Australian trade unions pledge to support new PM

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)

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) on Thursday pledged its support for the nation's first woman prime minister Julia Gillard, saying a return to a Coalition government and Work Choices is not an option.

Gillard has said voters will go to the polls within months, after senior Labor figures urged her to capitalize on her honeymoon period as the nation's new prime minister.

"We will stay focused on preventing the Coalition from reintroducing Work Choices and attacking the rights of Australian workers," ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said.

"Unions will continue working with Julia Gillard and the Labor government to secure the economic recovery and ensure it delivers strong growth in jobs and benefits to all Australians."

Lawrence said the ACTU supported Labor's economic, tax and social reform agenda, including its proposed tax on mining super profits.

Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes said Gillard would move quickly to "re-establish Labor's credentials" among working people.

The Australian Nursing Federation said Gillard's priorities must be health reform and industrial relations.

Source: Xinhua