2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill

none January 2020 July 2011 2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill Australian Labor Party Logo.svg presidential Caucus no 2006 Australian Labor Party leadership spill 2006 2012 Australian Labor Party leadership spill 2012 2010 06 24 yes Julia-gillard-official-portrait-pmc (cropped).jpg Julia Gillard DC241F Unopposed Seat Faction Lalor Left Leader Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard A leadership spill occurred in the Australian Labor Party on 24 June 2010.Coorey Phillip Rudd's leadership hangs by a thread http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-leadership-hangs-by-a-thread-20100623-yywa.html?autostart=1 23 June 2010 Sydney Morning Herald 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100625010612/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-leadership-hangs-by-a-thread-20100623-yywa.html?autostart=1 25 June 2010 live Kevin Rudd, the prime minister of Australia, was challenged by Julia Gillard, the deputy prime minister of Australia, for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party.PM Kevin Rudd calls on a showdown with Julia Gillard after leadership crisis talks Kerr Christian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/pm-kevin-rudd-calls-vote-after-gillard-meeting/story-e6frgczf-1225883430547 23 June 2010 The Australian 23 June 2010October 2026 medicmedic Gillard won the election unopposed after Rudd declined to contest, choosing instead to resign.Gillard ousts Rudd in bloodless coup Rodgers Emma http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2935500.htm 24 June 2010 ABC Online 24 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100625130706/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2935500.htm 25 June 2010 dead Gillard was duly sworn in as prime minister by Quentin Bryce, the Governor-General, on 24 June 2010 at Government House, becoming Australia's first female prime minister. Gillard was the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party since 4 December 2006, and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Australia after Labor's landslide victory in the 2007 federal election. She was also appointed the Minister for Education and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.http://www.alp.org.au/media/1107/mspme290.php Australian Labor Party: A Ministry to Meet Australia's Future Challenges Australian Labor Party 24 June 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20091025005119/http://www.alp.org.au/media/1107/mspme290.php 25 October 2009 dmy Rodgers Emma Gillard says challenge 'a tough decision' http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2936439.htm 24 June 2010 ABC News 24 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100626001032/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2936439.htm 26 June 2010 dead Background First Rudd government thumb|upright|Mark Arbib of the New South Wales Right Faction. Rudd and Gillard became Leader and Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party on 4 December 2006, during the fourth and final term of the Howard government. The pair successfully challenged sitting Leader Kim Beazley and Deputy Leader Jenny Macklin in a joint-ticket leadership election, brought about by opinion polls suggesting that Rudd was far more popular with the public than Beazley.http://www.australiantimes.co.uk/news/rudd-replaces-beazley-for-labor.htm Rudd replaces Beazley for Labor Australiantimes.co.uk 5 December 2006 30 January 2012 Under the leadership of Rudd and Gillard, Labor defeated the Liberal/National Coalition at the 2007 federal election by a landslide. The Rudd Ministry was sworn in by Governor-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December, with Rudd becoming the first Labor prime minister in over a decade, and Gillard becoming the first-ever female deputy prime minister.http://www.theage.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/rudd-sworn-in-as-pm/2007/12/03/1196530519129.html PM Rudd rolls up sleeves Theage.com.au 3 December 2007 30 January 2012 Rudd also appointed Gillard as Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.http://www.aph.gov.au/library/parl/42/ministry/ministry3Dec07-25Feb09.htm Department of the Parliamentary Library - Ministry Aph.gov.au 30 January 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101008070850/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/parl/42/ministry/ministry3Dec07-25Feb09.htm 8 October 2010 After an initial long period of popularity, by mid-2010 polls began to detect disaffection both with the direction of the Government and the leadership style of Kevin Rudd; several opinion polls in April and May 2010 suggested that Labor would lose the next election. According to the ABC's 7:30 Report, the seeds for Gillard to challenge Rudd were sown by "Victorian Right factional heavyweights" Bill Shorten MP and Senator David Feeney, who had between them secured the support of "New South Wales power broker" Mark Arbib. Feeney and Arbib discussed the matter of a potential leadership challenge with Gillard on the morning of 23 June and began a numbers count to establish the feasibility of a leadership challenge. The pair found that there was enough support for Gillard for the challenge to proceed.http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2936441.htm The 7.30 Report ABC 24 June 2010 30 January 2012 Declining approval for both the Labor Party and Rudd personally were attributed to many factors, including problems with the Home Insulation Program, a significant delay to a planned carbon emissions reduction scheme, the proposed introduction of the Resource Super Profits Tax, and the election of Tony Abbott as Leader of the Opposition.Pannett Rachel Australia's Rudd Calls Vote on Leadership https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704629804575324534190936548 23 June 2010 The Wall Street Journal 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100626071438/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704629804575324534190936548.html 26 June 2010 live Moses Asher Toxic net filters 'shelved until after election' http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/toxic-net-filters-shelved-until-after-election-20100618-ykvj.html 24 June 2010 The Sydney Morning Herald 18 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100621115530/http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/toxic-net-filters-shelved-until-after-election-20100618-ykvj.html 21 June 2010 live The controversy regarding the Resource Super Profits Tax was such that an "ad war" between the government and mining interests began in May 2010https://www.news.com.au/national/kevin-rudd-defends-mining-ads-/news-story/9412b27a5f4c9d859b2013a57304a113 Kevin Rudd defends mining ads: News.com.au 29 May 2010 news.com.au 29 May 2010 2010-08-29 26 November 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151126124938/http://www.news.com.au/national/kevin-rudd-defends-mining-ads/story-e6frfkvr-1225872937660 live and continued until the downfall of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in June 2010.AAP http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1075600 Mining stocks soar as RSPT ads axed: NineMSN 24 June 2010 Money.ninemsn.com.au 2010-08-29 https://archive.today/20120711163306/http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1075600 11 July 2012 dead The Australian Electoral Commission released figures indicating mining interests had spent $22 m in campaigning and advertisements in the six weeks prior to the end of the Rudd prime ministership.A snip at $22m to get rid of PM: SMH 2 February 2011 Senior Labor MPs conceded that the ALP's primary vote had dropped below 30% in some key marginal seats, a figure which if replicated at a federal election would have seen a Labor defeat.Lewis Steve 23 June 2010 Defiant Rudd clings on to power The Daily Telegraph https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/rudd-facing-leadership-challenge/news-story/466f31f9abf546cf080b70553fee886a 24 June 2010 The leadership challenge was finally sparked after the influential Australian Workers' Union officially switched its support from Rudd to Gillard.Julia Gillard forces Kevin Rudd to hold leadership ballot http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/labor-figures-plot-to-dump-kevin-rudd/story-e6frf7l6-1225883383543 23 June 2010 Herald Sun 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20120223214829/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/labor-figures-plot-to-dump-kevin-rudd/story-e6frf7l6-1225883383543 23 February 2012 dead dmy-all AWU Secretary Paul Howes told the Australian Associated Press and ABC's Lateline that he and AWU President Bill Ludwig had decided to support Gillard as prime minister after making an assessment that a change in leadership was in the best interest of their membership.Jones Tony Uhlmann's take on Labor's leadership crisis http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2935382.htm 23 June 2010 Lateline Australian Broadcasting Corporation 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100626232137/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2935382.htm 26 June 2010 liveO'Malley Sandra Gillard could topple Rudd as PM http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-could-topple-rudd-as-pm-20100623-yywf.html 23 June 2010 The Sydney Morning Herald 23 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100624221806/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-could-topple-rudd-as-pm-20100623-yywf.html 24 June 2010 live Challenge + Better Labor Leader polling Thinking about the leadership of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party. Do you think Julia Gillard will be a better leader than Kevin Rudd, a worse leader or about the same? About the same Better leader Worse leader Uncommitted 47% 38%9%6% conducted by Newspoll and published in The Australian. Polling (25–27 June 2010). On the morning of 23 June 2010, NSW senator Mark Arbib, Victorians Shorten and David Feeney, and South Australian Don Farrell visited Gillard to tell her that enough Labor MPs and senators had lost confidence in Prime Minister Rudd to make a challenge feasible. By midday, Arbib and Feeney told Gillard that they could guarantee her the support of the majority of right-wing members from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, giving Gillard enough support to win the leadership and become prime minister.Uhlmann Chris Gillard poised to defeat Rudd http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2935413.htm 24 June 2010 ABC News 24 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100625130506/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2935413.htm 25 June 2010 dead Arbib and Feeney told Gillard that most of the Labor Party were convinced they would lose the next election if Rudd continued as prime minister. They also said that they believed Labor would be able to win with Gillard as prime minister. Party sources later told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that Gillard agreed that Labor faced electoral defeat with Rudd at the helm. After holding meetings throughout the evening, Rudd addressed the media at 10:30 pm to announce that Gillard had asked for him to either resign as prime minister or hold a leadership election the following day to determine the Leadership of the Labor Party.Hudson Phillip http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/labor-considers-axing-rudd/story-e6frf7l6-1225883380388 Prime Minister Julia Gillard defends role in overthrow of Kevin Rudd Herald Sun 24 June 2010 24 June 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20120224022058/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/labor-considers-axing-rudd/story-e6frf7l6-1225883380388 24 February 2012 dead dmy-all Rudd stated that a leadership election would take place the following day and that he would stand as a candidate. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the final catalyst for the challenge against Rudd was "sparked by a report (in the Herald of 23 June) that Mr Rudd had used his Chief of Staff, Alister Jordan, to sound out the backbench over the past month on the level of support for him. This followed a Herald/Nielsen poll which showed the government would lose if an election were held then", and that "Rudd's action was regarded as a sign that he did not trust the repeated assurances by Ms Gillard that she would not stand".http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--becomes-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-tearful-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html#ixzz1ko64xQRM Julia Gillard, Prime Minister After Labor Leadership Challenge 23 June 2010 Sydney Morning Herald 30 January 2012 Results thumb|Julia Gillard is sworn in as Prime Minister by Governor-General Quentin Bryce at Yarralumla All 115 Labor Members of the House of Representatives and Senators were eligible to vote in the ballot. A total of 58 votes were required to secure a winning majority. Whilst announcing the leadership election, Rudd initially declared that he would re-nominate himself for the leadership, even in the face of growing support for Gillard. However, by the morning of the vote it had become clear he did not have the support to secure a majority in the vote. Hours before the vote was due to take place, Rudd announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy and resigned as Leader of the Labor Party with immediate effect. This left Gillard to assume the leadership unopposed. Wayne Swan, Treasurer of Australia at the time, was elected to fill Gillard's now vacant position as Deputy Leader, also unopposed.Christian Kerr Franklin, Matthew Julia Gillard 'honoured' to become prime minister as Kevin Rudd stands aside https://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/politics/labor-leadership-ballot/news-story/25de5aa42b8ba2667b07e193a0dad9b7 The Australian News Limited 24 June 2010 subscription 24 June 2010Gillard becomes Australia's first female prime minister as tearful Rudd stands aside http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--to-become-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html 24 June 2010 The Sydney Morning Herald 24 June 2010 Coorey, Phillip Lester, Tim https://archive.today/20100625025147/http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--to-become-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html 25 June 2010 live Rudd resigned as prime minister at midday, and Gillard was sworn in as the first female prime minister of Australia shortly afterwards. Aftermath On 17 July 2010, just 23 days after becoming prime minister, Gillard advised the Governor-General Quentin Bryce she wished to hold an election for 21 August 2010.https://www.news.com.au/features/federal-election/prime-minister-julia-gillard-calls-federal-election/story-e6frfllr-1225893145471 news.com.au Prime Minister Julia Gillard calls 2010 Federal Election for August 21 17 July 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101009221223/https://www.news.com.au/features/federal-election/prime-minister-julia-gillard-calls-federal-election/story-e6frfllr-1225893145471 9 October 2010 dead After a close contest between Gillard's Labor and Tony Abbott's Liberal/National Coalition, the election resulted in the first hung parliament since the 1940 election. Gillard was able to secure the support of the sole Greens MP and three Independent MPs in order to allow Labor to form a minority government, and Gillard was sworn in as prime minister for a second time on 14 September 2010. Kevin Rudd, who had successfully re-contested his seat at the election, accepted an offer to become minister for foreign affairs.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm Voters leave Australia hanging ABC News 21 August 2010 Australian Broadcasting Corporation https://web.archive.org/web/20100824222950/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm 24 August 2010 dead Rudd regained the leadership, and the prime ministership, at the June 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill, shortly before Labor lost government at the 2013 Australian federal election. Alleged conspiracy and foreign interference Multiple leftist publications like Jacobin and the World Socialist Web Site as well as Jordan Shanks have alleged that the ousting of Rudd was influenced by US involvement.By 2022-04-10 Australian PM Kevin Rudd Was Toppled by Labor Notables Who Snitched for the US https://jacobin.com/2022/04/kevin-rudd-cia-us-embassy-julia-gillard-alp-coup 2026-09-18 jacobin.com en-UShttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwtYjVow1XM Julia 2024-08-04 friendlyjordies 2026-09-18 YouTube In November 2010 Wikileaks leaked multiple classified cables from the US State Department which revealed that several key members of the Labor Right that were responsible for Rudds removal and the installation of Gillard were "protected sources" and in regular exchange with the US embassy in Canberra. These sources included Mark Arbib, Bob McMullan, Gillard's speech writer Michael Cooney, Michael Danby and Peter Khalil.Dorling Philip 2010-12-08 Arbib revealed as secret US source https://www.smh.com.au/national/arbib-revealed-as-secret-us-source-20101208-18prg.html 2026-09-18 The Sydney Morning Herald enOz PM's aide 'protected' US source: WikiLeaks - News18 https://www.news18.com/news/india/oz-pms-aide-protected-us-source-wikileaks-354892.html https://web.archive.org/web/20250112112610/https://www.news18.com/news/india/oz-pms-aide-protected-us-source-wikileaks-354892.html 2025-01-12 2026-09-18 News18 en-USStefano Mark Di 2016-06-04 This Is What Happened When We Asked A Labor Candidate About Appearing In The Wikileaks Cables https://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/khalil-secret-source 2026-09-18 BuzzFeed en-au Especially Mark Arbib, who has been considered kingmaker in the "Gillard coup", has reportedly been secretly briefing the US embassy regularly about the state of Rudds government and possible leadership challenges to Rudd.The American friend: Arbib secret source - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-american-friend-arbib-secret-source/2020979.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20101211114402/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-american-friend-arbib-secret-source/2020979.aspx 2010-12-11 2026-09-18 www.canberratimes.com.au Arbib warned the US around one year prior to the challenge that Rudd was trying to forestall a possible challenge from Gillard.2010-12-08 Arbib warned US of Gillard coup https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-12-09/arbib-warned-us-of-gillard-coup/2368210 2026-09-18 ABC News en-AU This coincides with Don Farrell, who revealed in another leaked cable to the US that Gillard had already planned replacing Rudd one year prior to the drop in the polls and the leadership challenge.Julia Gillard coveted prime ministership a year before coup - WikiLeaks Herald Sun http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/julia-gillard-coveted-prime-ministership-a-year-before-coup-wikileaks/story-e6frf7kx-1225972531824 https://web.archive.org/web/20101217201154/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/julia-gillard-coveted-prime-ministership-a-year-before-coup-wikileaks/story-e6frf7kx-1225972531824 2010-12-17 2026-09-18 www.heraldsun.com.au en-au References 30em Category:2010 elections in Australia Category:Australian Labor Party leadership spills Category:Rudd government Category:Gillard government Australian Labor Party leadership spill Category:June 2010 in Australia Category:June 2010 elections