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February 28th, 2012 
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Assistant Treasurer and Sports Minister Mark Arbib has resigned from the Senate.
Resigned: Key Labor number-cruncher Mark Arbib has thrown in the political towel.
Source: AFP
KRISTINA Keneally has ruled out running for the federal Senate spot which will be vacated by NSW Labor powerbroker Mark Arbib next week.
It comes as Fairfax media linked another former NSW premier, Bob Carr, with the vacancy – coupled with reports he’s also interested in taking up the Foreign Affairs portfolio.
Ms Keneally says she’s not a candidate, as Labor looks to rebuild after Prime Minister Julia Gillard crushed Kevin Rudd 71-31 in yesterday’s leadership ballot.
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Ms Gillard retained her Prime Ministership as Mr Rudd went to the backbench and Mr Arbib – one of the infamous “faceless men” quit politics.
Ms Keneally tweeted: “Re Senate speculation today. I’ve said many times that I’m not going Federal. I’m not a candidate. But thank you for all the kind tweets.”
Former federal president of the ALP, Warren Mundine, who has previously sought pre-selection for the Senate, said this morning on ABC Radio “it would be good” when asked whether he had ambitions to enter the upper house.
Mr Arbib, the former NSW Labor factional boss, quit as assistant treasurer and sports minister just hours after Ms Gillard secured her spill victory.
Mr Arbib, who also resigned from the senate and will vacate his spot by the end of next week, rejected calls he had been pushed. His resignation will not affect the minority government.
“I’m sure there’s plenty of people who would like to see me out of the party, that’s politics,” he said.
“There’s been no pressure from anyone, I made this decision myself.”
Acknowledging he had become a potential liability, he said his departure was also a gesture to “unite and heal”.
“This decision, I hope, will play a part in helping the party rebuild after the ballot and heal itself,” he said.
Mr Arbib was a key figure in removing Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010 – a move which earned him many bitter enemies within the Labor caucus.
He denied yesterday that there was any reason for his resignation other than a personal desire to spend more time with his family, and as a gesture to unite the Labor Party behind Ms Gillard.
He said his three-year-old daughter had convinced him to leave politics, citing the time he was forced to spend away from his home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs as a key factor in his decision.
Colleagues close to Mr Arbib claimed they had no prior notice of his decision and were shocked to hear he had resigned.
He denied he had been asked to resign by Ms Gillard as a peace-making gesture to forces within the Labor caucus who wanted to see him out of politics.
He also laughed off suggestions that he may follow his friend and former Labor Party boss, Karl Bitar, and go and work for casino mogul James Packer.
Ms Gillard praised Mr Arbib’s work for indigenous education, his job-creation successes through creating apprenticeship places and tackling international match fixing as sports minister.
“His resignation today will be received with a heavy heart by the members of our party,” Ms Gillard said yesterday.
“I wish him and his family all the very best in the future.”
Sources close to Mr Arbib claimed that there had been pressure on the Prime Minister to sacrifice him.
Sources close to union boss Paul Howes denied he was interested in taking Mr Arbib’s vacant senate seat.
Respill: Drama over?
The shock departure overshadowed Ms Gillard’s crushing defeat over Mr Rudd in the leadership ballot, in which she won 71 votes of 102 Labor members present for a 90-minute caucus meeting.
Mr Rudd could secure only 31 votes – the lowest recorded by a challenger in a Labor leadership ballot in more than 30 years.
The Prime Minister declared “the drama over” – before hearing of Mr Arbib’s announcement.
“I have today received the overwhelming support of my Labor colleagues,” Ms Gillard said.
“Last week has seen us focus inwards, focused on ourselves … at times its been ugly.
“Australians have had a gutful of us focusing on ourselves.
“I can assure you that this political drama is over.”
She promised the Australian “people” would now take up centre stage in the political process.
Mr Rudd said he did not bear any malice toward his colleagues and promised to support Ms Gillard.
“If I’ve done wrong to anyone with what I’ve said and what I’ve done I apologise,” he said.
“I dedicate myself to working fully for (Ms Gillard’s) re-election as the prime minister of Australia.
“I will do so with my absolute ability dedicated to that task.”
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the only way to end the fighting was to call an election.
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