Gillard accuses Rudd of physical intimidation

The Killing Season: Julia Gillard accuses Kevin Rudd of physical intimidation

JULIA Gillard has accused Kevin Rudd of physical menace and bullying in revelations that smash the idea the pair were ever a “dream team”.

Ms Gillard, Australia’s first woman Prime Minister, was the victim of an “angry performance” by Mr Rudd when in Opposition, she tells the new ABC series The Killing Season.

One of the most explosive revelations from the series comes when Ms Gillard discusses her role as leader of Labor’s tactics meetings.

“Kevin was always very anxious to strut his stuff in Question Time,” she tells the ABC’s Sarah Ferguson.

“And tactics hadn’t gone his way. I’d taken a view about something else forming the issue of the day.

“And after the tactics meeting broke up, he very physically stepped up into my space and it was quite a bullying encounter. It was a menacing, angry performance.”

Her accusations are rejected as “utterly, utterly false” by Mr Rudd, who was ousted by Ms Gillard and in turn removed her from the prime ministership during six years of Labor turmoil.

He insists they had good relations, even when Ms Gillard arrived at his office to “announce the coup”, which saw him cast out in his first term.

However, the two disagree on critical points — with Mr Rudd challenging what he calls Ms Gillard’s “creative reconstruction of political memory”.

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...cal-intimidation/story-fn948wjf-1227380496283