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| Kevin Rudd supporters circulate petition to oust Julia Gillard as PM | Kevin Rudd supporters circulate petition to oust Julia Gillard as PM |
| (3 months later) | |
| Labor MPs pushing Kevin Rudd’s return to the leadership are circulating a petition to force a special caucus meeting to oust the prime minister, Julia Gillard, in a desperate bid to avoid a landslide election defeat. | Labor MPs pushing Kevin Rudd’s return to the leadership are circulating a petition to force a special caucus meeting to oust the prime minister, Julia Gillard, in a desperate bid to avoid a landslide election defeat. |
| Rudd’s backers are confident the former prime minister would contest the ballot, instead of declining to stand as he did in March, when Gillard responded to escalating leadership tensions by calling a vote in which there ended up being no other candidates. Rudd has not publicly confirmed this. | Rudd’s backers are confident the former prime minister would contest the ballot, instead of declining to stand as he did in March, when Gillard responded to escalating leadership tensions by calling a vote in which there ended up being no other candidates. Rudd has not publicly confirmed this. |
| They also believe a resurrected Rudd could avoid an immediate election, despite equivocal statements from the crossbench MPs whose support would be needed for the new Labor leader to assume the prime ministership in a hung parliament. | They also believe a resurrected Rudd could avoid an immediate election, despite equivocal statements from the crossbench MPs whose support would be needed for the new Labor leader to assume the prime ministership in a hung parliament. |
| The response of the crossbench to a change was not clear on Wednesday morning when the Greens said a change might trigger an immediate election and key independent Tony Windsor said he might withdraw confidence from Labor and even back Tony Abbott if a new Labor leader tested support for the government in the parliament. | The response of the crossbench to a change was not clear on Wednesday morning when the Greens said a change might trigger an immediate election and key independent Tony Windsor said he might withdraw confidence from Labor and even back Tony Abbott if a new Labor leader tested support for the government in the parliament. |
| Other independents whose vote Labor would also need to make a restored Rudd the prime minister also refused to guarantee their support. | Other independents whose vote Labor would also need to make a restored Rudd the prime minister also refused to guarantee their support. |
| But Queensland MP Bob Katter said he would back Rudd in a confidence motion, following a caucus meeting he seemed to assume was going to happen. | But Queensland MP Bob Katter said he would back Rudd in a confidence motion, following a caucus meeting he seemed to assume was going to happen. |
| Katter said that "if and only if caucus selects Kevin Rudd, I will provide a vote of confidence to facilitate his election". He said if he did not facilitate the leadership change it would "condemn Australia to a landslide election" which was not in the national interest. | Katter said that "if and only if caucus selects Kevin Rudd, I will provide a vote of confidence to facilitate his election". He said if he did not facilitate the leadership change it would "condemn Australia to a landslide election" which was not in the national interest. |
| Katter said he expected Rudd to honour promises he had made when he was prime minister last time regarding the ethanol industry and support for a power transmission line in north Queensland. | Katter said he expected Rudd to honour promises he had made when he was prime minister last time regarding the ethanol industry and support for a power transmission line in north Queensland. |
| Katter’s stance means Rudd would need a vote of confidence from the Greens’ Adam Bandt and the independents Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie to avoid an early poll. | Katter’s stance means Rudd would need a vote of confidence from the Greens’ Adam Bandt and the independents Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie to avoid an early poll. |
| Bandt, the Greens’ only lower house MP, told Guardian Australia Labor “cannot treat the prime ministership as its plaything” and if there were a leadership change “one option would be for us not to vote confidence for anyone”. | Bandt, the Greens’ only lower house MP, told Guardian Australia Labor “cannot treat the prime ministership as its plaything” and if there were a leadership change “one option would be for us not to vote confidence for anyone”. |
| “If there is a change of Labor leadership we would not switch support to Tony Abbott but there is a real question as to whether we should go to an early election … It may be the Greens say to the governor general we think the matter should be decided by the voters,” Bandt said. | “If there is a change of Labor leadership we would not switch support to Tony Abbott but there is a real question as to whether we should go to an early election … It may be the Greens say to the governor general we think the matter should be decided by the voters,” Bandt said. |
| Windsor, who met Gillard on Tuesday night to tell her he was retiring at the election, said “the arrangement [in 2010] was made with Julia Gillard and … Kevin Rudd wasn’t at that table”. He added that he could support Abbott, as the “second place getter” in 2010. | Windsor, who met Gillard on Tuesday night to tell her he was retiring at the election, said “the arrangement [in 2010] was made with Julia Gillard and … Kevin Rudd wasn’t at that table”. He added that he could support Abbott, as the “second place getter” in 2010. |
| He said that “if the Labor party called upon us to make a choice [in a no confidence motion] … if the Labor party can’t get their mess together there may be a scenario where the second place getter might in fact get my vote”. | He said that “if the Labor party called upon us to make a choice [in a no confidence motion] … if the Labor party can’t get their mess together there may be a scenario where the second place getter might in fact get my vote”. |
| He added: “The gate is open but I would have to say if it does come down to that I would probably be leaning much towards the second place getter rather than someone who wasn’t in the race.” | He added: “The gate is open but I would have to say if it does come down to that I would probably be leaning much towards the second place getter rather than someone who wasn’t in the race.” |
| With just two parliamentary sitting days remaining and support for the former prime minister rising, an increasingly confident Rudd camp is seeking to force a special caucus meeting to resolve the leadership by circulating its petition. It needs signatures from one third of the 102 members of the parliamentary party. | With just two parliamentary sitting days remaining and support for the former prime minister rising, an increasingly confident Rudd camp is seeking to force a special caucus meeting to resolve the leadership by circulating its petition. It needs signatures from one third of the 102 members of the parliamentary party. |
| Gillard formed a government with the support of Windsor, Oakeshott, Wilkie and Bandt. It was the first minority government in Australia since 1943. | Gillard formed a government with the support of Windsor, Oakeshott, Wilkie and Bandt. It was the first minority government in Australia since 1943. |
| If Labor changed leaders the new leader would have to prove to the governor general they had the confidence of a majority of the House of Representatives before being sworn in. | If Labor changed leaders the new leader would have to prove to the governor general they had the confidence of a majority of the House of Representatives before being sworn in. |
| Oakeshott said on Monday night he would expect confidence to be proven with a vote in the House, where he would make up his mind based on the policies of the various leadership contenders rather than on the basis of personalities. He said he had not seen policies from Rudd or Abbott. | Oakeshott said on Monday night he would expect confidence to be proven with a vote in the House, where he would make up his mind based on the policies of the various leadership contenders rather than on the basis of personalities. He said he had not seen policies from Rudd or Abbott. |
| Former Labor MP – now independent – Craig Thomson, has indicated he would support Rudd. | Former Labor MP – now independent – Craig Thomson, has indicated he would support Rudd. |
| Wilkie has said he will decide what to do about a leadership change if and when it happens. | Wilkie has said he will decide what to do about a leadership change if and when it happens. |
| The position of the independents and the Greens leaves the future of the government after a leadership change highly uncertain. If no party could can command the confidence of the house there would have to be an immediate election. | The position of the independents and the Greens leaves the future of the government after a leadership change highly uncertain. If no party could can command the confidence of the house there would have to be an immediate election. |
| If there is another ballot it would be the third time Gillard has put her leadership to a vote since the 2010 election. If Rudd won it would mean Labor changed leaders just before a poll for a second time and he would inherit a party with just 29% of the primary vote. | If there is another ballot it would be the third time Gillard has put her leadership to a vote since the 2010 election. If Rudd won it would mean Labor changed leaders just before a poll for a second time and he would inherit a party with just 29% of the primary vote. |
| Rudd has previously and consistently said he would not challenge for the leadership. The confidence of the Rudd camp is based on the belief he would put that condition aside if there was evidence of a “comfortable majority” in a ballot instigated by others on his behalf. Rudd has not confirmed he would stand. | Rudd has previously and consistently said he would not challenge for the leadership. The confidence of the Rudd camp is based on the belief he would put that condition aside if there was evidence of a “comfortable majority” in a ballot instigated by others on his behalf. Rudd has not confirmed he would stand. |
| Windsor, meanwhile has announced that, like Oakeshott, he will not be standing at the next election, leaving the seat of New England likely to be won by Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce. | Windsor, meanwhile has announced that, like Oakeshott, he will not be standing at the next election, leaving the seat of New England likely to be won by Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce. |
| Announcing his decision on Wednesday, Windsor said he had a “health issue” and wanted to spend more time with his family. He said the polls showed he would “probably win” New England, but the truth was: “I don’t want to be here in three years’ time.” He said he would like to do something in “sustainability and food production”. | Announcing his decision on Wednesday, Windsor said he had a “health issue” and wanted to spend more time with his family. He said the polls showed he would “probably win” New England, but the truth was: “I don’t want to be here in three years’ time.” He said he would like to do something in “sustainability and food production”. |
| And he appealed to rural voters to remember that voting for independents ensured the major parties did not take them for granted. | And he appealed to rural voters to remember that voting for independents ensured the major parties did not take them for granted. |
| He said: “I think I have achieved what I set out to achieve and I am very proud of that.” But he added that he was, most of all, proud of the people in his electorate. | He said: “I think I have achieved what I set out to achieve and I am very proud of that.” But he added that he was, most of all, proud of the people in his electorate. |
| He said it was important for politicians and the public and the media not to demean the parliament because “otherwise we end up … degrading a very important part of democracy”. | He said it was important for politicians and the public and the media not to demean the parliament because “otherwise we end up … degrading a very important part of democracy”. |
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