Smith confirms he opposed offer to Carr

Defence Minister Stephen Smith’s office has confirmed he fought a push to have former NSW premier Bob Carr drafted into the Senate so he could serve as foreign minister.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s authority has been shaken as she seeks a replacement for Kevin Rudd.

Mr Carr has stated that NSW Labor officials had originally raised the prospect of having him drafted into the Senate to become a cabinet minister.

But he stressed that neither Ms Gillard nor an agent of the prime minister had made any offer to him about filling the foreign affairs vacancy.

The Australian newspaper quoted senior government sources on Wednesday saying that Mr Smith was opposed to the idea of giving Mr Carr the foreign affairs job.

A day later, Mr Smith’s office issued a statement to Fairfax Media where he did not deny the objection.

Mr Smith held the foreign affairs post until September 2010, when he was asked to make way for Mr Rudd after the last election.

A return to his old job would create another vacancy in defence, and leave Australia with its fourth minister in less than five years.

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