As it happened: Gillard scores resounding win

Updated

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised Australians the political drama is over after she won this morning's Labor leadership spill and Kevin Rudd pledged his loyalty.

5.10pm: That's it for the live blog today. Thanks for joining us. For updates, check the ABC News website and ABC News 24.

5.00pm: Kevin Rudd has released his speeches to the caucus before the vote here and after the vote here.

5.05pm: Here's the video of Mark Arbib's resignation.

4.34pm: Arbib says emphatically that Julia Gillard will win the next election, telling the assembled media: "Write it down on your pads."

4.27pm: On the 2010 coup, he says: "I made the right call. I made it for the right reasons."

4.23pm: Arbib scoffs at the concept of him being a "faceless man", saying the term was a Tony Abbott construct and he appears in the media so much that his friends tire of it.

4.22pm: Arbib says the Prime Minister is so tough she is made of "titanium". He refuses to say whether Ms Gillard tried to talk him out of resigning, saying only that it was an emotional conversation.

4.21pm: One more tweet from @AnnabelCrabb: "Just for context: Arbib is a GILLARD vote; this isn't a post-defeat dummy spit."

4.18pm: Mark Arbib says he is resigning to spend more time with his family, as @AnnabelCrabb notes:

He says it's been the highest honour but personal toll on family is great. Arbib says he always told his wife he'd reconsider his professional life at age 40. Turned 40 last year. When Arbib was promoted, he told his family, and his daughter asked if it would mean more time away. When told "yes", she cried. This is the reality of life in politics, says Arbib. "My only regret is that I can't continue," says Arbib.

4.14pm Mark Arbib says he is resigning to help the party to rebuild and mend after the turmoil of the past week. Senator Arbib says he has always done his best to uphold the best interests of the Labor Party and he stands by the difficult decisions he has made over the past three years. He says those decisions were correct and he believes they saved the party from certain defeat at the 2010 elections. He says his resignation will provide an opportunity to help renew the Government.

4pm: The ABC understands NSW right-wing powerbroker Mark Arbib is resigning as a minister and a senator.

3.43pm: @AndrewBGreene reports: @brucehawker2010 says he doesn't regret calling for Julia Gillard to step down from leadership.

3.34pm: Independent MP Tony Windsor says Kevin Rudd's challenge to Julia Gillard was "a nuisance more than anything". Responding to Tony Abbott's request for the independents to state whether they retain confidence in the Government, Mr Windsor said: "I don't answer to Tony Abbott. The agreement with the current Prime Minister holds."

3.31pm: Rudd strategist Bruce Hawker says he thought more backbenchers would have swung behind Mr Rudd.

"I think we may have misjudged the power of the factional leaders to really enforce the vote."

3.25pm: The Opposition's motion to suspend standing orders has failed. The PM asks that further questions be placed on the notice paper, and so ends Question Time.

3.18pm: We've just posted the video of Julia Gillard's press conference this morning.

3.15pm: Here's a quick snap of Kevin Rudd on the backbenches. [Updated at 4.10pm]

3.13pm: Next up is a typically passionate Anthony Albanese, who says this is the 43rd time the Opposition has unsuccessfully moved a motion to suspend standing orders.

3.10pm: Julia Gillard is responding to the motion to suspend standing orders with a speech about her Government's achievements and priorities, and regaling the House with an attack on the Opposition's focus on "cheap politics".

3pm: Barrie Cassidy writes: "Julia Gillard has always had problems with authority and legitimacy. This vote, while not solving that difficulty, must help in some small way to address it. She has had a win."

2.53pm: Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has interrupted Question Time with a motion to suspend standing orders, accusing the Prime Minister of having a "trust issue". Mr Abbott contrasted Julia Gillard's criticism of Kevin Rudd's leadership in recent days with the way she praised him after the leadership spill this morning, saying something did not add up.

2.52pm: Here's our chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths' take on Ms Gillard's news conference today:

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised Australians the "political drama" is now over and the Government's focus will now put them "back at centre stage".

2.16pm: If you missed Kevin Rudd's press conference after this morning's ballot, you can watch it online now.

2.05pm: @SabraLane reports: Abbott asks about how can nation have confidence in the PM, given a third of caucus does not support her. Gillard responded by saying "half your colleagues wanted Malcolm Turnbull in the job" and each QT he eyes of a spot on Tony Abbott's back.

2pm: And Question Time is up and running. Watch live on ABC News 24. You can also follow QT live on The Drum.

1:52pm: Next up is Question Time in just over five minutes.

1:50pm: Other quotes from the Abbott media conference:

"I lead a stable united team, I'm happy with my team - it's a team I intend to take to the next election."

"We know how important fair and just and productive and decent workplaces are and that's what I want to deliver as prime minister."

"The public has concluded that minority government is an experiment that's failed."

"I am formally questioning the independents to state their position whether they have confidence in this prime minister."

"It's pretty clear that the PM is telling people that up till now a good government was dragged down by a wrecker; what the Australian people are more likely to believe is that a bad government was exposed by a whistleblower."

1:47pm: Mr Abbott says Australia needs an election, not because he particularly likes elections or because people need the inconvenience, but because the country needs a government elected by the people not run by the faceless men.

1:45pm: He says Australia is a good country being let down by a bad government.

1:43pm: Mr Abbott says he believes this is not so much a new start for the PM, but a stay of execution. He says the challenge for her is to run a competent government, and this is not going to happen. He says the public will not forget that this is a government "run by faceless men", and he points out that a third of her caucus don't have confidence in the PM.

1:36pm: We are now waiting for a media conference from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, to be held in the Coalition partyroom in Parliament House.

1:33pm: Here is video of Barrie Cassidy's post-vote analysis on ABC News 24:

1:28pm: Ms Gillard is asked if she intends to continue her forthright style she's adopted in recent days. That would be a yes:

I intend to be a very forceful advocate of the Government's policies so settle in. Julia Gillard

1:24pm: She is asked what she can do to beat Tony Abbott. Answer: I can and I will.

1:19pm: Ms Gillard says she didn't explain the coup in more detail back in 2010 out of respect for Kevin Rudd, adding that this was a mistake.

1:18pm: Will she give Kevin Rudd his job back as foreign minister? She says it's pretty clear what Kevin Rudd's future is as the Member for Griffith and she will announce a decision on the foreign ministry in the coming days.

1:15pm: Ms Gillard says she will take Labor to the 2013 election and she is confident they can win. She feels impatient today because she wants to get on with building this nation's future: "We haven't got a day to lose".

1:14pm: Labor members have today demonstrated that they share the same sense of purpose that the Australian people have. She says she has made mistakes, and she intends to be a stronger, more forceful advocate for the things that Labor is doing for Australia.

1:12pm: The PM says to Kevin Rudd for the days that lie beyond: we must honour him for his achievements as PM and as foreign minister. Craig Emerson will fill in as foreign minister for the time being.

1:10pm: PM Julia Gillard begins her media conference by thanking caucus for their "overwhelming" support. She believes Australians have "had a gutful" of Labor focusing on themselves. She says this political drama is over, and the Australian people rightly expect the government to focus on them.

12:04pm: Some more quotes from the Rudd media conference:

"I congratulate Julia on her strong win today. The Caucus has spoken."

"I accept fully the verdict of the Caucus and I dedicate myself to working fully for her re-election as the Prime Minister of Australia - and I will do so with my absolute ability dedicated to the task."

"To each and every one of my supporters, who delivered nearly a third of Caucus, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

"To those who did not vote for me, but with whom I've had some truly great conversations in recent days, can I thank them for their friendship and for their civility."

"To those who have been a little more willing in their public character analysis of me in recent times could I say the following: I bear no grudges, I bear no-one any malice, and if I've done wrong to anyone in what I've said or in what I've done to them, I apologise."

"It's time, in fact it's well past time, that these wounds were healed."

12:58pm: Member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly has taken to Twitter, thanking people who contacted him with their views on the ballot, adding that it's good to have the vote over and done with:

Needless to say it was not easy. It is like watching your parents get divorced. Everyone of you will have a different perspective on this. Mike Kelly via Twitter

12:56pm: No 'gotta zip' today - he has taken his leave. Now we await a media conference from the PM in about 10 mins.

12:54pm: Mr Rudd thanks his staff and says he is committed to serving the people of Griffith now and beyond the next election.

12:49pm: Mr Rudd outlines what he sees as his achievements during his time as foreign minister.

@annabelcrabb: Mr Rudd has left the Caucus room well behind and is dealing with Syria.

12:45pm: Mr Rudd says he is dedicating himself to championing the government's causes and working towards the re-election of Julia Gillard as prime minister. He says he has always done what he thought was the right thing to do, even though he knew it would be tough. "I thank Australians for their support in the past few days."

12:43pm: Kevin Rudd enters the caucus room. He congratulates Ms Gillard on her win and says he accepts the result without rancour. To his public detractors, he says he bears no grudges or malice, adding that it's past time these wounds were healed.

12:41pm: Nick Champion, who supported Kevin Rudd in today's ballot, says it is time for Labor to unite behind Julia Gillard, calling her the "the greatest legislator since Curtin". He says the leadership spill has been "good for the party and cathartic for the party", pointing to Labor's increased support in this week's Newspoll.

12:39pm: The ABC's Gillian Bradford has tweeted that Kevin Rudd's entire staff has filed into the caucus room for their boss's media conference.

12:30pm: Kevin Rudd supporter Doug Cameron has called for Prime Minister Julia Gillard to ensure there are "no recriminations" after her emphatic win today. "We've got to get the tribe back together and move forward," he told Sky News.

12:28pm: Latest pics from the photo desk:

12:23pm: Ms Bligh says she looks forward to working with the PM over the next couple of weeks of the state election campaign. She says the challenge is now for Labor to come together after the "so painful, so difficult" leadership tussle.

12:20pm: ABC political reporter Simon Cullen reports that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has congratulated Ms Gillard on her win.

12:18pm: Kevin Rudd will hold a media conference in about 10 mins in the Labor caucus room.

12:06pm: The Business Council of Australia has told The World Today it's hopeful there'll be more certainty now that Julia Gillard has defeated Kevin Rudd. BCA president Tony Shepherd says the outcome is an opportunity for the Federal Government to rebuild relations with business, and he'd like to see a review of policies including the carbon and mining taxes.

We see today as a catalyst for a far more focused government and a renewed commitment to make Australia more competitive and productive.

We need stability. Without stability we can't get on without the important policy reforms that we need to make the country more competitive and productive. Tony Shepherd, BCA president





11:58am: The ATCU is holding a media conference on the vote - it is live now on ABC News 24. President Ged Kearney says it's now time to get on with pursuing rights for Australian workers. She says the leadership issue has been a diversion from this focus.

11:57am: We now have video of the vote announcement:

11:36am: A few key quotes from Chris Hayes following the ballot:

ON RUDD: "He reiterated many things he's been saying over the last couple of days, but I think one of the major things he indicated at the conclusion of this ballot - he will be working for a unified Labor team."

ON GILLARD: "The Prime Minister spoke about the advances that have been made in the course of the last 18 months in government and what we need to do to actually position ourselves to win government next time."

THE MOOD AFTER THE VOTE: "The mood, I think it's fair to say, was reasonably tense ... Once the votes were read out there was a certain amount of relief on the faces of members and senators. I think they see this as the vehicle by which they move forward."

11:32am: Here's a pic of returning officer Chris Hayes announcing the result to the media pack:

11:31am: Julia Gillard leaves the caucus room, followed by a smiling Kevin Rudd moments later.

11:20am: Mr Hayes says there was no recount, or call for a second count. He says neither candidate's speeches were longer than three minutes. There was a round of applause for the PM. Dick Adams says that Kevin Rudd told the caucus that he will be uniting behind the PM.

11:18am: CHRIS HAYES CONFIRMS GILLARD WON THE VOTE 71 TO 31, meaning the initial reported figures were incorrect.

11:16am: Here comes Dick Adams and the returning officer Chris Hayes.

11:14am: There are now rumours of a recount under way in the caucus room.

11:09am: Lyndal Curtis says 73 is the highest number of votes that a leader has received in a spill. Mr Rudd garnered 28 per cent of the vote.

11:03am: We are still waiting for Labor MPs to leave the caucus room after delivering a thumping victory for the PM.

10:58am: Lyndal Curtis confirms the numbers are 73 votes for the PM to 29 for Mr Rudd.

10:48am: Phillip Coorey of the SMH has tweeted that Julia Gillard won the vote 73 votes to 29.

10:43am: Chris Uhlmann points out that this may take longer than anyone thought because as well as the vote, both candidates get to make two speeches: one before the vote, and one after.

10:33am: We've just posted video of Rudd then Gillard walking into the caucus room:

10:31am: Also over at The Drum, Annabel Crabb writes that the whiff of singed martyr is already perceptibly in the air, as the Labor caucus prepared to banish the "People's Princess".

10:16am: While we wait, check out the Twitter gallery put together by our colleagues at The Drum.

10:11am: Now we wait for deputy whip and returning officer Chris Hayes to emerge with the result.

10:04am: Julia Gillard arrives for the vote flanked by Wayne Swan, Craig Emerson, Tanya Plibersek, Nicola Roxon, Steve Georganas, Kirsten Livermore and Deb O'Neill.

10:01am: Kevin Rudd is walking in with a bunch of supporters: Martin Ferguson, Maria Vamvakinou, Ursula Stephens, Claire Moore, Janelle Saffin, Robert McClelland, Doug Cameron, Gavin Marshall.

10am: A smiling Simon Crean walks in with Nick Sherry. Question is put to Mr Crean: will we see a united party after this? Mr Crean says: "Absolutely we must".

9:55am: Chris Evans, Penny Wong, Tony Burke, Stephen Smith and Mark Butler all walk in together. Anthony Albanese is seen walking in with Craig Thomson and Rob Mitchell.

9:52am: ABC News has just posted a Storify collection of tweets being sent to Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd this morning.

9:47am: Greg Combet, Stephen Jones and Jenny Macklin seen walking into the caucus room, followed by Stephen Conroy, Tasmanian MP Geoff Lyons, Sid Sidebottom, Jacinta Collins and Senate president John Hogg walk into caucus room

9.43am: Watch a snapshot of what Sydneysiders have to say about the ALP leadership battle.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Sydneysiders react cynically to ALP conflict (ABC News)

9:39am: Labor MPs have begun arriving at the caucus room for today's vote.

9.35am: Labor MP Ed Husic on Twitter: "Once the dust settles the next issue will be HOW we chose the ALP leader. Opening the process up to wider party involvement will be critical."

9.31am: With hindsight, it may have been a mistake for Kevin Rudd to have political strategist Bruce Hawker speaking publicly about his campaign, according to Michael Gleeson from Hawker Britton (the firm Bruce Hawker helped found, but is no longer associated with). Mr Gleeson says there may be "resentment in the caucus that Bruce is effectively out on the airwaves telling them what to do". Mr Gleeson says Julia Gillard will most likely come out of the leadership battle "enhanced".

9.20am: Victorian MP and Gillard supporter Rob Mitchell says the party can unite after today's vote: "It's one of Kevin Rudd's supporters' birthday today and we're all going to be getting together and having a drink. It's Nick Champion's birthday. We've had the battle, let's get on with it."

9.14am: Speaking to reporters as he arrived at Parliament House this morning, Gillard supporter Laurie Ferguson said: "We've had sniping, undermining, backbiting, for the last year or two by a fairly major force in the party. With that out of the way, I don't think journalists are even going to listen to him."

Today's vote divides the Ferguson family; Laurie's brother Martin is supporting Mr Rudd. Laurie Ferguson simply says Martin has his own views and that is the way it works in many families.

9.09am: Key Kevin Rudd strategist Bruce Hawker admits Mr Rudd's chances today are slim.

9.07am: A little tidbit about the vote: It is a secret ballot, but some MPs will abide by the unspoken rule of "show and tell" and reveal their vote to a factional colleague. Kevin Rudd and some of his supporters have called for a truly secret ballot and an end to show and tell. There will be booths stationed around the side and back of the caucus room if members want their vote to be truly secret.

9.04am: We're asking on Facebook: If you were in Labor caucus, which way would you vote?

8:51am: Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says this "dysfunctional, chaotic" government makes the Addams Family look good. Mr Turnbull says now is the time for the independents to vote for a no confidence motion.

8:45am: Today's vote in Labor caucus coincides with another, more glamorous face-off in Hollywood; ABC political reporter Simon Cullen reports on the similarities:

Given the leadership ballot coincides with the Oscars, Nick Xenophon asked his local DVD store to pick out a few titles to sum up the Labor Party turmoil. Their selection included Dumb and Dumber, Apocalypse Now, The Never Ending Story – Part 2 and Titanic. Senator Xenophon reckons there's been a fair bit of acting in all of this. He's nominated Stephen Conroy and Anthony Albanese as Best Supporting Actors. The drama continues...

8:40am: Here is Stephen Smith's interview on ABC News 24 this morning:

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Stephen Smith speaks to News Breakfast (ABC News)

8:33am: ABC News 24 reports that Julia Gillard has just arrived at Parliament House.

8:31am: What is the view from the Labor backbench of all this leadership tension? Bronwyn Herbert reports for AM that Labor backbench MPs are divided over who should lead the party but all agree the leadership animosity is hurting the Labor brand.

8:25am: Independent MP Rob Oakeshott says he expects the Labor Party to uphold its end of their agreement for Julia Gillard to hold an election in third quarter 2013. He says if the ALP changes leadership today they are effectively tearing up that agreement. He says he will not be moving a no confidence motion, and he doesn't expect the Opposition to do so.

8:20am: Kevin Rudd showing signs that he's already reflecting on the events of the past few days:

Obviously those things never fully and finally heal, but you know something people? Get on with the business because it's more important than what happens in the Canberra beltway. Kevin Rudd

8:18am: The ABC's Lyndal Curtis and Chris Uhlmann look at the state of play this morning:

8:15am: Rudd strategist Bruce Hawker says if Julia Gillard wins the vote today, the pressure is on her to get the polling numbers up.

8:10am: More quotes from the Rudd interview on Sunrise:

"We've almost become two Australias. All those good folk out there, that's one Australia. And the other Australia is here, and it exists within about a one kilometre radius of Parliament House. And this Australia can be pretty toxic, pretty negative, pretty disconnected."

"It's going to be tough but I'm absolutely confident that this is the right course of action, absolutely confident."

"I'm resting very calm in my skin this morning."

8:08am: Mr Rudd says he does not regret taking on the PM:

You've got to give the parliamentary Labor Party an opportunity to choose and choose a new leadership course which has some prospect of saving the Australian Labor government from electoral annihilation. Kevin Rudd

8am: Kevin Rudd is on Channel 7, outlining his case for leadership. The ABC's Naomi Woodley tweets that he has denied leaking against the government:

@naomiwoodley: Kevin Rudd on Ch7 - "did you leak against Gillard during the 2010 election? I did not".

7:48am: Finance Minister Penny Wong isn't giving specific numbers but she tells Michael Rowland she anticipates a very strong expression of support for the PM in today's Labor caucus vote. She too is focusing on unity, after last week's acrimony in Labor:

My political enemy is Tony Abbott. Penny Wong

7:40am: Immigration Minister Chris Bowen tells Lyndal Curtis he was not pressured into backing Kevin Rudd and he doesn't regret the decision. He says he is able to serve in the Cabinet if the PM still wishes him to.

7:35am: On Channel Nine, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has challenged the winner of today's leadership vote to immediately call an election.

Because no one would say that what we've got is anything other than a disaster for our country that has been caused by this government and the poison inside it. Tony Abbott

7:27am: Veteran ABC journalist Jim Middleton gives us cause for a bit of perspective; he is now covering the ninth leadership showdown of his career.

7:24am: Stephen Smith, asked if he is interested in Kevin Rudd's old job as foreign minister, says he enjoys being defence minister but it is entirely up to the PM to decide which portfolio he holds.

7:22am: More video has just landed: The ABC's Andrew Greene looks back at the relationship between Rudd and Gillard since she became his deputy.

7:20am: Defence Minister Stephen Smith, speaking to Michael Rowland on ABC News 24, reiterates a quote from Mr Rudd in 2007: There must be zero tolerance for ill-discipline. He says the same rule applies now.

7:10am: We've published video of Mr Rudd arriving in Canberra last night:

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Kevin Rudd arrives at Canberra airport last night (ABC News)

7:10am: In case you were busy doing other things yesterday, here's a rundown of developments and some fresh pics in our gallery:

6:53am: Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon tells Lyndal Curtis Labor is capable of uniting behind Julia Gillard after today's vote. The Northern Territory MP says he is not too concerned about polls, as governments have been in this position previously and have prevailed. But he says everyone, including Mr Rudd, must end party leadership speculation today.

He is part of that collective, he is part of that team and despite things that have gone on over the recent past he has a responsibility - as have all of us - to serve the leader and serve the party to make sure that we provide the government the people of Australia want. Warren Snowdon

6:50am: Key Rudd backer Robert McClelland says he would not support any other candidate if Mr Rudd fails today:

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Chris Uhlmann interviews Robert McClelland (ABC News)

6:45am: Independent MP Tony Windsor says he doesn't know why Mr Rudd is bothering with his challenge.

Why would you do this when you know you can't win? I think that's a question that needs to be answered. It's pretty obvious from the word go and it has been for the last couple of months that if there was a challenge it wasn't going to be a victorious outcome. Tony Windsor

6:35am: Lyndal Curtis tells ABC News 24 the numbers don't seem to have shifted over the weekend: 70 for Julia Gillard, 30 for Kevin Rudd.

6:33am: As luck would have it, there is an alternative to a caucus ballot today: the annual pollies vs professionals soccer match to mark Harmony Day. 8am on the Senate Oval.

@simon_cullen: "There's a soccer game at Parl. House to mark Harmony Day. Appropriate given they've been sticking the boot into each other for a while now."

6:21am: As he arrived in Canberra last night Mr Rudd made it clear that in his mind, he has the support of the people:

You've got to be in it to win it ... the Australian people had an expectation that I would put my hand up, and I did. Kevin Rudd

6:15am: Latest Newspoll says Labor's support has risen to a 12-month high of 35 per cent, but Julia Gillard is behind both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott as preferred PM.

6:05am AEDT: Kevin Rudd arrived in Canberra last night, in preparation for today's showdown with Julia Gillard for the leadership of the Labor Party. It's been four days since Mr Rudd declared he would challenge; here's a snapshot of this morning's analysis:

Laura Tingle: What will gnaw away at the PM is the primary vote

Greg Sheridan: Gillard is not PM material and Rudd ought to return

Phillip Coorey: PM set for bittersweet victory

Peter Hartcher: Battle draws to a close but Labor still losing the war.

First posted