Rudd faces leadership challenge
Source: Agencies |
June 24, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRALIA'S government was thrown into turmoil yesterday when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was challenged by his deputy for the leadership just months before national elections.
Rudd called a late-night news conference to announce that the ruling Labor Party would hold a vote today to decide who would lead the party into the elections.
The surprise move came after Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she would challenge him for the leadership of the government.
Speculation that Rudd would be toppled has gained momentum in recent weeks after a remarkable turnaround in opinion polls - converting Rudd from one of Australia's most popular leaders into one in danger of losing the government after just one term.
The plunge in the polls has been largely because of domestic issues - a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign by the booming mining industry against Rudd's plans for profit taxes, and his flip-flop on plans to introduce a carbon trading scheme to combat global warming.
Rudd blamed factional powerbrokers within Labor for plotting against him and vowed to fight the challenge.
"I was elected to do a job," Rudd said. "I intend to continue doing that job."
Gillard confirmed she would run against Rudd in the leadership vote today.
Rudd called a late-night news conference to announce that the ruling Labor Party would hold a vote today to decide who would lead the party into the elections.
The surprise move came after Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she would challenge him for the leadership of the government.
Speculation that Rudd would be toppled has gained momentum in recent weeks after a remarkable turnaround in opinion polls - converting Rudd from one of Australia's most popular leaders into one in danger of losing the government after just one term.
The plunge in the polls has been largely because of domestic issues - a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign by the booming mining industry against Rudd's plans for profit taxes, and his flip-flop on plans to introduce a carbon trading scheme to combat global warming.
Rudd blamed factional powerbrokers within Labor for plotting against him and vowed to fight the challenge.
"I was elected to do a job," Rudd said. "I intend to continue doing that job."
Gillard confirmed she would run against Rudd in the leadership vote today.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
