Jilia Gillard reshuffles Cabinet ahead of poll
2 February AFP
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Saturday denied that her
government was in chaos, after the resignation of two of her most senior
ministers prompted a cabinet reshuffle ahead of a national election.
Saturday's announcement that the two ministers had quit came only
three days after the Labor leader said elections would be held in
September, an unusual step in Australia where polls are usually only
called a few weeks in advance.
Gillard said Attorney General Nicola Roxon, the first woman in the
job and a staunch supporter of the prime minister, and Senate leader
Chris Evans, who has at times been acting prime minister, were leaving
the cabinet immediately.
But she denied that the move had thrown her coalition government into
chaos. “Why on earth would anybody say that?” Gillard said. “Number one,
I've named the election date, giving people more stability and certainty
than they've ever had before,” she told reporters in Canberra.
“Number two, I'm here today making what is a very long-planned
announcement, having had the opportunity to discuss with both Chris and
Nicola their views about their futures during the course of last year.”
Gillard said she had known for a year that Evans, who is Minister for
Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, and Roxon did not want
to stand for re-election and she had waited for the best time to
announce this.
“This is the right time to announce this change moving as we are into
the parliamentary week,” Gillard said. Roxon, who was health minister
for four years before becoming attorney general a year ago, cited her
young family as the reason for her departure. “All of us need to make
decisions about the right time to leave and I believe the right time is
now,” said Roxon, who will sit on the backbench until retiring at the
election, meaning there will be no need for a by-election.
Evans said he will retire sooner, once a replacement can be approved
for his seat in the Senate, which does not require a by-election as
senators are chosen by their party.
Both Roxon and Evans said they were confident Gillard could win the
election even though opinion polls suggest the conservative opposition
led by Tony Abbott will take power.
The opposition seized on the reshuffle, saying it was a “horror
start” to the year for Gillard after a string of controversies,
including ex-Labor MP Craig Thomson facing fraud charges.
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