Former treasurer Chris Bowen says he will not seek the Labor leadership.
“I have decided I will not be a candidate for the leadership of the Labor party,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
Mr Bowen said it was his decision not to run.
“There’s an obligation on each of us to make ourselves available for positions of leadership if we feel genuinely that we are the best possible candidate at any particular time,” he said.
“Equally, there’s an obligation not to put our names forward if we don’t feel that.
“The conclusion I’ve reached will be obvious to you.”
Mr Bowen said he would fill any role the new leader wanted him to carry out, including that of shadow treasurer.
Mr Bowen said Labor in opposition needed to be united and focused, to hold the new Abbott government to account and to heed the message from Saturday’s federal election.
“We need a period of reflection to determine how best to determine that united and stable opposition but we need to provide it from today,” he said.
Labor also needed to build on its “successes and achievements” in government over the past six years.
“We need to acknowledge and build on our strong record of economic growth in difficult circumstances,” Mr Bowen said.
“Our ability to introduce landmark reforms like DisabilityCare and better school funding.”
Mr Bowen said the deputy Labor leadership was a separate matter.
“We’ll see how the leadership pans out,” he said.
“Again, there will be a number of very good people interested in the deputy leadership if that should be vacant.”
The Kevin Rudd supporter also said the former prime minister could make an “ongoing contribution” to Labor and Australia, although it was up to him to decide what that might be.
“He should be given all the time he needs to make that decision and those announcements and it’s entirely a matter for him,” Mr Bowen said.
YOUR COMMENT