The ALP National Secretary, George Wright, has paid tribute to the outgoing Prime Minister, Julia Gillard
In a statement published on the party’s website, Wright said Gillard “achieved much for our nation and leaves a strong legacy”.
Statement from George Wright, National Secretary of the ALP.
A record worth fighting for
National Secretary George Wright’s statement on the election of Kevin Rudd as Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party.
On behalf of the Labor National Secretariat and members of the Australian Labor Party, I congratulate Kevin Rudd who last night was elected Labor Leader by the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party.
I also want to thank and pay tribute to Julia Gillard.
As Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard achieved much for our nation and leaves a strong legacy, including:
- Universal Paid Parental Leave
- Support for Queensland as it rebuilt after the floods and cyclone
- The Murray Darling Basin Plan
- Carbon Pricing
- Labor’s Disability Care
- The Gonski Labor Party education reforms, and
- The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse
And of course, as the first woman Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard will be remembered for the leadership she showed all Australians in being a role model for women who aspire to high office.
What every Labor member, campaign worker, active supporter and the voters want now is for our party to re-energise under the leadership of Kevin Rudd; to unite around the purpose of defeating Tony Abbott and the Coalition at the upcoming election.
We have a record to be extremely proud of: leading Australia’s economy through the Global Financial Crisis, delivering nearly one million jobs since 2007, gaining a Triple A credit rating from all three international agencies, investing in the infrastructure of the future in the NBN, and acting on climate change.
This is a record worth fighting for, and the choice for the Australian public at the next election is stark: a party that is committed to growth and jobs, or Tony Abbott’s vision of cuts to services and jobs.
I again congratulate Kevin Rudd under whose leadership I believe Labor can win the next election. We are excited and confident about the fight.
