Backgrounder: Julia Gillard, first female PM in Australia
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Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard attend the Labor Party conference at Darling Harbour in Sydney in thisJuly 30, 2009. Gillard became Australia's first female prime minister on June 24, 2010 after Rudd stepped down before a leadership ballot.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
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CANBERRA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Julia Gillard has become Australia's first female Prime Minister after Kevin Rudd stood down as Labor Party leader.
"The next Labor prime minister and the first female prime minister of this country will be Julia Gillard," caucus returning officer Michael Forshaw told reporters in Canberra after emerging from a party room meeting.
Treasurer Wayne Swan was elected deputy leader unopposed.
Forshaw said it had been a difficult time for both Rudd and the Labor Party.
"He led us to victory in 2007, a victory that was achieved when many people thought that we would still be spending more years in opposition.
"That is a great achievement, he did that with Julia Gillard as the deputy leader."
Forshaw said he is now looking "confidently forward to the next election," led by the new team.
