Prime Minister Julia Gillard vows to move forward from Australian Labor Party
in-fighting
"At times it's been ugly, I understand that," she said, declaring Labor would now focus all its efforts on regaining the trust of voters in an 18-month campaign to the 2013 election.
"Australians have had a gutful of seeing us focus on ourselves. Through this process, I can say I have learned some things. "I have made some mistakes about how I have been an advocate for our policies and programs, our Labor vision in the community. "I intend to be a stronger and more forceful advocate of what we are doing and what we are achieving for the Australian people."
Mr Rudd told caucus after his defeat that his leadership ambitions were over. "You will have my absolute support in your efforts to bring us to victory," he told Ms Gillard in his concession speech. "I will not under any circumstances mount a challenge against your leadership. "I go one step further. If anyone turns on Julia in the 18 months ahead, of the type I have seen reported in much of the press ... "Julia, you will find me in your corner against them."
Buoyed by the biggest margin in three decades of leadership ballots, with 71 votes to Mr Rudd's paltry 31, the Prime Minister has not only been given more authority than at any time in her prime ministership, but extra room to reshape her frontbench team. That came courtesy of a shock post-ballot resignation by key supporter, Sports Minister Mark Arbib.
The 40-year-old Right faction powerbroker, who helped oust Kevin Rudd in 2010, will leave the ministry and the Senate by the end of next week to spend more time with his young family.
His departure will not affect the Government's numbers in the House of Representatives.
The softly spoken NSW senator was dubbed a "faceless man" by Tony Abbott and had been targeted using the same language by Mr Rudd and his supporters for his role in the 2010 coup. He described the decisions to replace Mr Rudd and elevate Ms Gillard as "necessary and in the interest of the party, the Government and the Australian people". "Most importantly they were correct and I believe saved the party from certain defeat in 2010," Senator Arbib said. "I stand by those decisions."
But he said the difficult task of rebuilding goodwill inside Labor required more than mere words, suggesting his departure from politics would aid the healing process. "I'm sure there's plenty of people who would like to see me out of the party. That's politics," he said. "There's been no pressure from anyone, I've made this decision myself."
Senator Arbib's frontbench vacancy and that of the defeated Mr Rudd, who now heads to the back bench, clears the way for a slew of changes, with Ms Gillard preparing to name a new foreign affairs minister, a new sports minister and an unknown number of other moves. The senior foreign affairs post will inevitably go to an existing cabinet minister.
Current Defence Minister Stephen Smith is the hot favourite, but his return to the post he relinquished for Mr Rudd would mean a new defence minister was needed. Other names mentioned in consideration for the top diplomatic role are Arts Minister Simon Crean and Trade Minister Craig Emerson.
Also tipped for promotion, which Ms Gillard said would be a "merit" based selection, is Melbourne MP Mark Dreyfus, who could jump from outside the ministry into the cabinet post of immigration, if Rudd backer Chris Bowen is moved - possibly into the challenging defence portfolio. Two other Rudd voters are tipped for elevation to a ministry. Former soldier Mike Kelly may be in line for the defence materiel job, and South Australian Nick Champion, who could get the manufacturing portfolio.
Both would allow Ms Gillard to be seen as extending the hand of friendship to former adversaries. However, a small number of ministers who openly backed Mr Rudd in the ballot face being chopped, including Robert McClelland and Kim Carr. A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard listed several priorities for the second half of the term including:
REFORM of school funding.
SKILLS reform that will give blue collar workers access to HECS-style loans.
CONTINUED support for the Australian car industry.
A $1.2 BILLION investment in the new companies and technologies of the clean energy future.
ONGOING rollout of fibre for high speed broadband to over 60 sites across the country.
PLANNED National Disability Insurance Scheme.
_____________ | ___________
- From: AdelaideNow
- February 28, 2012
Julia Gillard will name at least two new ministers and announce several other
changes in the wake of her crushing defeat of Kevin Rudd in their caucus
showdown.
Displaying some of the strain of Labor's worst-ever power struggle, a
relieved Prime Minister said she had learnt lessons, promising to sharpen her
communications style while also vowing to heal a riven party wracked by 12
months of disastrous polling and infighting."At times it's been ugly, I understand that," she said, declaring Labor would now focus all its efforts on regaining the trust of voters in an 18-month campaign to the 2013 election.
"Australians have had a gutful of seeing us focus on ourselves. Through this process, I can say I have learned some things. "I have made some mistakes about how I have been an advocate for our policies and programs, our Labor vision in the community. "I intend to be a stronger and more forceful advocate of what we are doing and what we are achieving for the Australian people."
Mr Rudd told caucus after his defeat that his leadership ambitions were over. "You will have my absolute support in your efforts to bring us to victory," he told Ms Gillard in his concession speech. "I will not under any circumstances mount a challenge against your leadership. "I go one step further. If anyone turns on Julia in the 18 months ahead, of the type I have seen reported in much of the press ... "Julia, you will find me in your corner against them."
Buoyed by the biggest margin in three decades of leadership ballots, with 71 votes to Mr Rudd's paltry 31, the Prime Minister has not only been given more authority than at any time in her prime ministership, but extra room to reshape her frontbench team. That came courtesy of a shock post-ballot resignation by key supporter, Sports Minister Mark Arbib.
The 40-year-old Right faction powerbroker, who helped oust Kevin Rudd in 2010, will leave the ministry and the Senate by the end of next week to spend more time with his young family.
His departure will not affect the Government's numbers in the House of Representatives.
The softly spoken NSW senator was dubbed a "faceless man" by Tony Abbott and had been targeted using the same language by Mr Rudd and his supporters for his role in the 2010 coup. He described the decisions to replace Mr Rudd and elevate Ms Gillard as "necessary and in the interest of the party, the Government and the Australian people". "Most importantly they were correct and I believe saved the party from certain defeat in 2010," Senator Arbib said. "I stand by those decisions."
But he said the difficult task of rebuilding goodwill inside Labor required more than mere words, suggesting his departure from politics would aid the healing process. "I'm sure there's plenty of people who would like to see me out of the party. That's politics," he said. "There's been no pressure from anyone, I've made this decision myself."
Senator Arbib's frontbench vacancy and that of the defeated Mr Rudd, who now heads to the back bench, clears the way for a slew of changes, with Ms Gillard preparing to name a new foreign affairs minister, a new sports minister and an unknown number of other moves. The senior foreign affairs post will inevitably go to an existing cabinet minister.
Current Defence Minister Stephen Smith is the hot favourite, but his return to the post he relinquished for Mr Rudd would mean a new defence minister was needed. Other names mentioned in consideration for the top diplomatic role are Arts Minister Simon Crean and Trade Minister Craig Emerson.
Also tipped for promotion, which Ms Gillard said would be a "merit" based selection, is Melbourne MP Mark Dreyfus, who could jump from outside the ministry into the cabinet post of immigration, if Rudd backer Chris Bowen is moved - possibly into the challenging defence portfolio. Two other Rudd voters are tipped for elevation to a ministry. Former soldier Mike Kelly may be in line for the defence materiel job, and South Australian Nick Champion, who could get the manufacturing portfolio.
Both would allow Ms Gillard to be seen as extending the hand of friendship to former adversaries. However, a small number of ministers who openly backed Mr Rudd in the ballot face being chopped, including Robert McClelland and Kim Carr. A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard listed several priorities for the second half of the term including:
REFORM of school funding.
SKILLS reform that will give blue collar workers access to HECS-style loans.
CONTINUED support for the Australian car industry.
A $1.2 BILLION investment in the new companies and technologies of the clean energy future.
ONGOING rollout of fibre for high speed broadband to over 60 sites across the country.
PLANNED National Disability Insurance Scheme.
_____________ | ___________
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