CANBERRA, Australia, June 24 (UPI) -- Julia Gillard was sworn in Thursday as prime minister of Australia, the first female leader of the country.
Gillard replaces Kevin Rudd, who stepped aside rather than face a vote -- which he was widely expected to lopsidedly lose -- in his Labor Party. Rudd has seen support wane on climate issues such as a controversial mining tax and a carbon-trading plan.
The Labor Party was being dragged down as a result and Gillard will try to restore backing to the point the party will retain power in October's elections.
Gillard, 48, was deputy prime minister to Rudd and had praise for her predecessor, even as she defended her political moves in unseating him. She said the Labor Party was "losing its way" with Rudd as leader.
"Ultimately Kevin Rudd and I disagreed about the direction of the government. I believed we could do better," she said in her first speech as prime minister.
