Port Vila, Vanuatu (PressExposure) June 24, 2010 -- Ms Julia Gillard has been handed the reins of leadership as the 27th and the first woman Prime Minister of Australia.

In an historic decision Julia Gillard won an astonishing leadership battle against Kevin Rudd. Mr Rudd's defeat embodies the most shattering political turnaround ever, for a leader who just a few months ago was equal to Bob Hawke in the popularity stakes. Mr Rudd will be recorded in history as being the first Prime Minister ever to be over-thrown by his own party, in his first term of office.

When Ms Gillard entered the Caucus she knew she had the numbers to beat Mr Rudd. Flanked by the Treasurer, Mr Swan, her would-be deputy, senior factional members claimed Ms Gillard had at least 70 votes out of a possible 112.

Bowing to demands from his colleagues Mr Rudd withdrew from the contest, assuring Ms Gillard's ascension to the leadership. Mr Rudd had gained power in 2007 with a popular Kevin 07 campaign.

Senators Don Farrell and David Feeney, along with Victorian MP Bill Shorten, started the move that ousted Mr Rudd. Though not household names in Australia, they led the push that brought down a Prime Minister.

A powerbroker, Senator Farrell has long been feared in his native South Australia. A former long-time state secretary of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, he is a kingmaker in the Right faction. He created an alliance with the Left faction in SA in the mid-1990s, known as ''The Machine''. Including the then senator Chris Schacht, it set about crushing the remnants of the once-powerful Centre Left.

Senator Farrell was elected to the Senate at the last election, as was Senator Feeney, a right-wing powerbroker from Melbourne. Senator Feeney, a controversial character, was formerly the Victorian Labor state secretary.

Mr Rudd verbally abused both Senator Farrell and Senator Feeney last year, when they met with him to object to the pulling back of MPs' entitlements.

Mp Bill Shorten was elected to Parliament in the last election. He regarded his relatively junior position as a parliamentary secretary, as Mr Rudd snubbing him. He and Mr Rudd did not get along.

Now that Ms Gillard is Prime Minister Australia can expect a remarkable time before the federal election, says Associate Professor of Flinders University, Haydon Manning.

Now we find a woman Prime Minister, a scholar from Unley High in Adelaide, with a momentous job to try and reverse this slippage in the polls,"he said, "To tackle this powerful [Tony] Abbott who's come on very strongly and surprisingly as Opposition Leader."

It is suspected Mr Rudd’s ditching of the emissions trading scheme and a new 40% 'super' profits tax on the mining sector, was the cause of Mr Rudd’s collapse in the Labour vote. Ultimately however, it was the men Kevin Rudd spurned, who brought him down.

It is also understood that as a proven parliamentary performer, Julia Gillard, knows how to get out of tough spots.

For more information about Australia Has 1st Woman Prime Minister, visit website http://www.tropicpost.com/first-woman-prime-minister-for-australia/.

About YouMe Support Foundation & Child Trust Fund with Win a Resort

Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation (http://youmesupport.org) provide high school education grants for children who are without hope. You can help in this really great project by taking a few minutes to check out the Sponsor a Student program at Win a Resort (http://winaresort.com). It really will change your life and the life of some really needy kids.
Feel free to contact Wendy on admin@youmesupport.org.

Press Release Source: http://PressExposure.com/PR/YouMe_Support_Foundation__|_Child_Trust_Fund_with_Win_a_Resort.html