Gillard announces she will "campaign" in western Sydney for the following week, from Sunday night until Friday. 19 March – Richard Torbay is forced to resign from the Nationals, forfeiting his candidature for the Division of New England. Barnaby Joyce puts his name forward as a possible replacement candidate, hoping to move from the Senate to the House of Representatives. 21 March – Former Labor leader, Minister Simon Crean asks Gillard for a party leadership vote, and publicly declares his support for Kevin Rudd. In parliament, the Opposition attempts to suspend standing orders for a no confidence vote and although gaining 73 votes to the government's 71 votes, fails to gain the absolute majority of 76 votes required. Crean is sacked from the ministry. At the leadership ballot no alternative candidate nominates, and Gillard is re-elected as ALP leader unopposed. Rudd supporters Joel Fitzgibbon, Ed Husic, Janelle Saffin and Richard Marles quit their positions in the executive government. 22 March – Rudd issues a statement that he will never again return to the ALP leadership. Kim Carr, Martin Ferguson and Chris Bowen quit their ministries. 23 March – Key independent MP Andrew Wilkie warns that ongoing instability within the ALP means the government will have difficulty surviving a vote of confidence when parliament resumes in May. 2 May – The opposition indicates it will support the Government's National Disability Insurance Scheme policy, including an increase in the Medicare levy from 1.5% to 2%. 26 June – Independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor both announce they won't recontest their seats at the election. Kevin Rudd defeats Julia Gillard in another Labor leadership spill by a 57–45 margin. After the spill, Gillard along with ministers Craig Emerson and Peter Garrett announce their retirement at the coming election. 27 June – Rudd is sworn in as Prime Minister by Governor-General Quentin Bryce, with Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer respectively. Defence Minister Stephen Smith MP announces his retirement at the coming election. 29 June – Greg Combet MP announces his retirement at the coming election. 1 July – The Second Rudd Ministry is sworn in. Simon Crean MP announces his retirement at the coming election. 1 July – Wikileaks party receives formal registration as a political party. 22 July – The ALP caucus approves changes to the way the federal parliamentary leader is chosen. The new