Rudd quits in leadership squabble with Australian PM
Australia's foreign minister has resigned amid an ongoing leadership squabble, saying he cannot continue in his role without the support of prime minister Julia Gillard.
Foreign minister Kevin Rudd announced his resignation during an early morning news conference today in Washington, where he is visiting on official business.
His decision comes amid relentless speculation that he planned to seize power from Ms Gillard.
Ms Gillard came to power in an internal coup within her Labour Party that ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010.
She became only the third prime minister since the Second World War to gain power in this way.
"I can only serve as foreign minister if I have the confidence of prime minister Gillard and her senior ministers," Mr Rudd said.
"I therefore believe the only honourable thing, and the only honourable course of action, is for me to resign."
In recent days, speculation had been mounting that Mr Rudd's supporters were planning an attempt to restore him to power soon. That had become a distraction, Mr Rudd said.
"The truth is the Australian people regard this whole affair as little better than a soap opera and they are right," he said. "And under current circumstances, I won't be part of it."
It was not immediately clear what Mr Rudd's next move would be. He said he planned to fly back to Australia tomorrow to sort out his future.
But in his resignation speech, he was highly critical of the Labour Party's decision to oust him.
"I can promise you this: There is no way - no way - that I will ever be party to a stealth attack on a sitting prime minister elected by the people," Mr Rudd said.
"We all know that what happened then was wrong and it must never happen again."
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Joe Caruana
Feb 22nd, 11:50
PM Gillard is lower than a snake's belly. She has a string of gutter level tactics that she played not only on Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd but also on the Australian electorate. She lied to the Australian people and does not deserve to be PM. While this litany of dirty tricks and the knifing is going she is inflicting more taxes on us (the highest carbon tax in the whole world, removal of health insurance rebate and many more), her government totally lost control of the banks, lost control of illegal migration, lost control of jobs and the list goes on. As a favour to us all in Australia, Mr Rudd should either resign from parliament and force a bye election and allow us voters to send her a clear message or better still he should force an early general election. The pity is that Joooolya, having served more than 12 months as PM will be a leach on the taxpayer for the rest of her life. As if we don't already have 6 ex-PM's drawing our blood.
Mr Tony Gatt
Feb 22nd, 15:33
Send her back to Wales where she came from.
William Flynn
Feb 22nd, 11:18
This merely means Rudd just hasn't got the numbers right now to force a spill. He will likely stay on the back bench, "jobless", where he will have all the time in the world to white-ant Gillard.
This was precisely what Keating did to Hawke a generation ago.
This is the first time this time round Rudd said he wouldn't challenge for the top job. Experience suggests that if he says it two more times in the next few weeks, he WILL challenge.
Similarly, if Gillard says three times she won't resign, she will.
Mr Tony Gatt
Feb 22nd, 11:36
Sadly, Gillard is everyone's perception of an Oz., even if she is Welsh.
Joe Portelli
Feb 22nd, 11:07
Mr Rudd was one of the very best and humane prime ministers , and not just in Australia but in the western world too. Unforetunetly the macho element that drives power in Australia regarded his humane and leadership not in line with their image - do they prefer a PM that sends in armed Soldiers when he promised medical assistance as the previous administration did to a Nowegian Captain's request for medical aid for women and children ?
Once again Mr Rudd, forever the diplomat opened up the ASIAN market so much wider with securing China as a great trading partner even before other countries did. Mr Rudd is a realist and knows Australia is an Souh East Asian country first due to its geographical location and never lived in denial, unlike many of Australia's previous PMs. In the end , there is something undemocratic, when an internal party political move replaces a leader that was elected by the nationwide citizens. I hope his country appreciates this gentleman's great abilities and values his contribiution to peaceful trading in SEA.
Ben Agius
Feb 22nd, 10:43
It's amazing how Rudd can turn things to make them look good for himself! He's been quietly undermining her for months now he tries to say she didn't support him! Politics. Rudd is slightly more popular than Gillard with the electorate it seems however everyone seems to have forgotten how unpopular he was becoming when he was PM. I think he was put aside not because he lacks electoral appeal (on the contrary) but because he couldn't govern. This unfortunate mess in Australian politics can only mean that Abbott will most likely become Prime Minister! Can't wait. As they say - every country gets the Government it deserves.
Mr Tony Gatt
Feb 22nd, 10:18
It is amazing that the urban, educated, Mandarin-speaking Mr. Rudd lasted so long under the totally opposite Gillard who sounds as if she never finished her secondary education.