By Australia Correspondent Rachel Morton
Australian prime minister Julia Gillard's leadership is once again in doubt, with claims of new divisions within her ruling Labor Party.
A senior MP has reportedly been doing the numbers to see if there is enough support to return Kevin Rudd to the top job.
It follows concerns over Ms Gillard's handling of plans to import hundreds of foreign mine workers.
Posing for photos in the cabinet room Julia Gillard and her government looked like one big happy family. But behind closed doors there are divisions over a plan to import 1700 foreign workers for a mining project - a deal that has angered Labor's union backers.
“Well obviously there was some communication issues about the exact announcement,” says Labour frontbencher Chris Evans.
Ms Gillard claims she did not know about the plan until two days before it was announced - but senior ministers reportedly reject that, saying she knew two weeks ago that the miners would be brought to work for the world's richest woman, Gina Rinehart.
“I'm not going to get in to who told what to whom, when,” says Leader of the House Anthony Albanese.
It has been reported Labor whip Joel Fitzgibbon has been canvassing votes to bring back Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister, but he denied the allegation on Twitter saying”
“I thank my colleagues for the publicity but no one does more to support the PM and the government than me.”
“Joel Fitzgibbon is a strong supporter of the Prime Minister, and she will lead us to the next election,” says Andrew Leigh.
But protecting her job as leader just got tougher - with engineering firm Hastie today announcing 2700 job losses – it is not a good look when hundreds of foreign workers are on the way.
“It really is time to recognise we need to be prioritising jobs for Australian workers,” says Christine Milne of the Greens.
Ms Gillard is expected to use Labor's regular caucus meeting tomorrow to address the ongoing leadership rumblings
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