CANBERRA: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard vowed on Friday to battle on as leader of her unpopular government, dismissing media reports that some of her own lawmakers had lost faith in her after a fresh policy setback this week.
Gillard, her face pale and drawn after what is emerging as one of her worst weeks in politics, appeared in a TV interview to fend off leadership speculation after a court on Wednesday rejected her plan to send asylum-seekers to Malaysia.
”I’m not going anywhere. I have too much to do,” Gillard told Sky TV, barely a year after the ruling Labor Party had sacked her predecessor, Kevin Rudd, in a late-night coup.
Asked if she had been approached about stepping down, she replied: ”No”.
The media reports of growing discontent over Gillard, whose opinion poll ratings are now worse than when she toppled Rudd, prompted senior government lawmakers to come out publicly today in support of their embattled prime minister.
The reports also became a talking point in financial markets where investors are turning their mind to an eventual change of government, wondering about the implications for planned taxes on carbon emissions and iron ore and coal mining profits, as well as a 38 billion dollar national broadband project.
”The government has clearly had some unpopular policies and there is a general view that maybe either a change in prime minister or government would be viewed as a positive thing,” said Su-Lin Ong, senior economist with RBC Capital Markets.
”It could be modestly positive for the Aussie (dollar).”
Bookmakers Centrebet said the odds of an early election in 2012 had shortened over the past week, while a conservative opposition victory at the next election would pay A 1.23 dollar for a A 1 dollar bet, compared to A 4.00 dollar for a Labor victory.
At the same time, the odds on Gillard remaining prime minister until the next election had lengthened over the past week from A 1.60 to A 2 dollar.
Newspapers had reported that senior government figures felt she had lost her authority after the High Court ruled as invalid Gillard’s attempt to neutralise the politically damaging issue of asylum-seekers by sending them to Malaysia.
Opinion polls show Gillard and Labor, which relies on independent and Green MPs to stay in power, would easily lose office if an election were held now.
However, the next election is not due for another two years and Gillard’s independent and Green supporters are showing no sign of abandoning her government.
Gillard’s minority government relies on three independents and a Green for its one-seat majority. But their support could no longer be guaranteed if Gillard were to be replaced, meaning a change of leader could end Labor’s hold on power. One of the independents, Tony Windsor, said on Friday that Gillard was doing a good job in parliament at a difficult time. (Reuters)