Rudd vs Gillard

Here you can find all of The Power Index's coverage of the ongoing ALP leadership stoush in one handy place:

The Art of War: Kevin Rudd style

Kevin Rudd's experimenting with a whole new set of power grabbing tactics that put Sun Tzu to shame. Here's how to (attempt to) grab power, Sun Rudd style. -- Angela Priestley (read the rest)

Spill tactics: Jessica Rudd and Therese Rein join the fray

The family that campaigns together, stays together. And so it's been in the brutal ALP leadership battle, with Kevin Rudd sending forth his wife Therese Rein and daughter Jess Rudd to help drum up "people power" in support of his extraordinary comeback tilt.

Clearly this is a planned tactic. With very few senior ministers willing to come out in support of Rudd before Monday's 10am caucus vote, it's been the Rudd family who have made the most vocal pitch to tap into his popularity with the electorate. -- Tom Cowie (read the rest)

Rudd calls on people power

Kevin Rudd may have been a lousy leader—indecisive, workaholic, a control freak and foul to his colleagues—but our self-styled Messiah is a brilliant campaigner.

This morning's speech at Brisbane Airport calling for Australians to get onto their MPs and insist he be reinstated as leader was a masterpiece.

"Your power as the people is what will count in the days ahead," Rudd told the waiting media pack. -- Paul Barry (read the rest)

Rudd's pitch is brilliant, however delusional it may be

Rudd's chutzpah is breathtaking. His press conference this morning could be summarised as a message to the Australian people: "Vote for Me, I'm the Messiah".

The only trouble is that it won't be the public who decide his fate. It will be his caucus colleagues, voting next Monday. And despite Rudd's claim to be "very pleased and encouraged by positive support and encouragement of me to contest the leadership" he surely does not have the numbers. -- Paul Barry (read the rest)

Bruce Hawker quits Queensland campaign

It isn't only Kevin Rudd playing a high-stakes game in his bid to reclaim the ALP leadership. So is veteran Labor strategist Bruce Hawker.

Hawker, who has been has been involved in almost every Labor state and federal election campaign for the past 15 years, this morning resigned from Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's campaign team. He's got another campaign – Rudd's – on his mind. -- Matthew Knott (read the rest)

Labor's suicide pact

When the smoke clears from Labor's civil war and the guns die down, it's hard to see anyone emerging as a winner.

The plain truth is that the voters hate Julia Gillard with a passion, and at least half the Labor Party—including almost all the current cabinet—hates Kevin Rudd.

So a win for Gillard will virtually guarantee that Labor is destroyed at the ballot box. And a win for Rudd will see the party torn apart by vicious internal strife. -- Paul Barry (read the rest)

Rudd denies Clubs Australia anti-pokie reform promise

Claims overnight that Kevin Rudd agreed to kill off poker machine pre-commitment should he become prime minister threaten to undermine his tilt for the top job.

A statement from key lobby group Clubs Australia revealed by the Seven Network last night claimed they had met with an MP "close to Kevin Rudd" in November last year. -- The Power Index (read the rest)

Wayne Swan's Rudd blast

Treasurer Wayne Swan delivered a short but vitriolic statement regarding Kevin Rudd on Wednesday night, lambasting the now former Foreign Minister for his 'dysfunctional decision making', 'demeaning attitude' and for seeking to 'tear down the 2010 campaign'. Here's the statement in full.

"Prime Minister Gillard and I and the overwhelming majority of our colleagues have been applying our Labor values to the policy challenges in front of us and we're succeeding despite tremendous political obstacles. -- The Power Index (read the rest)

Rudd resigns as Foreign Minister; blames Gillard silence

Kevin Rudd has resigned as Foreign Minister, saying he's unable to serve on Julia Gillard's front bench given her refusal to defend him against public attacks by Simon Crean and Labor's "faceless men" over recent days.

Rudd, who is travelling in the US, made the announcement at a hastily organised press conference at 1.20am Washington time. He said he would take advice from friends, family and colleagues on what he should do next. He will then release a statement on his future before Parliament resumes on Monday. -- The Power Index (read the rest)