Once again the Australian Labor party is in tumult regarding its leadership. Rescu. looks at today’s unfolding events to understand the events that have lead (again) to an internal challenge to Labor leadership;
The State of Play
The caucus met for a spill vote at 4:30pm this afternoon, just a few months before the Federal election, and after Prime Minister Gillard was urged by Labor MP Simon Crean to do so. Mr Crean stated that he planned to stand for deputy leader and said that he would back Kevin Rudd. Ms Gillard made the announcement at the start of question time in the lower house this morning, the last parliamentary sitting day before the May 14 budget. The catalyst for the dramatic announcement was Mr Crean’s announcement during Question Time that something had to be done to address ongoing leadership speculation surrounding the government “once and for all.” Mr Rudd was also in attendance at Question Time. Folowing Mr Crean’s statement, Mr Abbott’s first question to Ms Gillard was if she agreed that the government was in deadlock, and incapable of discharging its duty to the Australian people. Earlier, Mr Crean had said he was convinced Mr Rudd, who had previously been criticised as being too controlling as prime minister, was changed. When asked if Ms Gillard could win the election, Mr Crean replied with “The Labor party can win the election.”
The Lead-Up
At around 3:50, with less than an hour before the Labor ballot was due to begin, Simon Crean’s office confirmed that he had been stood down from all ministerial responsibilities, following his comments earlier in the day. Media reports stated that around 20 MPs gathered in Kevin Rudd’s office to urge him to stand against Julia Gillard.
The Aftermath
The ballot has now concluded and nothing much has changed. Reports from within the ballot state that although a call for nominations for Prime Minister was made, only one nomination was proposed, and that was for Julia Gillard. There was no actual vote because there were no opposing candidates. Although this puts beyond doubt the question of the leadership in the parliamentary Australian party, the question of why so many within the Prime Minister’s own cabinet are willing to publically defame her still remains.
Image: guardian.co.uk
