The leader of Australia's ailing opposition Labor Party has stepped down after losing the support of party colleagues who fear a wipeout by the conservative government at an election in a year's time.
Just five months after fending off a first leadership challenge, Mr Simon Crean caved in to poor polling and endless criticism from colleagues within the centre-left party that lost power seven years ago and ended two rocky years in the top job.
"It's become obvious to me that I no longer have the confidence of the leadership group or the majority of my shadow ministry," Mr Crean told a news conference.
"Time will, in my view, heal personal hurt, the hurt that comes from events like today, but I do accept that people have behaved according to what they think are in the best interests of our party and our movement."
Labor's 92 members of the national parliament will hold a ballot next Tuesday to vote on who will take over the leadership and the challenge of trying to turn the party around to take on Prime Minister John Howard's popular government next year.
Former leader Kim Beazley (54) quickly put his hand up for the job, while other possible candidates are treasury spokesman Mark Latham and foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd.
Beazley quit as party chief in 2001 after a second election loss to Mr Howard and in June failed to convince colleagues he deserved a third go when he challenged Mr Crean for the leadership.
Mr Crean (54), a former trade union leader, consistently trailed Howard in the polls but his popularity hit rock bottom this year, with 58 percent of Australians preferring Howard to lead the country and only 17 percent opting for Crean.
Mr Howard, who ended 13 years of Labor rule in 1996, has secured a strong lead in polls courtesy of his anti-boat people stance, a healthy economy and sending troops to the Iraq war, with national security overshadowing Labor's focus on domestic issues.