CANBERRA – Kevin Rudd has stepped down as the Australian prime minister and leader of the Australian Labor party.
He made the move before a leadership ballot this morning. Sky News estimated 74 of 112 party MPs would have voted for a leadership change, in favour of Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Instead, Gillard stood unopposed at a vote of the party’s lawmakers at a meeting this morning.
A surprise revolt last night forced Rudd to call for a party leadership vote, just months away from national elections. Gillard, a former lawyer, becomes Australia’s first female prime minister. Treasurer Wayne Swan becomes the new deputy prime minister. Caucus returning officer Michael Forshaw told reporters the meeting was conducted in a “very orderly manner”.
“I can say it was a very gracious speech by the prime minister and also by the new leader and deputy leader.” Forshaw said it had been a difficult time for both Rudd and the Labor Party. “He led us to victory in 2007, a victory that was achieved when many people thought that we would still be spending more years in opposition,” he said.
The challenge to Rudd’s leadership emerged after anger erupted last night after right-wing Labor factions and key unions in Victoria and South Australia – including the Australian Workers Union – announced they would no longer support him. Subsequently, key government figures such as Treasurer Wayne Swan, defence minister John Faulkner and Stephen Smith backed Gillard to replace Rudd in the top job.
Rudd won a landslide election victory less than three years ago but suffered a recent plunge in opinion polls, partly due to plans for a new mining tax scheme. He also pushed an ultimately doomed emissions trading scheme which Parliament failed to support. Rudd appeared confident of retaining party support yesterday before his decision to stand down today..
“I believe I am quite capable of winning this ballot tomorrow,” he said. Gillard will now lead the government to elections later this year. However, she is unlikely to alter Australia’s key foreign policy positions such as its troop commitment to Afghanistan.
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