Julia Gillard becomes first female Australian Prime Minister
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Julia Gillard becomes first female Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard became Australia's first female prime minister on Thursday when Kevin Rudd stepped down, as the Labor government sought to avoid election defeat later this year by changing leaders.The new leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, elected unopposed is Julia Gillard, Labor Party Returning Officer Senator Michael Foreshaw told reporters in Canberra. Gillard is expected to present more of a change of leadership style than substance, but investors hope she will soften a controversial super profits mining tax, which is threatening $20 billion worth of investment and has rattled voters. The Australian dollar briefly jumped after the leadership change, while shares in BHP Billiton, the world's biggest miner, and Rio Tinto rose around 2 percent, on hopes of a mining tax compromise. Government lawmakers believe Gillard has a better chance of winning back voters ahead of an expected October poll because she is a warmer personality who can sell policies more effectively.
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