Read the Herald's opinion here.

Ms Gillard took the top job on June 24, 2010, when Mr Rudd resigned rather than face her in a caucus ballot when it became obvious she would win by a resounding majority.

Although Mr Rudd has repeatedly said he remained ‘‘a happy little Vegemite’’ in the foreign minister’s job, the clamour of destabilising leaks and whispers over the months made it clear he aspired to again be prime minister.

Various Gillard supporters said today that Mr Rudd had been a chaotic and divisive leader. But Mr Rudd said he led the government and the nation through the 2008 global financial crisis without a recession or large-scale job losses.

The European situation was still a risk for Australia and Mr Rudd warned ‘‘experience and confidence and discipline’’ would be needed in the months ahead.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott told ABC radio this morning that Labor was unfit to govern.

He said the government was ‘‘terminally dysfunctional and the situation has to be resolved as quickly as possible for the benefit of our country’’.

Mr Abbott has launched a series of unsuccessful no-confidence motions in parliament since Ms Gillard became prime minister and another move is all but inevitable once parliament resumes.

Peter Slipper’s elevation to speaker took Labor’s majority from 75 votes to 74 to 76-73.

This means two cross-bench MPs would have to vote with the Coalition for it to bring down the government on the floor of parliament.