JULIA Gillard faces an almost certain leadership challenge by March next year, with deep divisions emerging in her new cabinet.
Senior cabinet minister Martin Ferguson yesterday dropped a potential bombshell by refusing to publicly back the Prime Minister, claiming his first allegiance was to the Labor Party.

As the fallout from Ms Gillard's bungled reshuffle continued, senior Labor sources admitted that supporters of the PM were preparing battle plans for a possible challenge from Kevin Rudd.




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Ferguson loyal to the Labor party

And a senior cabinet minister confirmed they thought it likely that a challenge would be brought on by either March or April next year.

"There comes a point when you start to think how much longer can this go on," the minister said.

"In the end it doesn't matter who win or loses, it just has to be resolved."

Mr Ferguson yesterday responded to reports that he and five other cabinet ministers, including dumped cabinet minister Kim Carr, had switched allegiances from Ms Gillard to Mr Rudd.

"I'm loyal to the Labor Party," he said.

"I've got a job as Minister for Energy, Resources and Tourism, which is a pretty demanding workload, and I have a very professional relationship with both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

"It's about continuing to do the job I have responsibility for. I'm not going to respond to press speculation."

His response echoed the equivocation used by both Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd in recent days about whether they liked each other.

Senior government sources said last night the suggestion Mr Ferguson and Senator Carr had switched from Ms Gillard to Mr Rudd was "ridiculous" because it had already been assumed by most in the caucus that they were already in the Rudd camp.

Robert McClelland, who was sacked as attorney-general but remained in the cabinet following the intervention of the NSW right faction, yesterday made a rare appearance on cable television to publicly support Ms Gillard.

He said Ms Gillard had "my full support".

"She's got a new ministry and they're all very keen, of course, to get on with their new jobs," he told Sky News. He then praised Nicola Roxon, the new Attorney-General, and said she would "do an outstanding job".

However, colleagues of Mr McClelland said he was "deeply unhappy" about being dumped and would probably back Mr Rudd in a leadership challenge.

New Health Minister Tanya Plibersek declined to say if Senator Carr would be working behind the scenes to help topple Ms Gillard.

"The government is strong and united," Ms Plibersek said.

"Your speculation about the internal workings of the government are not of interest to me today."

The Daily Telegraph revealed five weeks ago that senior backers of Mr Rudd were urging him to launch an early challenge, believing that he should have struck in November, or even earlier, when the polls were more dire.

The reports at the time were publicly dismissed by a number of key Labor MPs. However, several MPs contacted yesterday, who had previously pledged support for Ms Gillard, conceded there has been a push under way behind the scenes for months and confirmed the story was correct at the time but its publication had "spooked" supporters.

While not claiming they had switched their support, they said the issue needed to be resolved one way or the other in the new year.

"I believe Kevin will challenge. Whether he will have the numbers ... " one Gillard supporter said.

Mr Rudd's backers, who include MPs from both left and right factions from NSW, Victoria and South Australia, said there was no urgency about a return to Mr Rudd but said they believed the botched reshuffle had swung more numbers behind him.

They dismissed reports that any ministers had been offered promotions by Mr Rudd in return for their support.

FRED. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2011 at 7:10am:



Hey Fred you missed the spot.

blackadder wrote on Dec 16^th, 2011 at 7:11am:


WHAT

blackadder wrote on Dec 16^th, 2011 at 7:16am:

LOL LOL

If that happens - that would be the 4th since she stabbed Rudd in the back

Martin F now swinging behind ALP's new/returning leader, Mr Kevin RUDD the man Australia wants to see on the TV instead of poor old Miss Gillard.

Martin Ferguson refuses to back boss
by: Mathew Franklin and Sid Maher
From:The Australian December 16, 2011 12:00AM

RESOURCES Minister Martin Ferguson has fanned Labor leadership tensions by refusing to endorse Julia Gillard over dumped predecessor Kevin Rudd.

And two Labor ministers demoted in this week's ministerial reshuffle -- Kim Carr and Robert McClelland -- have publicly questioned the Prime Minister's decision, arguing they should have been retained in their old positions on the basis of their performance.

The comments came yesterday after The Australian revealed that at least six Gillard ministers -- Mr Rudd, Mr Ferguson, Mr McClelland, Senator Carr, Peter Garrett and Chris Bowen were understood to have abandoned their support for Ms Gillard.

The erosion of Ms Gillard's support comes amid criticism of her political judgment, including her handling of Labor's recent national conference, the reshuffle and cabinet's decision to abandon a tender for the operation of the taxpayer-funded Australia Television Network.

Yesterday Ms Gillard, who has consistently described her relationship with Mr Rudd as professional, kept her head down.

In Sydney, Mr Ferguson conspicuously failed to defend his boss when asked whether he supported her leadership over a shift to Mr Rudd, who led Labor to government in 2007 before being dumped for Ms Gillard in June last year.

"I am loyal to the Labor Party," he said. "I've got a job as Minister for Energy, Resources and Tourism, which is a pretty demanding workload, and I have a very professional relationship with both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd."

In Canberra, Senator Carr told reporters any suggestion he was working against Ms Gillard was "bullshit", adding that he was "a professional".

But Senator Carr disputed his demotion and hit out at people he claimed had been telling journalists his demotion was the result of poor performance.

He said had received strong support from people in his former portfolio of industry and innovation, including people in business, science, universities and business and that this response gave the lie to assertions of poor performance.

"So when I see reports in the paper that this was about performance, since you've asked the question, that is obviously patently untrue," he told reporters. Asked why he had been dumped from cabinet, Senator Carr said: "Take that up with the Prime Minister."

Mr McClelland also said he supported Ms Gillard. But the former attorney-general, now in charge of homelessness and emergency management, said he had told Ms Gillard he deserved to stay in cabinet.

"Clearly I indicated that I thought the work I had done justified a cabinet-level position," Mr McClelland told Sky News as he also backed Senator Carr's performance.

Mr Bowen, speaking at a press conference, said: "I've worked with every ounce of energy I can muster for Julia Gillard," he said. "I will continue to do so. She has my full support."

Special Minister of State Gary Gray said Ms Gillard was " an outstanding prime minister" and accused the media of promoting leadership speculation.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/martin-ferguson-refuses-to-back...

this seems to me what its all about really... whats good for ME.. bugger the country..

switching back and forth with their allegiance doesn't do it for me.. last week she was sweet as apple pie this week shes not..go figure?.. what ever happened to loyalty?? bugger that it never existed by the look of things.