Rudd Gets Two Bits of Good News
For many days, former leader Kevin Rudd has been chosen by Australians in polls to head the ruling Labor Party over Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Rudd, after having ousted Gillard in the Labor Party coup last June, says that he has no intention or desire to take another shot at the position. However, polls reveal that he is the choice of many Australians.
Rudd came out with 36 per cent of votes while Gillard only got 29 per cent in the three-way Newspoll of 1,511 voters for The Australian Newspaper. The poll asked who the best person to lead the Labor is. Only one in ten voters preferred Treasurer Wayne Swan while four did not nominate a preference.
It can also be noted that in the Nielsen/Herald survey, Rudd led over Gillard with a 55 per cent approval in the head-to-head match for the preferred Prime Minister.
“I don’t comment on the polls, and I don’t spend much time wondering about them. Polls come, polls go. If I spent a lot of time studying polls I wouldn’t get anything else done,” Gillard said.
Despite this, Paul Howes, national secretary of the influential Australian Workers Union, says that he will continue to back Gillard despite making a warning last week of withdrawing support should Gillard not be able to assure jobs under the carbon tax.
“Julia Gillard is the best leader the Labor Party’s had in a very, very long period of time,” Howes said.
“I’m confident she will lead Labor to an election victory at the next election. But that doesn’t mean I have to support the government on everything they do,” he added.
Gillard will leave Australia on Wednesday for Japan, South Korea, and China and will then head for London to attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
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Source: http://ww.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/232589/australia-rudd-gets-double-dose-of-good-news
