive me, is getting
things done", she said. "I have never been diverted from that task
and achieving big things the country needs."
Ms Gillard's defeat means she will exit politics at the
next election, which was a self-imposed condition when she called today's
spill.
CONSTITUTIONAL
CRISIS
Two of parliament's other independents, Rob Oakeshott and
Andrew Wilkie, said they would wait to see what happened before making any
decision on confidence in the parliament. Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott both also
announced today that they would not be contesting the upcoming election.
Maverick Queensland Independent Bob Katter has indicated a
switch to Mr Rudd would make him more likely to support Labor, but would not
offer any guarantees. Greens MP Adam Bandt says his party will not make any
move which would allow Tony Abbott to take The Lodge.
A lack of support from the cross benches could mean Mr Rudd
does not have the confidence of parliament, which would leave any decision on
its future up to Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Some suggested possibilities
for this scenario include an early election, with either Mr Rudd or Mr Abbott
as caretaker PM.
The new Rudd
Labor Government will have a chance to test its confidence on the final sitting
day of parliament on Thursday.
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Related posts at following links:
Australia's Kevin Rudd in Burma
Kangaroo In Corner of Emerging Neighbour
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| Kevin Rudd in Burma (June 2011). |
Related posts at following links:
Australia's Kevin Rudd in Burma
Kangaroo In Corner of Emerging Neighbour