Groom Gillard to take over, says Beattie

21 Jun 2010, 8:54 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should groom deputy Julia Gillard to eventually replace him, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie says.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should groom deputy Julia Gillard to eventually replace him, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie says.

Speaking on the ABC's Australian Story program on Monday night, Mr Beattie said Ms Gillard was the right person to take the top job if Mr Rudd were to step aside.

"My view is that Kevin Rudd, in the long term, should pave the way for Julia to become prime minister," he said.

"I'm not trying to undermine Kevin Rudd at all. It's the right thing to do for the country."

He said Australia would be a more complete nation with a woman at the helm.

"I think Australia will only reach its full potential as a nation when we are able to say we've had a woman as prime minister of our country," he said.

"She's authentic. She's real. And that level of communication enables an engagement with the Australian people."

Mr Beattie's comments come amid a poll slump for Labor and Mr Rudd, and rumours a move is on to replace the prime minister with Ms Gillard ahead of the coming federal election.

Former Labor leader Kim Beazley, acknowledging that Ms Gillard did not support him when Mr Rudd successfully challenged him for the leadership before the 2007 election, said Ms Gillard could lead the nation.

"I would think that most people who reach deputy prime minister status would have aspirations to be prime minister," he said.

"I think she would make a good prime minister, yes."

But union heavyweight Dean Mighell was less supportive.

The Victorian secretary of the powerful Electrical Trades Union criticised Ms Gillard for her strong stance against teachers unions over standardised testing.

"Julia Gillard started to change. It was more Kevin Rudd-speak than Julia Gillard's instinctive, passionate speeches on workers' rights. It had changed," he told Australian Story.

Ms Gillard did not participate in the Australian Story episode. Archival interview footage from her 2006 appearance on the program were used.

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