Embattled Australian PM calls leadership ballot

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ? Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard threw open her job to a leadership ballot Wednesday in response to reports that supporters of her intra-party rival Kevin Rudd were gearing up to challenge her.

Gillard said there will be a ballot of lawmakers in the ruling Labor Party at 7 p.m. Canberra time (9 a.m. GMT, 5 a.m. EDT).

Rudd has not yet said whether he will challenge Gillard, who ousted him as prime minister in 2010. He previously had ruled out such a challenge unless he was assured of the overwhelming support of his colleagues.

Opinion polls show that the party could face huge losses in elections set for September, but that Rudd would be a more popular leader than Gillard.

"I wouldn't be putting myself forward unless I had a degree of confidence about the support of my parliamentary colleagues," Gillard said.

While not mentioning Rudd by name, she said the loser of the ballot should quit Parliament at the election. She said it was not right to have a "person floating around as the potential alternative prime minister."

Gillard's announcement followed media reports that a petition was circulating among the 102 Labor Party lawmakers. A special party meeting to discuss a leadership ballot would have been called if at least 34 lawmakers ? 30 percent ? signed that petition, but her announcement eliminated that step.

Rudd's supporters are desperate to have a ballot before Parliament rises for the last time Thursday ahead of elections set for Sept. 14. Opinion polls suggest Labor could lose around half its 71 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, where parties form the government.

Rudd had been a popular prime minister who started sliding in the polls when Gillard, his then deputy, challenged him to a leadership ballot three years ago. He did not contest the ballot when he became aware of the level of Gillard's support and she became prime minister unopposed.

Weeks later, Gillard led Labor to a narrow election victory and formed an unpopular minority government with the support of independent lawmakers and a legislator from the minor Greens party.

In a 2012 ballot, Gillard easily defeated Rudd 71 votes to 31. In February, she threw open her job to a leadership ballot to end leadership speculation, but Rudd refused to challenge and she remained prime minister.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott challenged Gillard on Wednesday to bring forward the election to Aug. 3 because of the new wrangling over leadership.

"Given the paralysis now griping her government and irreconcilable differences in her party over its leadership, will she bring forward the election date to Aug. 3 and let the people decide who should run our country?" Abbott asked in Parliament.

Before announcing the leadership ballot, Gillard replied that she continued to govern effectively.

"I can assure him (Abbott) and I can assure the Australian people that as prime minister I am getting on with the job," she said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/embattled-australian-pm-calls-leadership-ballot-063841213.html

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