Rudd’s return heralds further Labour strife

Rudd’s return heralds further Labour strife

Kevin Rudd’s return to the leadership of the ruling Labour Party after three years of relentlessly undermining Prime Minister Julia Gillard could see Australia lurch from political crisis to constitutional crisis. Gillard, whose negotiating skills kept a fractious minority government together for almost a full parliamentary term, has given way to a famously my-way-or-the-highway politician. Rudd’s foreshortened administration was so shambolic that he is the first Australian prime minister not to see out a first term. Rudd has an authoritarian style. Within minutes of his return to the leadership, five cabinet ministers resigned, saying it would be impossible for them to work with him. Among those going was genial former rock star Peter Garrett, the education minister. Rudd needs the votes of the independents to stay in office until the parliamentary election that Gillard called for September 14. Two of the five independents hinted they might not support him. A no-confidence vote would create a dilemma for the governor general. The queen’s representative in Australia might end up asking opposition Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott to see if he could drum up enough support from the independents to hold on until August 3 - the earliest date an election can be held. Rudd did not win by a landslide. The margin was 57 votes to 45. Those who switched sides to give him the edge over Gillard did so in the hope that his popularity with the electorate could salvage more Labour seats at the September election. An opinion poll this week showed that Labour could lose half its 71 seats in the 150-seat chamber at the election. Rudd, unusually modest, could only promise to be “competitive” against the conservatives. Some are optimistic that a new leader will polish the tarnished Labour brand. Abbott would probably have preferred to campaign against Gillard than against Rudd. But the bile tipped on Rudd by cabinet colleagues after his first unsuccessful challenge in February 2012 provides priceless propaganda for their electioneering. Colleagues variously described Rudd as being dysfunctional, disrespecting Labour values, suffering egomania and lacking common courtesy. Gillard said her whole time in government had been beset by having to fight both Abbott and Rudd. As he toured the country gnawing away at Gillard’s authority, Rudd protested that he was a changed man, that he had learned from his mistakes and would be nicer to people in the future. Rudd warned colleagues that “we’re on course for a catastrophic defeat unless there’s change.” Those colleagues will be hoping that there is a change in Rudd as well.