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February 28th, 2013 
David Schulberg the 3rd 
Campbell Newman and Julia Gillard shook hands in Brisbane yesterday but her ministers have not been so forthcoming. Picture: Jamie Hanson
Source: The Courier-Mail
JULIA Gillard has snubbed Labor’s most popular member, Kevin Rudd, by leaving him off the invitation list to an event in his own electorate.
Despite being urged by ministers to capitalise on Mr Rudd’s appeal with voters, The Courier-Mail can reveal Ms Gillard did not even notify the former prime minister about her visit to his Griffith electorate on Wednesday.
The snub comes amid continuing leadership tension in the Labor party, with some Rudd supporters predicting worsening polls could spark a confrontation when parliament resumes in just over a week.
Only days before Ms Gillard visited Brisbane this week, The Courier-Mail/Galaxy poll found Mr Rudd would deliver Labor a 14 point boost in support in Queensland if he returned as leader.
Ministers including Simon Crean and Anthony Albanese have called for Mr Rudd to play a more prominent role promoting Labor.
Ms Gillard is about to embark on a five day visit to Western Sydney – a region where Labor fears it could lose several seats.
Many Labor MPs around the country have invited Mr Rudd to help them campaign before the September 14 election.
But he was left in the dark about Ms Gillard’s appearance in his own electorate of Griffith.
DON’T WANT IT: Former prime minister Kevin Rudd and current Prime Minister Julia Gillard – tense since 2010.
Contacted by The Courier-Mail, Mr Rudd’s spokesman confirmed he had neither been invited nor notified about the event promoting the G20.
“These are matters for the prime minister’s office,” Mr Rudd’s spokesman said.
Ms Gillard attended the event to launch a group of Queensland business and community leaders, called the Q20, who will promote the state when world leaders descend on Brisbane for the G20 next year.
The event was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Mr Rudd’s south Brisbane seat of Griffith.
Treasurer Wayne Swan, who holds the north Brisbane electorate of Lilley, attended the launch along with key business leaders.
Ms Gillard’s spokesman said her Q20 announcement “covers all of Queensland and not just the electorate”.
The prime minister held events in the Ipswich-based electorate of Blair the following day along with local MP Shayne Neumann and Labor candidate for the neighbouring seat of Wright, Sharon Murakami.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Queensland Premier Campbell Newman cosied up at the opening of QUT’s Science and Engineering Centre yesterday, while their stoush over flood funding heats up. Picture: Jamie Hanson
The snub of Mr Rudd has raised eyebrows within the Labor party.
One Labor MP described the exclusion of Mr Rudd from the event in his electorate as “unusual”.
“It is convention to talk to the local member,” the MP said.
The Labor MP joked that Ms Gillard and Mr Swan “don’t need passports” to visit Mr Rudd’s electorate, but added that they were ignoring the former prime minister’s potential.
“Isn’t it the case that he is the most popular politician in this country? He’s certainly the most popular Labor politician,” the source said.
The prime minister’s visit to Brisbane has also exacerbated tensions with the state government.
Ms Gillard and four senior ministers visited the city over two days without holding any meetings with their state counterparts despite worsening brawls over health and education.
Campbell Newman accused Ms Gillard of locking him out of joint policy decisions.
“While we much prefer our discussions to be frank and open, all too often we don’t know what Federal Labor’s planning until we hear it in the media,” Mr Newman’s spokesman said.
The two leaders have not held a formal one-on-one meeting since July last year.
Other federal ministers who flew into Brisbane have not held or sought meetings with their state counterparts.
— Steven Scott, National Political Correspondent
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