Kevin Rudd told ‘put up or shut up’ as Australia power struggle erupts

Ms Gillard today insisted she had strong support in the party but would not
say whether she intended to confront Mr Rudd, who is now foreign minister.

“I’m getting on with my job,” she said. “Kevin Rudd’s getting on with his.”

Mr Crean, a former Labor leader, said the crisis was crippling the Government
and launched a scathing attack on Mr Rudd.

He said Mr Rudd needed to be a “team player” and that he should “put up or
shut up” to resolve the long-running speculation.

“If Kevin Rudd can’t be part of the team, let him exit the team,” he told ABC
radio. “If he thinks he’s got the numbers, let him challenge.

“Kevin hasn’t got the numbers to challenge. He’s well short of anywhere near a
majority. He can’t win.”

He continued: “This is a farce. For all the time that he’s been trying to say
that he is different, a different Kevin, a new Kevin, all he does is
reinforce the old Kevin… Clearly he’s not playing as part of the team.

But Mr Rudd hit back, saying Mr Crean’s remarks were “based on an untruth”.

A Labor powerbroker, Victorian senator David Feeney, said Ms Gillard may be
forced to call a leadership ballot.

“Kevin Rudd, I think, has reached something of a crossroads where he must
either emphatically present his loyalty to the prime minister and put this
question behind him and behind all of us, or alternatively he needs to
challenge,” he said.

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