250px|Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia, of the Australian Labor Party . Tension is rising over the arrangements of how many debates the Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard of the Australian Labor Party , and the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbot of the Liberal Party , should have prior to the upcoming federal election. A member of the Labor Party later told The Australian that the commitment was Rudd's and not Gillard's, as suggested. Phillip Hudson, president of the National Press Club's Canberra gallery, which usually hosts and organizes the debates, said in a statement that the gallery committee remains optimistic that both parties will honor their promise of participating in the Three Leaders' Debate which would include Gillard, Abbott and Bob Brown , leader of the Australian Greens party, set to take place on the first Sunday of the campaign, which has yet to be announced.
250px|Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia, of the . Tension is rising over the arrangements of how many debates the Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard of the , and the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott of the , should have prior to the upcoming federal election. A member of the Labor Party later told that the commitment was Rudd's and not Gillard's, as suggested. Phillip Hudson, president of the National Press Club's gallery, which usually hosts and organizes the debates, said in a statement that the gallery committee remains optimistic that both parties will honor their promise of participating in the Three Leaders' Debate which would include Gillard, Abbott and , leader of the party, set to take place on the first Sunday of the campaign, which has yet to be announced.
D
Australian Labor Party
D
Australian Labor Party
R
Abbot of the Liberal Party
Abbott of the
D
The Australian
D
Canberra
D
Bob Brown
D
Australian Greens