Three years and three days after Julia Gillard knifed Kevin Rudd in the back, and it all goes around again.
Julia Gillard who called the snap leadership vote, stated the conditions of the vote as: Whoever loses, retires fully from politics.
Julia Gillard is now retiring from Politics, following a vote result of:
57 Kevin Rudd
45 Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia, is now out of Politics and Kevin Rudd, the ex-Prime Minister of Australia is back into his old position.
However, the Australian Governor-General is seeking legal advice before confirming Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister for the second time.
Constitutional law expert Professor Anne Twomey said taht due to this being an unprecedented situation, there was even a potential for Tony Abbott to be installed as Prime Minister by the Governor General if key support is not available for Kevin Rudd. Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, the two of the independents that sided with Labor in the last election, have both announced they will retire from politics. This leaves only one independent still standing, the one that voted with the Liberals.
Key supporters of Julia Gillard have already stepped down, as they may not be on Kevin Rudds preferred list after deposing him in 2010. These key supporters are:
- Treasurer: Wayne Swan
- Communications Minister: Stephen Conroy
- Climate Change Minister: Greg Combet
- Trade Minister: Craig Emerson
- Agriculture Minister: Joe Ludwig
Ministers that are quitting the front bench include:
- Schools Minister: Peter Garrett
Indications are that more will follow, including:
- Immigration Minister: Brendan O’Connor
- Sports Minister: Kate Lundy
Kevin Rudd has stated that he hopes to lessen the size of the defeat that Labor faces in the coming election.
Even Mr Shorten, one of those in the group that deposed Kevin Rudd in 2010 by backing Julia Gillard, has said “that Labor stands the best chance to defend the legacies of this Government and to continue improving the lives of millions of Australians, if Kevin Rudd is our leader”.
This was even though he kept declaring his loyalty to Julia Gillard. Very much the same as Julia Gillard, when she kept declaring her loyalty to Kevin Rudd in 2010, until just before she replaced him.
This leadership ballot was different to every leadership ballot since 1954, as Julia Gillard insisted on a show of hands, even though since 1954 it has been conducted using a secret ballot, with the leader agreeing to declare their position vacant. This is done to allow Ministers to vote without worry about consequences of voting for the loser.
“They won’t get 51 people to put their hands up,” a senior Gillard staffer said.
MPs last night were outraged the PM’s office was trying to intimidate them, claiming it could be the catalyst that brings on a showdown within the next 36 hours.
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/national-news
Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, the two independents that sided with Labor in the last election, have both announced they will retire from politics.
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Everybody was shocked after hearing this sudden news everywhere, as Australians we feel that we do not have any vote on our future and the people we want to represent our country
BBC News, Sydney
Kevin Rudd has exacted revenge on Julia Gillard, his one-time friend and deputy who ruthlessly deposed him in 2010. Ever since he was removed from the prime minister’s office, he has sought to destabilise her leadership. This has been a very personal feud.
For Ms Gillard, it’s a dramatic reversal. Three months ago, when she last called a leadership election, her rival could not muster enough support to mount a credible challenge.
In the meantime, the Labor government has slipped even further in the polls. Labor is not only one of the most brutal political parties in the world, but also one of the most calculating and pragmatic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23061391