rudd, page-2

ABC online.........
Labor can win with Latham: Rudd
ALP foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says his support for Opposition Leader Mark Latham's leadership can be taken for granted.

Several Labor members have reaffirmed their support for Mr Latham over the past week, including Stephen Smith, Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard.

However, Tasmanian Senator Kerry O'Brien says Mr Latham must prove himself to Caucus.

Mr Rudd says the party is on the way to understanding what went wrong at the recent election.

He says he believes Labor can win under Mr Latham.

"There have been five times when the Government's changed since 1945," Mr Rudd said.

"On each of those occasions, when the Government has changed, it has happened through a percentage swing and an exchange of a number of seats vastly in excess of what we need to achieve at the next federal election.

"The one exception of that is 1972, where it was done in two hits."