How PM switch would affect Australia's federal policy?
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Julia Gillard on Thursday became Australia's first female Prime Minister, ousting Kevin Rudd as Labor Party leader.
The move came after Rudd's plans to boost taxes on the mining industry has deepened a slump in opinion polls. Meanwhile, there have been concerns over the impacts that switch of Prime Minister would generate on Labor policy.
As the federal government's former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education and the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Gillard said she had asked her colleagues to make a leadership change "because I believed that a good government was losing its way", adding that she has responsibilities on it.
To restore Labor's prestige so as to face the federal election at the end of year will be some of the challenges Labor will face. "I would make every effort to ensure that the Labor Party win the next general election," Gillard told reporters in Canberra.
As one of her first acts as Prime Minister, Gillard has canceled the government's mining tax advertising, and called on the mining lobby to do the same to show good faith.
She said reaching an agreement on the Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) will be one of her first priorities after being elevated to the top job by the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, although she has reiterated that the government will not abandon the RSPT.
The negotiations with the mining industry will continue to be led by the former Treasurer and new Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan and Resources Minister Martin Ferguson.
According to Gillard, the good news is that the resources industry has a positive attitude over her leadership, while some people have expressed their willingness to pay more taxes. The government will continue to look for more support in implementing the tax, Gillard said. Meanwhile, Gillard has warned that health and education services, and fair treatment at work, were at risk at the next election.
Turning to Labor's failed attempt to introduce an emissions trading scheme, Gillard said she was disappointed that Australia did not have a price on carbon. "In the future we will need one," she said. "But first we will need to establish a community consensus for action."
Gillard, 48, was born in September 1961 in Walsh, England. She was a lawyer before she joined the Australian Federal Parliament in 1998. Compared to Rudd, Gillard was more experienced and mature in politics, which is likely to make major contributions for Labor Party to move toward victory in the coming election.
Gillard has long-term experiences to deal with complex and sensitive internal affairs, which explained her ability to make good use of smile, humor and other means to ease tension and to avoid sensitive issues.
However, analysts said the Gillard has created Australian history, but the change in Australian Prime Minister does not mean Labor's policy will occur substantial change in near future.
Opposition leaders Tony Abbott on Thursday held a news conference stressing that Labor might have changed its leader but its policies remain the same. "If the Australian public wanted to see new policies, they would have to vote the coalition into power, " Abbott said, adding that the Labor has not made any plans to abandon excess resources to implement tax position.
Things are taking place so quickly, Gillard has challenged over Rudd late Wednesday night, and said Rudd had lost the support of some key members from the Labor Party and "the government is losing its way."
