Rudd’s going ignites crisis in Australia
USTRALIAN Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd resigned yesterday, saying he could no longer work with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, igniting a new and bitter leadership crisis for the struggling minority government.
Gillard’s government has sunk in popularity as Gillard and Rudd, whom she ousted in 2010, have waged a personal feud that has split the Labour Party and alienated voters.
Labour insiders said that although Rudd was more popular with voters, Gillard had stronger support within the party and would easily win a leadership vote, which could come as early as next week.
They differ little on policy, but the battle – described by Rudd as a “soap opera” – threatens to trigger an early election and a defeat for Labour’s economic reform agenda, including mining and climate-change legislation.
Senior ministers have urged Gillard to sack Rudd because of the leadership speculation and increasing animosity between the two camps.
Rudd, speaking in Washington, said: “The simple truth is I cannot continue to serve as foreign minister if I do not have Prime Minister Gillard’s support. The only honourable course of action is for me to resign.”
Rudd’s supporters say that only he can stem the flow of voter support to opposition leader Tony Abbott and his
Aconservative coalition, which holds a strong lead in opinion polls. But a move back to Rudd risks losing the backing of independents who give the minority Labour government a one-seat majority.
“I am disappointed that the concerns Mr Rudd has publicly expressed were never personally raised with me, nor did he contact me to discuss his resignation prior to his decision,” Gillard said.
Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan issued a scathing attack on Rudd, accusing him of disloyalty and of undermining the government.
Wasted
“The party has given Kevin Rudd all the opportunities in the world and he wasted them with his dysfunctional decisionand his deeply demeaning attitude towards other people, including caucus colleagues,” Swan said.
Analysts said a change of leader would cause upheaval in the caucus, including likely changes in key positions such as treasurer and defence minister, but have little impact on policy or the outcome of the election.
“If Rudd were to wrest the leadership, I think we’d be headed certainly to a 2012 election,” said Australian National University political analyst Norman Abjorensen.
“A Rudd government would look very different from a Gillard government, and would presumably be fairly short-lived.” – Reuters