Gillard ousts Rudd, takes over as Australia’s first female PM

Canberra, Australia: In a sudden development a revolt within Australia's ruling party has given the country its first woman prime minister, with Kevin Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat to Beijing, the sitting prime minister, ousted by his deputy Julia Gillard.

Gillard was deputy to Rudd since their Labour Party swept to power in a landslide election victory in 2007.

In a sudden move Gillard challenged Rudd late Wednesday to the top position only months away from an election expected this year. Realising he had lost the faith of the party's power brokers Rudd did not contest the leadership ballot leaving Gillard to be elected unopposed.

"I asked my colleagues to make a leadership change ... because I believed that a good government was losing its way," Gillard told reporters.

"And because I believe fundamentally that the basic education and health services that Australians rely on and their decent treatment at work are at risk at the next election," she said.

"I'm well aware that I am the first woman to serve in this role, but can I say to you, I didn't set out to crash my head on any glass ceilings," she added.