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Former Australian premier Kevin Rudd (centre) leaves the party room after a leadership ballot with Julia Gillard/AFP

World

Former leader Rudd ousts Australia’s first female PM

Then in March this year, Labour elder statesman Simon Crean made an abortive attempt to reinstall Rudd, who refused to stand and said at the time he would not challenge Gillard “under any circumstances”.

In the aftermath, several ministers who backed Rudd resigned while Crean was sacked.

In confirming he would challenge this time, Rudd vowed to rebuild the faction-riven Labour Party.

“Every effort I have in my being will be dedicated to uniting the Australian Labour Party,” he said. “No retributions, no paybacks, none of that stuff. It’s pointless, it’s old politics.”

Gillard will not be around to hinder him, announcing before the vote that she would retire at the elections if she lost.

In announcing her retirement, Gillard said Labour could still win the election by putting the divisions of the past behind us and uniting as a political party, adding that it had been “truly humbling” to serve as leader.

Since assuming power, Australia’s first female prime minister endured near-constant speculation about her leadership.

She won only the narrowest of victories in the 2010 election, resulting in a hung parliament which forced her to cobble together a minority government with the support of independents.

In announcing her retirement, Gillard said Labour could still win the election by “putting the divisions of the past behind us and uniting as a political party”, adding that it had been “truly humbling” to serve as leader.

“I thank the Labour Party for that privilege and I thank the Australian people for their support.”

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Parliament was due to adjourn on Thursday night for the last time before the national polls, so any ballot had to be held before the legislative body disbanded.

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