Greg Ansley: Tears and knives, it's Labor's way

Being Australia's first woman Prime Minister gives Julia Gillard an advantage over her gaffe-prone main political opponent. Photo/ Getty Images

For a brief moment it looked as though Australian politics could have a heart after all.

A magpie warbled through one of the emotional pauses as ousted Prime Minister Kevin Rudd composed himself while listing his achievements during his farewell press conference, before confessing: "What I am less proud of is that I have now blubbered."

Even the flinty hearts of the Canberra press gallery were momentarily moved.

But only momentarily.

Australian politics is a tough and ruthless game- especially the politics played by the Labor Party and its factions.

Mr Rudd fell because he had no factional backing.

He became leader because he was a cleanskin who appeared to have the best chance of beating Liberal Prime Minister John Howard - as he did.

But when his popularity collapsed, so did his value to the party.

Because of his record popularity, he survived even when he excluded the factions from their traditional role in selection of Labor ministries, undermined their influence elsewhere, and confined real power to a small kitchen cabinet that included his deputy, Julia Gillard.

But when his standing in the opinion polls began what appeared to be a terminal decline, and the Government hit rock bottom, the knives came out.

It would not be correct to say there was nothing personal - Mr Rudd had made abundant enemies - but Labor is a highly disciplined, professional organisation that puts business far ahead of pleasure.

Its decision to replace Mr Rudd would have been shaped by the assessment that Labor's chances of winning a second term would be much better with Ms Gillard as leader.

She had talent, strength, growing appeal and the bonus of giving the nation its first female Prime Minister.

And a female Prime Minister will have an added advantage over Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, whose gaffes on gender issues have slashed his popularity with women voters.