AUSTRALIA’S PRIME minister, Julia Gillard, yesterday won an internal challenge to her leadership of the Labor party by 71 votes to 31.
She was challenged by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, whom Ms Gillard deposed in June 2010. The voters were the MPs and senators of Labor’s federal caucus.
A political poll published in the Australiannewspaper yesterday morning showed Labor at its highest primary vote for a year. This may have persuaded some of those who were still undecided to stick with the prime minister.
After her decisive win, Ms Gillard said she was looking forward to getting back to running the country.
“Australians have had a gutful of seeing us focus on ourselves. Today I want to say to Australians one and all, this issue, the leadership question, is now determined,” she said. “After this fight Labor can come together and pull together in a united way. We’ve come together before and we will do so now.”
Mr Rudd, who resigned as foreign minister last week before announcing his challenge, congratulated Ms Gillard on her win.
Despite a series of vitriolic attacks on his character and fitness to lead by senior government ministers over the past few days, Mr Rudd said it was “past time the wounds are healed”.
“I bear no grudges, I bear no one any malice and if I have done the wrong thing, in what I have said or what I have done, then I apologise,” he said.
Mr Rudd said he would move to the back bench and work towards getting Labor re-elected next year.
Opposition Liberal party leader Tony Abbott demanded that three independent MPs whose backing keeps the minority Labor government in power publicly state whether they have confidence in Ms Gillard as prime minister.
“My message to the Australian people is very clear,” Mr Abbott said. “We are a great country that is being let down by a bad government.”
Despite her convincing victory, Ms Gillard may have spoken too soon when she said to the public: “I can assure you that this political drama is over.” Just a few hours later Labor senator Mark Arbib not only resigned ministerial office, he resigned from parliament entirely. Mr Arbib’s move came as a shock as he was one of the power brokers who helped Ms Gillard overthrow Mr Rudd two years ago, and voted for her yesterday.
With Mr Rudd’s and Mr Arbib’s positions to be filled, a cabinet reshuffle is expected later this week.