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==Caucus support==
==Caucus support==
All 103 members of the Labor caucus from the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] were eligible to vote, with 52 votes needed to win. Several ministers and members of the Labor caucus publicly stated ahead of time who they intended to support in the event of a ballot.<ref name="theage1"/><ref name=dt-dummies>{{cite news |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/a-dummies-guide-to-the-alp-leadership/story-e6frea8c-1226278655369 |title=Dummies guide to a leadership challenge |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Telegraph]] |date=22 February 2012 |accessdate=23 February 2012}}</ref><ref name=hs-backing>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/whos-backing-julia-gillard-and-whos-support-kevin-rudd-in-labor-showdown/story-fn7x8me2-1226278899646 |title=Who's backing Gillard and who's supporting Rudd in Labor showdown? |work=[[Herald Sun]] |date=23 February 2012 |accessdate=23 February 2012}}</ref>
102 of the 103 members of the Labor caucus from the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] were eligible to vote, with 52 votes needed to win. Several ministers and members of the Labor caucus publicly stated ahead of time who they intended to support in the event of a ballot.<ref name="theage1"/><ref name=dt-dummies>{{cite news |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/a-dummies-guide-to-the-alp-leadership/story-e6frea8c-1226278655369 |title=Dummies guide to a leadership challenge |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Telegraph]] |date=22 February 2012 |accessdate=23 February 2012}}</ref><ref name=hs-backing>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/whos-backing-julia-gillard-and-whos-support-kevin-rudd-in-labor-showdown/story-fn7x8me2-1226278899646 |title=Who's backing Gillard and who's supporting Rudd in Labor showdown? |work=[[Herald Sun]] |date=23 February 2012 |accessdate=23 February 2012}}</ref>


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Revision as of 00:05, 27 February 2012

Australian Labor Party
leadership spill, 2012
← 2010 27 February 2012
 
Candidate Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd
Popular vote 73 29
Percentage 71.5% 28.5%
Leader before election

Julia Gillard

 Elected Leader

Julia Gillard

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of government in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 27 February 2012 at 10 am AEDT, followed by a ballot. The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced the spill at a press conference on 23 February 2012, following the resignation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd, from his cabinet position after months of speculation that he intended to challenge Gillard for the leadership. Rudd announced his intention to seek the leadership at a press conference on 24 February.

At the leadership ballot, Gillard won by a vote of 73 to 29.[1]

Background

Kevin Rudd won government for the Labor Party at the 2007 federal election, and Julia Gillard served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Rudd Ministry. On 23 June 2010, Gillard requested that Rudd call a leadership ballot for the following day. Despite declaring his intention to do so at a press conference, Rudd did not contest, and Gillard won the leadership (and therefore the position of Prime Minister) unopposed. Gillard went to an early election on 21 August 2010, but despite leading in the polls at the start of the campaign, the result was a hung parliament. Gillard negotiated the support of the Australian Greens and three Independents in order to achieve minority government. The Second Gillard Ministry was sworn in on 14 September 2010 by Governor-General Quentin Bryce, with Rudd appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

For several months starting in late 2011, many stories and opinion pieces appeared in the Australian press suggesting Rudd might challenge for the leadership,[2][3][4] although it was generally believed that his support in caucus was relatively low and hence a challenge would be unsuccessful. Rudd himself denied such rumours publicly, stating that he was happy being Foreign Minister and that the Prime Minister had his support. In February 2012, it was suggested by some journalists that Rudd himself had been giving "background briefings" in his office to the press.[5] Senior ministers including Simon Crean reacted to this by accusing Rudd openly of disloyalty, ultimately demanding that Gillard sack him.[6]

On 22 February 2012, Rudd, who had been on government business overseas, gave a press conference from the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., announcing his resignation as Minister for Foreign Affairs, giving his reasons as the attacks on him by Crean and others he described as "faceless men" within the party and also Gillard's unwillingness to criticise the attacks when given the opportunity. He said he would return to Australia the following day and consult with family and parliamentary colleagues before announcing his next move.[7][8][9] A number of ministers spoke to the press later that evening attacking Rudd, while Bruce Hawker (a Labor strategist) and Senator Doug Cameron gave interviews supporting Rudd. Rudd himself held a second press conference the following morning, outlining his policy vision for Australia and saying that he wished to "save" Australia from a Tony Abbott-led government (Abbott being the Liberal opposition leader). Rudd stated, "I do not believe that Prime Minister Gillard can lead the Australian Labor Party to success in the next election."[10]

Gillard called a news conference in Adelaide on 23 February 2012 at which she announced a spill of leadership positions scheduled to be held at 10 am on Monday, 27 February 2012, at which she would renominate as Labor Party leader and expected Rudd to contest. She strongly defended her performance as Prime Minister, citing her health agreement between the states, the structural separation of Telstra vital to the implementation of the National Broadband Network and, as achievements, noted that these had not been achieved under Rudd's previous leadership.[11] Gillard also said if she was unsuccessful in the ballot, she would retire to the backbench and renounce any further claims to the leadership.[12]

In their initial responses to the announcement, senior ministers launched stinging attacks on Rudd's legacy as Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister, Wayne Swan, criticised Rudd as "dysfunctional"; cabinet colleague Tony Burke said of Rudd's term in office that "the stories that were around of the chaos, of the temperament, of the inability to have decisions made, they are not stories"; Nicola Roxon declared she could not work with Rudd again; Stephen Conroy said that Rudd had had "contempt" for his colleagues, the Parliament and the public.[13][14][15][16] Ministers Tanya Plibersek, Stephen Smith, Bill Shorten and Greg Combet were more circumspect, but also supported Gillard.[17][18][19] Labor Senator Doug Cameron and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen came out in support of Rudd and called on their colleagues to show him respect.[20][21] Labor Ministers Robert McClelland and Martin Ferguson also declared for Rudd, saying Gillard could not win against Tony Abbott.[22][23] Minister Kim Carr also declared for Rudd.[24] Labor MP Nick Champion resigned as caucus secretary in order to back Kevin Rudd.[25]

Gillard portrayed Rudd as "chaotic" and "dysfunctional" as Prime Minister and implied that he viewed the ballot process as "an episode of Celebrity Big Brother".[26][27] Rudd called for "people power" to support his run for the party leadership, accused Gillard of betraying him in 2010 and questioned Gillard's trustworthiness.[28]

Caucus support

102 of the 103 members of the Labor caucus from the House of Representatives and the Senate were eligible to vote, with 52 votes needed to win. Several ministers and members of the Labor caucus publicly stated ahead of time who they intended to support in the event of a ballot.[11][29][30]

Public supporters of Gillard: Public supporters of Rudd:

See also

References

  1. ^ Rudd confirms he'll contest leadership - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  2. ^ AAP (15 October 2011). "Labor prepares for Rudd challenge: report". Business Spectator. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. ^ Farr, Malcolm (10 December 2011). "Movers and shakers: PM Julia Gillard to reshuffle cabinet to ward off Rudd challenge". The Australian. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  4. ^ Shanahan, Dennis (3 February 2012). "Kevin Rudd may challenge Julia Gillard before Queensland state poll". The Australian. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  5. ^ Barrie Cassidy (17 February 2012). "(Opinion) Leadership tussle: Rudd circles, Gillard stumbles". Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  6. ^ Farr, Malcolm (20 February 2012). "Simon Crean attacks 'disloyal' Kevin Rudd". news.com.au. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Rudd's resignation speech as foreign minister". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.[dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Rudd resigns as Australian foreign minister". ABC (Radio Australia News). 22 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  9. ^ "Media circus surrounds Rudd's Washington hotel". ABC Online. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  10. ^ Curran, Enda (23 February 2012). "Resignation sparks Australia leadership battle". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  11. ^ a b c "Rudd to contest Labor leadership". The Age. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  12. ^ Williamson, Brett (23 February 2012). "PM Gillard announces leadership ballot in Adelaide". ABC Online. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  13. ^ Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
  14. ^ "Wayne Swan attacks 'dysfunctional' Kevin Rudd, accusing him of self-interest". Adelaide Now. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  15. ^ 22 February 2012 8:36PM. "Gillard will call leadership ballot on Monday". Herald Sun. Retrieved 24 February 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "7.30". ABC. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  17. ^ Lincoln, By. "Labor leadership crisis: The rival camps". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  18. ^ "Leadership stoush no different than any other". Abc.net.au. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  19. ^ "7.30". ABC. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  20. ^ "Democracy requires leadership ballot to wait: Cameron". Abc.net.au. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  21. ^ "Bowen says Rudd should run for leader". News.ninemsn.com.au. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  22. ^ "7.30". ABC. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  23. ^ "Martin Ferguson declares for Rudd". Sky News. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  24. ^ "Rudd supporters emerge as Gillard fights". Sky News. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  25. ^ Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
  26. ^ Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
  27. ^ 24 February 2012 9:23 am. "Debate about leadership 'not an episode of Celebrity Big Brother', says Prime Minister". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 February 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "Australia leadership: Rudd and Gillard set for showdown". Bbc.co.uk. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  29. ^ a b c d e f "Dummies guide to a leadership challenge". Daily Telegraph. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  30. ^ "Who's backing Gillard and who's supporting Rudd in Labor showdown?". Herald Sun. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Grattan, Michell3 (24 February 2012). "Cabinet ministers take up fight". Merriden Wheatbelt Mercury.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ a b c d "Backbench throws off vow of silence". Brisbane Times. 24 February 2012.
  33. ^ a b c d TV News story, WIN TV Canberra, 24 February 2012
  34. ^ a b c "Labour faces tough battle against the Rudd rift". ABC News. 24 February 2012.
  35. ^ "Leadership fight live—a great day for Kevin Rudd". Herald Sun. 25 February 2012.
  36. ^ "Albanese throws support behind Rudd". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 February 2012.
  37. ^ "WA senator blasts ALP infighting, backs Rudd". ABC News. 25 February 2012.
  38. ^ "Nick Champion resigns as caucus secretary to back Kevin Rudd in leadership ballot". Daily Telegraph. 24 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help); Unknown parameter |rl= ignored (help)
  39. ^ "Labor MP Cheesman backs Rudd". 20 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Text "Herald Sun" ignored (help)
  40. ^ "Husic says Rudd has runs on the board". ninemsn. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  41. ^ "Saffin supports Rudd". ABC North Coast NSW. 23 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help); Unknown parameter |rl= ignored (help)
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