Live Blog: Labor leadership crisis

Labor's leadership showdown is now rapidly approaching, with a petition circulating among caucus members asking for a special meeting. Keep up to date with latest developments here.

By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

2:00pm:

For the record Kevin Rudd is wearing a blue tie, which seems the uniform of those who oppose Julia Gillard outside and inside the Labor Party.

Senate leader Barnaby Joyce is preparing to deliver his valedictory speech from the Senate at 5:30.

Until today, Joyce didn't know whether it would be goodbye to the parliament. Thanks to Tony Windsor's announcement, Joyce can now relax. He'll have an easy run in New England.

Senator Joyce promises today's will be an “emotional speech”.

1:54pm:

With Question Time only a few minutes away, the last thing on ministers' minds will be their briefs.

This is an eerie repitition of what happened in March. Then Julia Gillard had to face parliament almost immediately after Simon Crean demanded a leadership spill. That time, Gillard announced in parliament that she was calling on an immediate ballot. Everyone is waiting for how she will handle this fresh crisis as she faces parliament.

1:50pm:

One person smiling but trying not to appear too smug is Tony Abbott. He said it was “pretty clear that the turmoil inside the Government is only deepening”.

“It seems that the Labor Party caucus has not just lost faith in the Prime Minister but is losing faith in the Labor Party itself.”

Looking to the possibility that he might be facing Kevin Rudd, Abbott said “The Labor Party well may change its leader, but it doesn't matter who leads the Labor Party – it will still be much the same government with much the same policies”.

1:47pm:

Julia Gillard has received a shout out from Minister Gary Gray, who describes her as a “terrific woman” and the “right person” to be Prime Minister. “Everyone knows I support the PM in all circumstances”.

1:45pm:

Shorten's office tells us “the Minister's position has not changed and he will not be adding to the media speculation.

1:40pm:

NSW Senator Matt Thistlethwaite told Sky he had not seen the petition, would not be signing it and was a supporter of the “Prime Minister”.

He said he could not speculate on talks yesterday between leading Rudd numbers man, former-minister Chris Bowen and Secretary of the NSW Labor party Sam Dastyari.

Meanwhile, the government is struggling on with its legislative work in the dying days of the parliament. The legislation for the Gonski school funding program has passed the Senate, although only two states have agreed to the system so far, Victoria is due to make an announcement shortly.

1:35pm:

The Australian Financial Review is reporting that powerbroker Bill Shorten is deserting Gillard – we have asked Shorten's office if this is true.

Earlier today Trade Minister Craig Emerson and Climate Minister Greg Combet were still sticking with Gillard. Combet said the leadership must be resolved, although he would not be signing a petition.

Shorten's position has been considered crucial.

1:25pm:

The crisis has come to a head on the second last day of the parliament sitting before the election and following a welter of bad public and private polling showing Labor faces a wipeout under Julia Gillard.

As recently as this week Rudd's spokesman has reiterated his March pledge that he would not challenge, but his supporters have strongly argued that he has no choice for the sake of the party because only he can save a number of marginal seats.

The hung parliament makes a leadership change a more than usually complicated matter.

If Rudd took over, the Governor-General Quentin Bryce could require that he indicate he had the confidence of the House of Representatives. Which is why what the crossbenchers say is important.

1:20pm:

Rudd continued to confuse the situation earlier, by having his office issue a statement about his travel plans:

Comment from a spokesperson for the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP

Mr Rudd will travel to China to attend an international conference in Beijing on Friday morning. Mr Rudd has had his leave request approved from Thursday afternoon.

Mr Rudd accepted the invitation to speak at the conference a number of months ago.

Details of the conference are available at: http://www.cciee.org.cn/thinktank3en/

1:10pm:

Labor's leadership showdown is now rapidly approaching, with a petition circulating among caucus members asking for a special meeting. The Rudd supporters need one third of the caucus to get a meeting called.

News of the petition came after tumultuous morning which included the announcements by the two key country independents who have propped up the government – Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott – that they will not contest the election.

The pair also played into Labor's leadership crisis with Windsor saying if Rudd was installed and there was a no confidence motion he would be inclined to support Tony Abbott and Oakeshott leaving his position open.

But another crossbencher Bob Katter, who is a close friend of Rudd, said the former Prime Minister would have his support on the floor of the house if he became leader.

Key members of the Rudd camp are confident that he will run. But one Rudd supporter said he was still insisting on some preconditions, including that Gillard supporters would not wreck the government if he took over.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.