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'It opens the door for Rudd'

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 14 February, 2012 - 8:32 AM
Julia Gillard:

LATEST: Former Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson says Julia Gillard should have known 'it was a dumb thing to do' to appear on the Four Corners episode on Monday night, which focused on the political coup which saw her take power.

"It sure looked like it to me," said Mr Richardson when asked by Neil Mitchell whether Julia Gillard lied when asked on the program whether she knew an acceptance speech was being drafted by her staff two weeks before she became Prime Minister.

On the ABC program, Ms Gillard failed to answer the question directly on three occasions.

Ms Gillard publicly denied she had any intention of replacing former leader Kevin Rudd at the time this speech was alleged to have been worked on.

Meanwhile, Mr Richardson says while Mr Rudd 'doesn't have the numbers' to topple the Prime Minister on a comeback challenge right now, the Four Corners interview would have 'shaken a few out of the tree'.

PLAY: Graham Richardson says the PM's a bad liar

PLAY: Talkback caller's succinct (accurate?) analysis of Four Corners

*Scroll down to hear the Prime Minister fail to answer a very simple question and what Neil Mitchell thinks Julia Gillard's attitude is doing to her credibility*

UPDATE: Prime Minister Julia Gillard maintains she did not direct her staff to draft an acceptance speech weeks before she toppled Kevin Rudd as leader.

It was revealed on Four Corners that the speech was drafted about a fortnight before she sought a ballot from her colleagues for the Prime Ministership.

But Ms Gillard has once again denied the allegations, during an interview on the ABC.

The Prime Minister constantly denied in public in the days leading up to her taking over as leader she had any intention of replacing Mr Rudd.

Meanwhile, Tony Abbott has taken the lead over Julia Gillard as Australia's preferred Prime Minister.

The latest Newspoll shows Mr Abbott is ahead by 40 per cent to 37 per cent for Ms Gillard.

The Coalition holds a 10-point lead over Labor (55 to 45 per cent) two-party preferred.

EARLIER: There are fresh allegations Julia Gillard knew about a planned leadership coup against Kevin Rudd, at least two weeks before it happened.

Just days before the take-over in June 201, Ms Gillard told reporters she had no intention of becoming Prime Minister.

However, it's now alleged her staff drafted her acceptance speech a fortnight before the coup.

Ms Gillard has not denied that claim, telling the ABC she never held any animosity towards Mr Rudd.

PLAY: Neil Mitchell says Julia Gillard's credibility is gone

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Back-watching time for the PM?

rudd HINCH BLOG: "No wonder the Gillard camp is jittery. Kevin Rudd just won't go away and a by-election in his seat could mean curtains for the lot of them." What good would leadership change achieve, Hinch asks.

Blog comments Your Say

  • Great Julia!! Charge a carbon tax. Are you charging the Logging industry who seem to have "open go" on destroying our forests. With every tree that is cut down carbon is released into the air. Our forests are our best carbon sink that we have but this is gradually being destroyed.

    Bev Penrose Thursday 23 February, 2012 - 10:51 AM

  • Disgraceful the behaviour of the Labour party....Julia bringing the country to it's knees, and Rudd only interested in himself....I don't think they will be voted in next election..

    sheryl Monday 20 February, 2012 - 5:07 PM

  • the comments now take so long to be published it wont be long before the task is moved offshore.

    garry Thursday 16 February, 2012 - 11:31 PM

  • What sort of role model is Jilia Gillard. Lies, Spin and more lies and spin. She is blatantly dishonest in her behaviour, and such, a discredible person who we do not want respesenting the highest post in the country.

    wilson Wednesday 15 February, 2012 - 4:09 PM

  • garry, your a goon sport!

    Peter B Wednesday 15 February, 2012 - 3:01 PM

  • Ah yes Gary @9.41pm, lets all start beating the work choices drum again??? So we should all accept the lies, broken promises and deals, and tolerate massive wasting of our money just to avoid work choices so you can kick a ball on Saturdays?? Work choices was about ensuring we remain competitive globally with manufacturing, and now we are not and the jobs are going OS. So don't worry Gary soon enough you can kick a ball on Tuesdays as you wont have a job with even base rates.

    Dean Wednesday 15 February, 2012 - 12:47 PM

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