PRIME Minster Julia Gillard - your time is up, a political expert has warned.
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Charles Sturt University associate professor Dr Dominic O'Sullivan, who is based in Bathurst, said the constant destabilisation in the federal government can only end with a change of leaders.
"Gillard's leadership is over," he said.
"Whether it is today, tomorrow or September 14 is a matter of speculation."
Dr O'Sullivan said the Prime Minister's downfall was her serious political misjudgements, with the media reform bills her latest debacle.
"What we're seeing is a prime minister who hasn't worked out how to do her job," he said.
He predicted Ms Gillard would not lead Labor to the election.
His comments came as chief government whip Joel Fitzgibbon said "it would be silly to tell people... that there is nothing going on".
"Internally people are looking at the polls and they are expressing concern about the future of the government and indeed the party," he said.
Dr O'Sullivan said the chief whip had blown the whistle on a possible leadership challenge and it did not take a political expert to realise Labor was in serious trouble.
A change of leaders was the only hope to stop the government from destroying itself, Dr O'Sullivan said.
"If there was a showdown, I don't believe caucus will back Gillard because she is so badly destabilised and that won't go away until she leaves," he said.
If the Prime Minister won a leadership ballot, it would be very difficult for her to lead a party with a serious destabilising campaign in the background.
"Something extraordinary needs to happen for Gillard to take the party to be competitive," he said.
A move to Kevin Rudd would make a significant difference to the party's fortunes as he was a good campaigner, popular with voters and people still had sympathy for him for the way he was moved out of office.
The former prime minister could go to the election early to capitalise on the momentum and voter support in the polls.
"Rudd would be able to focus on policies and make the party competitive in the election," he said.
"At least if he loses the wipeout won't be bad and for an opposition this means it is easier to rebuild and it's good for democracy."
