Julia Gillard urges Australian women to vote for Anthony Albanese – even though he chose Kevin Rudd over her

He didn’t back her when she went up against Kevin Rudd, but that hasn’t stopped Julia Gillard from urging women to vote for Anthony Albanese.

Australia’s first female prime minister has called on the nation’s women to back Anthony Albanese at the election despite his failure to support her when she lost the top job.

In a rare political appearance, Julia Gillard visited two Liberal-held seats on the final full day of the election campaign and urged the public to vote for Mr Albanese, saying he would lead “a government for women”.

Mr Albanese infamously backed former prime minister Kevin Rudd in the leadership spill against Ms Gillard in 2013.

But on Friday Ms Gillard described the tumultuous period as the “long and distant past” and insisted her “clear memory” of the time was that she and Mr Albanese “worked together every day”.

“We occasionally had differences of views, but we never exchanged a cross word … and we worked together in the interest of the government every day,” she said.

Anthony Albanese having a coffee with Julia Gillard in the SA electorate of Sturt. The Labor leader holds Charlie Butler, three months, son of Mark Butler (left). Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Ms Gillard said when the opportunity arose in 2013 she had voted for Mr Albanese to be deputy prime minister.

She praised Mr Albanese’s campaigning and insisted he did “not need any advice” from her on how to manage a potential hung parliament.

In a plea directly to Australian women, Ms Gillard said she believed Mr Albanese was best placed to lead a government that would represent their interests and support womens’ leadership.

“What I want to see this country is a government that cares about values and includes women,” she said.

“And I know that a government led by Albo will do precisely that.”

Julia Gillard is urging women to vote for Anthony Albanese. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Ms Gillard said she was “very confident” it would be a “government for women”.

“So for Australian women, if you want to make a better choice, please … go to your polling stations and vote Labor and vote for Albo to be Prime Minister,” she said.

Ms Gillard and Mr Albanese reminisced about the 40-year-long friendship as they shared a coffee with the Labor candidate for Sturt Sonja Baram on Thursday morning.

She later joined the Labor leader for a visit to Cabra Dominican College in the marginal seat of Boothby with the opposition’s candidate Louise Miller-Frost.

“I don’t do this (political campaigning) much anymore. In fact, I never do it,” Ms Gillard said at the school.

“But I’ve made a particular exception, and the reason I’ve done that is because I wanted to come and support my friend, Albo.”

Got a story tip? Email us at [e-mail]

Know some goss or seen something in your electorate? Contact us at [e-mail]