Kevin Rudd defeats Julia Gillard 57-45 in Labor leadership ballot, paving way for a return to PM

[Ken Burch]

Source: 7 News(Australian television) via Yahoo.com

Kevin Rudd has prevailed in a dramatic Labor leadership ballot, defeating Julia Gillard and paving the way for him to return to the prime ministership.

Labor caucus returning officer Chris Hayes says that Mr Rudd won the leadership ballot 57-45.

Mr Hayes says there was no spill for the position of deputy prime minister.

The vote was the third time the Labor leadership has come to a head this Parliament, after Ms Gillard overthrew Mr Rudd in 2010.

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Earlier today, Ms Gillard called a leadership ballot, declaring "this is it"

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She said that she would not contest the upcoming election if she lost the ballot




Read more: http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/17760470/kevin-rudd-defeats-julia-gillard-in-labor-leadership-ballot-paving-way-for-a-return-to-pm/

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This was the leadership challenge in the Australian Labor Party. Rudd will now, in theory, become prime minister and lead the ALP into the general election scheduled for September.

[Matilda]

1. Rudd is now Prime Minister-elect,

until Julia Gillard officially resigns, and he is sworn in by the Governor-General.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Wow - this was sudden. Were you guys expecting a ballot?

Or did Gillard calling one come as a surprise?

[Ken Burch]

3. Here's the tricky question:

As I understand it, the opposition leader has called for a no-confidence motion. If the independent MP's were to join the Liberal-National opposition coalition in backing it, would Rudd be able to get a dissolution of Parliament, or would Abbott be given a chance to form a government first?


Also, has Rudd been formally called by the GG yet, btw?

[anakie]

4. Not formal yet

but effectively. It may be tested in Parliament tomorrow but it will pass. We have an election anyway on Sept 14 but that may change at Kevin Rudds choosing.

He has been undermining her leadership since she rolled him 3 years ago. This is his revenge. I am extremely disappointed Australia's first female PM has been ousted. It's all about the polls and media reporting of them as she is extremely unpopular and the ALP see this as a way of losing less bad at the next election.

[soaky]

10. word n/t

[Matilda]

5. No; I would expect that tomorrow.

Last edited Wed Jun 26, 2013, 07:46 AM - Edit history (1)

But yes, Abbott has threatened a no-confidence motion tomorrow, and it would have to wait until the result is known - if Abbot doesn't get cold feet, which he's done before.

Tony Windsor won't support Rudd, and Oakeshott says it all depends on Rudd's policies. Wilkie, Thomson, and Katter will support Rudd, aI was wrong; it’s all happening tonight. Julia Gillard has gone to tender her resignation to the Governor-General, and Kevin Rudd will follow to be sworn in.nd probably Slipper, after what the Libs have done to him. So Rudd;s chances look slim, but he should win.

Edit to add: I was wrong; it’s all happening tonight. Julia Gillard has gone to tender her resignation to the Governor-General, and Kevin Rudd will follow to be sworn in.

[Swagman]

7. Gillard hands in her resignation to the Governor General who then asks Rudd if

he has the numbers to form government. which he will have with at least 3 Independents backing him. A done deal.

[brooklynite]

6. BBC analysis was that both likely to lose in September election...

...but smaller loss with Rudd

[Swagman]

8. BBC "analysis" is simply taking Murdoch's NewsPolls of 1000 people as sancrosant

[dipsydoodle]

9. Are you saying his outfits are the only ones who conduct polls.

Even with Rudd in control, polls suggest that Labor could still be defeated by the conservation opposition led by Tony Abbott. But if that happens, Labor lawmakers hope their losses will be smaller under Rudd than they would have been under Gillard.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/julia-gillard-kevin-rudd-australia_n_3501599.html?utm_hp_ref=world

[Matilda]

11. The losses will be smaller, for sure.

He's enormously popular in his home state of Queensland, and from winning only one seat - his - they will now look to picking up a few more. NSW and Victoria will hopefully also get a boost in the numbers. In S.A., Julia's home state, there is a backlash against him, but it may not last. He has indicated he may change the election date – I would think he'd put it back rather than forward, to give him time to get his agenda out to the country.

It would be wonderful if he could win, but the best is probably another hung parliament. At the worst, he will lose, but not by too much. There is no way Tony Abbott will now coast to a landslide victory.

In fact, in his first day back in Parliament as PM again, Rudd looked as if he'd never been away from the despatch box. I'd forgotten how good he can be in Question Time.

Abbott was trying on the same old tactics, and suddenly they looked tired and increasingly desperate. And for the first time in more than a year, I feel hope.