Stephen Conroy challenges Kevin Rudd on media claims

Kevin Rudd’s attempt to blame News Corp Australia for the downfall of Julia Gillard lacks credibility, Stephen Conroy says.

Former Labor minister Stephen Conroy. Picture: David Geraghty

Kevin Rudd’s attempt to blame News Corp Australia for the downfall of Julia Gillard lacks credibility due to his own undermining of his successor in order to snatch back power from her, former cabinet colleague Stephen Conroy says.

Mr Rudd told a Senate inquiry that News Corp was to blame for the demise of Ms Gillard’s government and that “the challenges faced by the Gillard government (were made) greater than they would otherwise have been”.

Mr Conroy, the communications minister under Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard, said: “Where he lost some credibility … was on the undermining of Julia.”

“I would have to say I didn’t see Kevin directly doing that … but there (are) many, many people that would say Kevin was disparaging,” Mr Conroy said.

“Criticising News Limited’s portrayal of Julia was probably his weakest moment” of his evidence before the Senate.

Mr Rudd resigned as Labor leader in 2010 after his colleagues turned on him and installed Ms Gillard as the first female prime minister.

Mr Rudd went on a relentless campaign thereafter to destroy her prime ministership, finally seizing it back in 2013.

The Australian reported that during his protracted campaign of vengeance, Mr Rudd referred to Ms Gillard as “that f..king bitch” in obscenity-filled backgrounding calls to journalists and editors. His colleagues claimed that he also regularly leaked against her.