Martin Ferguson Resigns From Gillard Ministry; Second Departure Today

Mar 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

Martin Ferguson, the Minister for Resources and Energy, has resigned from the Gillard government.

Following yesterday’s leadership spill debacle, Ferguson said his resignation was “the only honourable thing to do”. He voted for Kevin Rudd in last year’s leadership ballot and would have voted for Rudd yesterday if the former prime minister had contested the ballot.

Ferguson is the second minister to resign today. The Minister for Tertiary Education, Chris Bowen, announced his resignation this morning.

  • Listen to Ferguson’s press conference (27m)

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Ferguson

Ferguson said he doesn’t support the idea of by-elections and would re-contest Batman at this year’s election.

Ferguson is also the Minister for Tourism. He has held both portfolios since the election of the Rudd government in 2007. He has been the member for Batman in Melbourne since 1996. He has been a member of the frontbench in opposition and government continuously since 1996.

Prior to entering parliament, Ferguson was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 1990-96. He succeeded Simon Crean who was ACTU President from 1985-90. Crean was sacked yesterday after calling on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to call a leadership spill.

In his resignation press conference, Ferguson pointedly referred to Labor values. He spoke of his pride in being involved in implementing The Accord during the Hawke government and transcending “class war”. He praised social wage measures such as Medicare and called for more “give and take”.

Ferguson said the debate over media policy over the past two weeks demonstrated the need for the government to improve its cabinet processes.

 

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio2013, Cabinet-Ministry, Gillard Tagged With: , , , ,

ALP Leadership Spill: Live Blog

Mar 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

10.30pm – Channel 10 Late News surveys the day’s events.

8.15pm – Ed Husic, member for Chifley, one of the Assistant Whips, has resigned his position. Husic appeared on Sky News and confirmed his resignation. Janelle Saffin, member for Page, has also resigned. Earlier today, Chief Whip Joel Fitzgibbon said he was considering his position. He can be expected to resign prior to the resumption of Parliament in May.

Crean, Marles, Fitzgibbon, Husic and Saffin are the five of the six main victims of today’s leadership fracas. Rudd is the sixth.

Husic

7.50pm – The reaction of most people to today’s events is “WTF”, according to independent Senator Nick Xenophon. He told 7.30 that no-one will support Rudd again. Whilst the May Budget could be a “circuit-breaker”, the voters have the baseball bats out ready. He said Rudd should say he will never accept the leadership under any circumstances. Greens leader Senator Christine Milne says it’s too late now because all the bridges have been burnt. [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio2013, Gillard, Parliament, Rudd, Video Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Question Time Ended As Government Wins Technical Victory On Suspension Motion

Mar 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

2.50pm – Prime Minister Julia Gillard has ended Question Time, following an attempt by the Opposition to move a no-confidence motion in here.

The motion to suspend Standing Orders was carried 73-71 but failed because it needed to reach an absolute majority of 76 votes.

The House of Representatives has now moved on to routine business as Labor members left the chamber to prepare for the 4.30pm leadership ballot.

Sky News is reporting the Gillard camp claims it still has 58 certain votes to defeat Rudd.

Backbencher Graham Perrett (Moreton, Queensland) has said he will support Gillard. Parliamentary Secretary Richard Marles says he will support Rudd.

There are some suggestions from Sky’s Peter van Onselen that Kevin Rudd may not nominate. Rudd has maintained since his defeat in February last year that he will not challenge.

Sky’s Kieren Gilbert read a text he said was from the Gillard camp: “Simon Crean is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rudd enterprises.”


Filed Under: A.L.P., Gillard, House of Reps, Rudd Tagged With: ,

Tony Abbott Attempts To Move No-Confidence Motion In Gillard

Mar 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

2.15pm – Ten minutes into Question Time, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott moved a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Denied leave, Abbott moved a motion to suspend Standing Orders to enable the no-confidence motion to be moved. He is now speaking to that motion.

Abbott

“This is a government that has lost its way,” Abbott told the House, echoing Gillard’s words on the day she took over from Kevin Rudd in 2010. “But it’s not a good government,” Abbott said.

Kevin Rudd can be seen working quietly at his desk on the government’s backbench.

Bishop

Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop seconded the motion to suspend Standing Orders. “Irrespective of who wins the ballot, there will be stability with this government,” she said. She said the government was riven with splits that will not go away.

Gillard

Gillard attacked the opposition over its attitude to the global financial crisis and lauded her government’s economic performance and its job creation record. Her speech, possibly her last as Prime Minister, canvassed the government’s achievements.

Rudd

The House has now divided on the motion to suspend Standing Orders. If passed, Abbott will be able to move his motion of no-confidence in Gillard. If carried by an absolute majority of 76, the motion will pass.

The motion was passed 73-71 but is lost because the absolute majority was not achieved.

  • Listen to the start of Question Time (9m)

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  • Listen to Abbott’s speech on the suspension of Standing Orders (10m)

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  • Listen to Julie Bishop second Abbott’s motion (5m)

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  • Listen to Julia Gillard respond to the motion (11m)

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Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio2013, Gillard, House of Reps, Liberal Party, Question Time Tagged With: , , ,

Gillard Calls Leadership Ballot For 4.30pm Today

Mar 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

2.05pm – Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called a leadership ballot for 4.30pm today.

She made the announcement at the start of Question Time in the House of Representatives.

Gillard

Answering questions from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Gillard reiterated her campaign themes about the government and the oppposition.

Abbott asked Gillard if she agreed with former leader Bob Hawke that “if you can’t govern yourself how can you govern the country?” Gillard spoke of taxation reforms, education, hospitals and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. “We stand for supporting modern families,” she said.

As Gillard responded to Abbott, Kevin Rudd entered the chamber and took his seat on the backbench next to Anthony Byrne, the member for Holt.

  • Listen to Gillard in Question Time (9m)

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Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio2013, Gillard, Question Time, Rudd Tagged With: , , ,
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