She visited Governor-General Quentin Bryce late on Wednesday night. Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrives for the leadership ballot. She is standing down after losing to Kevin Rudd. Credit:Andrew Meares "Three years ago I had the very great honour of being elected as Labor leader ... This privilege was truly humbling," she said. Ms Gillard said she had faced a minority Parliament and internal divisision within Labor during her time as Prime Minister. "It has not been an easy environment to work in," she said. 
 
 Ms Gillard also commented about the fact that she has been Australia's first female prime minister. Winner: Kevin Rudd. Credit:Andrew Meares She said that the reaction to her being the first woman to serve in the position did not explain everything about her prime ministership. But, she said, "it explains some things". Ms Gillard said she was proud of her government's achievements, nominating the school funding reforms - which passed the Senate on Wednesday, establishing the Royal Commission on Child Abuse, a price on carbon and the introduction of DisabilityCare as highlights. Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese was elected deputy Labor leader at the special meeting, defeating Simon Crean 61 votes to 38 with three informal votes. 
 
 Senior ministers quit There was no spill for deputy leader however Treasurer Wayne Swan resigned from the position. Gillard backers Climate Change Minister Greg Combet, Trade Minister Craig Emerson, Communications Minister and Senate leader Stephen Conroy, School Education Minister Peter Garrett and Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig have also resigned from the front bench. Mr Emerson and Mr Garrett also announced they will not contest their seats at the electon. Mr Rudd was elected after Ms Gillard called a ballot in a television interview on Wednesday, following reports first published by Fairfax Media that supporters of Mr Rudd were circulating a caucus petition to allow a challenge for the prime ministership. 
 
 It also came after Workplace Minister Bill Shorten made the dramatic announcement, less than 30 minutes before the ballot, that he had swapped his support from Ms Gillard to Mr Rudd. Mr Shorten - who played a key role in the dumping of Mr Rudd as prime minister in 2010 - has been under sustained pressure in recent weeks to switch his allegiance. Senator Penny Wong has been voted as Senate leader, following Senator Conroy's resignation. Rudd praises Gillard's 'strength' Addressing reporters in Canberra on Wednesday night, Mr Rudd said he resumed his old job with ''humility, with honour, and with an important sense of energy and purpose''. 
 
 The new Labor leader praised Ms Gillard as a ''remarkable reformer'', describing her as a woman of great intelligence, strength and energy. But Mr Rudd said that in recent years politics had failed the Australian people. ''There has just been too much negativity all round,'' he said. Mr Rudd said he was taking on the challenge of the Labor leadership for a simple reason. ''I simply do not have it in my nature to stand idly by and to allow an Abbott government to come to power in this country by default,'' he said. 
 
 Mr Rudd said that his government would work "very closely" with business. "We have been natural partners in the past, we can be again in the future." He also had a special word for young people, urging them to re-engage with politics. "I understand why you have switched off. It is hardly a surprise,” he said. “But I want to ask you to please come back and listen afresh." Election date 
 
 It is unclear whether Mr Rudd will stick to Ms Gillard's schedule of a September 14 election or go earlier. The earliest date Mr Rudd can call an election is August 3. Coalition MPs met on Thursday night for a special party room meeting. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday night that what mattered now was to have an election "as soon as possible". "It's now up to Mr Rudd to say when the election will be," he said. When asked if he would consider moving a no-confidence motion on Thursday, Mr Abbott replied: "I'm not interested in playing parliamentary games." 
 
 Mr Abbott said that "yet again the power brokers of the Labor Party have changed the prime ministership of our country". "I want to say directly to the people of Australia, you deserve better than this," he said. Mr Abbott also observed: "Just a couple of simple facts: in 2007, you voted for Kevin and got Julia. In 2010, you voted for Julia and got Kevin. If you vote for the Labor Party in 2013, who knows who you'll end up with." Mr Rudd is only Labor leader - not prime minister - until the Govenor-General commissions him as such. He is expected to visit Government House on Thursday morning. Constitutional questions 
 
 His election as leader raises constitutional questions, given the Labor minority government. Earlier on Wednesday, key independent Tony Windsor suggested that he would not support Mr Rudd if he was returned as Labor leader. Other crossbenchers Adam Bandt, Rob Oakeshott and Peter Slipper have not said if they would support a no-confidence vote against Mr Rudd on the floor of the House of Representatives. However, other independents Craig Thomson, Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie have indicated they would back Mr Rudd. In a statement on Wednesday night, Mr Wilkie said he had written to Mr Rudd indicating he would give him "confidence in the House of Representatives in the event that her excellency the Governor-General commissions him as prime minister." "It's not my business to takes sides in the Labor Party leadership." 
 
 On Wednesday night, Greens leader Christine Milne said her party would be watching what happened in the next 24 hours. Loading "Clearly there will have to be visits to the Governor-General. She will have to make decisions in these circumstances. And we will be observing and considering what happens in the next 24 hours," she said. Follow the National Times on Twitter ||||| GOVERNOR-General Quentin Bryce has invited Kevin Rudd to be sworn in as prime minister, after receiving legal advice. 
 
 But Ms Bryce will "seek an assurance" from Mr Rudd that he announce his appointment to the parliament in order to test his support from key cross-bench MPs in the House of Representatives. 
 
 News Limited can reveal acting Solicitor-General Robert Orr has recommended that the Governor-General "commission The Honourable Kevin Rudd as prime minister. 
 
 In a letter to Ms Bryce's official secretary, Stephen Brady, Mr Orr said it was "open" for the Governor-General to seek such an assurance from the incoming prime minister. 
 
 But he added: "I do not think that the Governor-General can require such an assurance or make the appointment conditional on such an assurance." 
 
 Mr Rudd is scheduled to visit Yarralumla at 9.30am to receive his commission as prime minister. 
 
 At least one cross-bench MP has signalled he may shift his support to the Coalition. 
 
 But Mr Rudd will receive the support of independents Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie. 
 
 ### ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Nick Bryant: Australian politics like "a soap opera directed by Tarantino" 
 
 Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the man she ousted, Kevin Rudd, are contesting a party leadership vote. 
 
 Ms Gillard called the vote after Mr Rudd's supporters sought to force a party meeting to hold a ballot. 
 
 The vote was due to begin at 19:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Both contenders have committed to stepping down if they lose. 
 
 The move comes ahead of a 14 September election, which polls suggest Labor is set to lose. 
 
 Ms Gillard toppled Mr Rudd in a leadership challenge in 2010, but he remains more popular with voters. 
 
 The Labor party has been divided by bitter in-fighting between supporters of Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd, and there has been sustained speculation over the leadership in recent weeks. 
 
 If Mr Rudd replaces Ms Gillard as prime minister, he could be forced to call an early election. 
 
 'This is it' 
 
 Julia Gillard's call came hours after news surfaced that Kevin Rudd's supporters were circulating a petition calling for a caucus meeting to vote on the party leadership. 
 
 Ms Gillard said that this was the final opportunity for the issue to be resolved. 
 
 "I have been in a contest with the leader of the opposition, but I've also been in a political contest with people from my own political party," she said. 
 
 "We cannot have the government or the Labor Party go to the next election with a person leading the Labor Party and a person floating around as the potential alternate leader." 
 
 Timeline: Julia Gillard Dec 2006 : Appointed deputy leader of Labor Party 
 
 : Appointed deputy leader of Labor Party Dec 2007 : Sworn in as deputy prime minister to PM Kevin Rudd 
 
 : Sworn in as deputy prime minister to PM Kevin Rudd Jun 2010 : Successfully challenges Mr Rudd for the leadership, becomes 27th prime minister of Australia 
 
 : Successfully challenges Mr Rudd for the leadership, becomes 27th prime minister of Australia Aug 2010 : General election results in hung parliament; forms minority government with independents 
 
 : General election results in hung parliament; forms minority government with independents Feb 2012 : Survives a leadership challenge by Mr Rudd 
 
 : Survives a leadership challenge by Mr Rudd Jan 2013 : Sets general election date of 14 September 2013 
 
 : Sets general election date of 14 September 2013 Mar 2013 : Leadership ballot called but Mr Rudd does not contest 
 
 : Leadership ballot called but Mr Rudd does not contest June 2013: Calls another leadership ballot after Mr Rudd's supporters attempt to force a vote Profile: Julia Gillard Profile: Kevin Rudd 
 
 "Anybody who enters the ballot tonight should do it on the following conditions: that if you win you're Labor leader, that if you lose you retire from politics." 
 
 "This is it, tonight is the night," she said. "I wouldn't be putting myself forward unless I had a degree of confidence." 
 
 Shortly afterwards, Mr Rudd told reporters that he intended to run. "For the nation's sake I believe it's time for this matter to be resolved," he said. 
 
 "I believe with all my heart that I owe it to the Australian people to offer them a viable alternative." 
 
 He added that he believed the Labor party was "on course for a catastrophic defeat unless there is change". 
 
 "If I lose, of course I would announce that I would not contest the next election and I thank Julia for making the same commitment." 
 
 Mr Rudd would need the support of at least 52 of Labor's 102 MPs in order to oust Ms Gillard. 
 
 In March Mr Rudd declined to contest a leadership vote and said afterwards that there were "no circumstances" under which he would seek the top job. 
 
 Nonetheless speculation that he could return had persisted amid polling showing he could deliver a better outcome for Labor in the election. 
 
 A poll published earlier this month suggested that three cabinet ministers would lose their seats under Ms Gillard, but would retain their seats if Mr Rudd was leading the party. 
 
 Tony Abbott leads the opposition coalition, which polls suggest is currently on course for a convincing win. 
 
 Earlier on Wednesday, Tony Abbott challenged Ms Gillard to bring forward the election date to 3 August, and said that "paralysis" was gripping the government.
– The long struggle between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd for leadership of Australia's Labor Party—and subsequently Australia—is finally over, with Rudd defeating Gillard to take the reins once again. Rudd won a party caucus vote 57 to 45, after Gillard—who ousted Rudd as prime minister in 2010 and fought off a leadership challenge earlier this year—called for another leadership vote earlier today, amid growing internal opposition and slumping public support ahead of an election later this year, Reuters reports. "Anybody who enters the ballot tonight should do it on the following conditions: that if you win you're Labor leader, that if you lose you retire from politics," Gillard said before the vote, as per the BBC. But Rudd isn't PM again just yet—the change still has to be approved by the Governor-General (the Queen's Aussie rep), and several independent and minority party members, whose support is needed to keep the Labor Party in power, have said they will support a "no confidence" vote against Rudd, the Age reports. That would leave the country in a sticky and unprecedented political situation, reports the News, one that could see the entire Parliament dissolved or conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott being installed as PM.