DDM $1.50 THURSDAY June 24, 2010 WWW.THEAUSTRALIAN.COM.AU I THE HEART OF THE NATION PRICE INCLUDES GST FREIGHT EXTRA LEADERSHIP SPECIAL EDITION LEADER DEFIANT BUT NUMBERS BACK DEPUTY TO BECOME AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER GILLARD CHALLENGES RUDD DENNIS SHANAHAN PATRICIA KARVELAS Right THE Rudd government is in chaos just weeks from an election, with came up its two most popular leaders stag- ing a fight to the death this morn- ing in an unprecedented leader- with the ship challenge for the first term of a successful government. Kevin Rudd last night vowed to numbers battleJuliaGillardandLabor’sfac- tional powerbrokers to defend his leadership in ‘‘the national inter- PATRICIA KARVELAS est’’ in a Labor caucus leadership POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT ballot at 9am today. Mr Rudd admitted himself that THE Victorian Right faction yes- he had lost the support of key fac- terday took the unprecedented tional leaders and immediately at- step of offering Julia Gillard, a tempted to garner backing. Other member of the Victorian Left, the MPs believe Ms Gillard has sup- leadership of the Labor Party. port across the factions, poten- The push was led by parliamen- tially making her the nation’s first tary secretary Bill Shorten and female prime minister. Victorian senator David Feeney Wayne Swan is expected to and was backed by South Aus- stand as deputy prime minister as tralian senator Don Farrell and Labor prepares to clear out its West Australian MP and former most senior positions ahead of an national secretary Gary Gray. election this year. After a day of Mr Gray has been undermining political manoeuvring reached a Kevin Rudd for weeks over the re- crescendo of plotting and destabil- source super-profits tax. He has isation in Parliament House, Ms been frustrated that Mr Rudd Gillard went to Mr Rudd’s office would not listen to calls to speed late yesterday and informed him up efforts to find a resolution. she would challenge him for the But party dissatisfaction with leadership. The Prime Minister the Prime Minister, particularly decided to call a ballot immedi- among the Victorian and NSW ately and started his campaign to hold the leadership with a direct appeal to ‘‘the Australian people’’ ‘WHACKING’ MAY SPARK CHALLENGE and a direct assault on the faceless factional leaders he accused of try- Poll the key ing to ‘‘take a lurch to the Right’’ and ‘‘do a job’’ on him. as mutineers ‘‘I was elected by the people of Australia as Prime Minister of circle Rudd ducted at the end of last month, INSIDE has Labor leading the Coalition Australia,’’ he told a packed press DENNIS SHANAHAN on a two-party-preferred basis PATRICIA KARVELAS Despite the 51 per cent to 49 per cent, with political and primary vote support of just KEY Labor MPs are prepared to policy pressures, 35 per cent. conference just after 10.15pm. move against Kevin Rudd’s lead- the government is Parliament resumes for the ership to make way for Julia Gil- sticking by final sitting week on Monday be- ‘‘I was elected to do a job. I in- lard as early as next week if Kevin Rudd. fore the long winter break. It tend to continue doing that job. I How The Weekend Australian intend to continue doing it to the predicted the coup on Saturday best of my ability. I am simply call- ing for a ballot of the leadership of the Australian Labor Party. I be- Right, and his miserable polling lieve that’s the right and respon- had been building for months. It sible course to undertake. was reports that Mr Rudd had sent ‘‘My fundamental interests are his chief of staff, Alister Jordan, on to preserve the good name and a mission to canvass backbenchers standing of this Australian Labor on his leadership, in the process Party and to act in the national in- questioning Ms Gillard’s loyalty, terest. There are national interests that was the last straw. at stake here, which go beyond the At 9am yesterday, Senator personal interests of me as an indi- Feeney and the NSW Right’s vidual. Those national interests leader, Mark Arbib, walked into should be equally in our thinking Ms Gillard’s office and offered her at a time like this. My party’s inter- the leadership. They promised est is important as well, and these KYM SMITH RAY STRANGE that if she acted, they would de- two matters should be resolved as Julia Gillard returns to her office in Parliament House last night A defiant Kevin Rudd announces the leadership spill in Canberra last night liver her the numbers to give her a matter of urgency.’’ the prime ministership. Shortly after his comments, Ms his trip to the G20 to deal with chief of staff, Alister Jordan, to Ms Gillard was different in Gillard would say only that she negotiations on the controversial check MPs’ loyalty and whether question time yesterday. In hind- would be a candidate in the ballot. resource super-profits tax. there were moves to replace him PRIMARY VOTE No matter who wins, Labor sight, it was obvious she had the AWU national secretary Paul While Labor MPs immediately with Ms Gillard, MPs accused Mr Per cent Nov 24, 2007 Apr-Jun, 2010 weight of the world on her shoul- Howes told the ABC’s Lateline started to canvass for votes, they Rudd of disloyalty himself. NSW ders and was considering unseat- program last night, ‘‘the Austra- werealsoaghastthatfederalLabor Senior Labor sources said del- Labor 44.5 38 ing the man she had worked so lian people elected the Labor MPs now appeared to be behaving egations from the Victorian Right Coalition 40.1 41 faces a monumental task closely with for four years. Party’’, not Mr Rudd. Mr Howes like their shambolic NSW state andMPsfromSouthAustraliaand Victoria But as one MP told The Austra- Labor 44.7 40 said it was not unusual for govern- colleagues just as the Coalition Western Australia had pledged lian, ‘‘she looked like the real prime Coalition 41.1 39 ments to change their leaders, al- and Tony Abbott were making their support to Ms Gillard, and Queensland icy and strategy. With only obfuscation, Rudd’s leadership has minister during question time’’. though no Labor prime minister real inroads into Labor’s support. the NSW Right had agreed to sup- DENNIS SHANAHAN months until the election, this been under threat for weeks, a The MPs had been locked in Labor 42.9 37 POLITICAL EDITOR has ever been rolled by their party The Prime Minister and the port the push if she agreed to chal- Coalition 44.5 43 challenge and the complete loss of threat enhanced by the bungled secret talks for days about the dire without serving a full first term. Deputy Prime Minister decided to lenge.MPsfromtheRightandLeft WA support from the powerbrokers of handling of the resource super- state of Labor; concerned Mr Mr Rudd was due to fly to fight it out after angry MPs dis- factions and the states of NSW, Labor 36.8 31 Labor, has destroyed his chances profits tax proposal and the Rudd was not capable of deliver- Toronto in Canada for the G20 cussed the leadership at a series of Continued on Page 2 Coalition 47.5 45 of winning a second term. Indeed ferocious mining company adver- ing victory at the next election. leaders meeting today but the bal- meetings in Parliament House, SA there are those who think Gillard tising campaign. What is crucial here is that the lot has created uncertainty about prompted by claims Mr Rudd had MORE REPORTS P2-4 Labor 43.2 34 is similarly tainted. That threat was brought into NSW Right is usually seen as the who will represent Australia. The betrayed Ms Gillard. Prompted by COMMENTARY P2-4 Coalition 43 41 Powerful and large factions the open after Rudd was framed as faction that makes or breaks the Treasurer had already cancelled reports that Mr Rudd had sent his FEATURES P13 FULL TABLES P4 within the Labor Party have the ‘‘betrayer’’ of Gillard’s loyalty prime minister but this time it took offered the Deputy Prime Minis- — exactly the same technique that action from the Victorian Right to ter the top job. She’s accepted and was used to put Rudd up as a chal- give the movement momentum. KEVIN Rudd is on the rack, his Rudd’s credibility is shot. lenger to Kim Beazley just four The Victorian Right is under- Swan tipped as deputy if Julia takes top job leadership in tatters but he’s dug in Labor is divided over what to do years ago. The manner of the de- stood to have met separately and and determined to fight against stabilisation of Rudd suggests two independently and decided the cessful. Shortly before 10.30 last Secretary for Disabilities, is a for- Julia Gillard and the ‘‘factional things: it was long-planned and party was doomed under Mr Rudd SID MAHER night, Mr Rudd told a packed press mer Australian Workers Union bosses’’ of Labor. The destabilisation calculated but may have run off and only Ms Gillard would stand a conference Ms Gillard had re- boss. Last night, his old union Given that he’s lost the support of Rudd was the rails at the last minute. chance of winning the election. WAYNE Swan was being touted quested a ballot for leadership of played a key role in shifting sup- of leading MPs and ministers in The ruse of having Gillard ap- While the move was last night as a candidate for deputy the ALP and he had asked the port behind Ms Gillard, as large every state and across the factions, long-planned and pear as the wounded party was de- spearheaded by the Victorian prime minister if Julia Gillard’s caucus secretary for a vote this parts of the national Right walked the Prime Minister’s defiance is calculated signed to put the leadership back Right, the NSW Right, challenge to Kevin Rudd’s prime morning.