Canberra, March 16: Australia’s ruling Labour Party chief – a key party powerbroker criticised by some for bungling last year’s election campaign – quit on Wednesday, giving Prime Minister Julia Gillard a chance to recast policies after a slide in support for her government.
Labour’s national secretary Karl Bitar, who backed a party coup that installed Gillard as leader last June prior to dead-heat August elections, said he was departing ahead of a Labour policy-making conference in December.
The conference, held every three years, could look at controversial policies on carbon pricing, uranium exports and new taxes on mining and disasters.
“I am extremely optimistic about the party’s future and absolutely confident that the government under prime minister Gillard will go from strength to strength in the coming months and be in a strong position for a decisive win at the next election,” Bitar said in a statement.
Bitar, the son of Lebanese immigrants, was a Labour powerbroker and strategist from New South Wales state, where the party is tipped to be thrashed by conservative opponents in state elections on March 26 after a series of scandals.
Bitar’s reputation as a ruthless organiser and leader of the party’s powerful right faction took a hit after last year’s indecisive national vote left Gillard fighting to form minority government with the backing of Green and independent lawmakers.
Labour’s popularity has plummeted further since Gillard announced a policy to price carbon, shedding six points to 30 per cent this month. The party is also facing battles over new taxes on mining and to pay for disaster recovery, as well as the national budget.
——Agencies