Fitzgibbon confirms Labor leadership discussions

Updated

Chief Government whip and key Kevin Rudd supporter Joel Fitzgibbon has confirmed that Labor MPs are discussing the leadership - though he says no one is yet counting the numbers.

Criticism of Julia Gillard's handling of the contentious media laws and her continued poor polling has triggered the latest round of speculation that another challenge is imminent.

Mr Fitzgibbon's comments today confirmed there is some truth to the talk.

"It'd be silly to tell people ... that there's nothing's going on," he told Fairfax media.

"Obviously internally people are looking at the polls and they're expressing concern about the future of the Government and indeed the [Australian Labor] Party, and you'll get conversations and those conversations are unfortunately making their way into the media."

But he has moved to quash the theory that a challenge could be launched against Ms Gillard this week.

"I don't think there's any chance of that.

"The Prime Minister continues to enjoy the support of the party room and I think people have proved themselves a little bit over-excited by speculating there'll be a change this week or necessarily before the next election."

And he says no one is counting numbers in caucus to see where a vote might fall.

"No, no counting. People are just speculating," he said.

"We're six months out from an election. Obviously we're struggling in the opinion polls and it's causing unrest in the party room - particularly amongst MPs that are on relatively narrow margins about their future in this place."

The main contender Mr Rudd insists he will not launch a challenge.

"Unlike others who have used the phrase, when I say will not challenge for the leadership, I mean it. That means Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or beyond," he said in a statement.

However, unnamed Rudd supporters say he would reclaim the top job if he were drafted with broad cross-factional support.

Party elder Simon Crean, who has also been touted as a potential rival to Ms Gillard, says he still supports the Prime Minister.

A spokeswoman for his office says there is no substance to claims he could call a leadership spill.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr, who is in the United States, has rejected reports that he is being courted by Rudd supporters.

There are reports that Mr Rudd and his supporters had urged him to come home to assist in a leadership challenge.

"This is fanciful, the media should grow up," Senator Carr said.

"No-one has put that to me."

On Tuesday, Senator Carr issued strident denials that he had switched his support from the Prime Minister to Mr Rudd.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has reiterated Ms Gillard's statement on Tuesday that she will lead the party against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott at the September 14 election.

"Julia Gillard is as tough as they make them," he said.

"She's going to beat Tony Abbott because she's focused on the big reforms for the future."

This week is proving to be a crucial one for the Prime Minister.

It is the last chance for Caucus to meet and address the leadership question before a seven-week break.

The next time MPs gather will be for the Budget sittings in May, when the chance of a leadership spill would be far less likely.

Topics: federal-government, government-and-politics, alp, political-parties, gillard-julia, australia

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