Government in chaos: coalition

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

AAP Images

Poll

Who is your preferred Prime Minister?

This poll ended on 05 September 2010.

Julia Gillard

27%

Tony Abbott

49%

Bob Brown

5%

None of the above

8%

Bring back Kevin Rudd

9%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

Poll

Who will you be voting for in the federal election?

This poll ended on 05 September 2010.

Labor

27%

Liberals

43%

National Party

8%

Greens

12%

Family First

1%

Independent

2%

Other

3%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

LABOR is being wracked by vendetta and payback from its highest levels after another damaging leak, the federal coalition says.

The Government has been jolted by embarrassing claims Prime Minister Julia Gillard opposed its paid parental leave and more cash for aged pensioners.

Coalition frontbencher Andrew Robb says the government has fallen into chaos with internal leaks to the media coming from the "most senior" level.

"There's vendetta and payback taking place," he told ABC Radio, alluding to the toppling of Labor leader Kevin Rudd in June.

Ms Gillard is refusing to comment on the claims, aired by the Nine Network on Tuesday, saying she will not respond to anonymous allegations nor breach cabinet confidentiality.

Mr Rudd has denied he is the source of the leak.

Mr Robb said Australians needed to know where the prime minister stood, especially as Ms Gillard had not been prominent on the issues of paid parental leave and seniors.

"This is not an issue of process within cabinet, this is an issue about what does Julia Gillard believe in," he said.

"There are serious leaks in the middle of a campaign and the Gillard government is now wracked by payback and vendetta."

Mr Robb said the prime minister was standing behind policy she did not appear to support.

She owed it to the voters to "show what's in her heart" on a number of issues.

"She's got a situation where her government is falling into chaos and that goes to stability of government.

"But she's also got a situation where on key policy areas she has a different view to the party."

Mr Rudd is remaining tight lipped, with a spokesman for him saying the former prime minister has not and will not make comments on cabinet processes or deliberations.

"Mr Rudd remains committed to the re-election of the government," the spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

That's despite the fact his campaign posters for the Brisbane seat of Griffith do not feature Labor's logo.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon also did not deny that Ms Gillard had spoken against the parental leave scheme.

"What I can absolutely confirm is that Julia has had a lifelong commitment to delivering for working men and women across this country," she told ABC Radio.

Ms Roxon said many different issues were discussed by all members of cabinet, before suggesting the Liberal Party was the source of the claims.

"I don't actually think that we should be giving as much weight as is being given to anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations when we know cabinet works on a confidential basis - it always has," she said.