Morning Express: Friday, March 22 7:33am: Joe Hockey and Tony Burke have gone head to head on Sunrise. Burke: "Yes there will be leadership issues [from time to time] but don't pretend that nation bulding changes haven't been happening during the last week." Hockey: "Now we're going to see a number of resignations from your front bench which means further dislocations. And we know Kevin Rudd. Kevin's going to try to come back. 7:27am: On the roads: At Blakehurst, an accident is affecting traffic both ways on the Princes Highway at Torrens Street. At Rhodes, there is a break down and terrible congestion on Concord Road at Ryde Bridge. At Drummoyne, an accident is affecting traffic both ways on Victoria Road at Lyons Road. At Waterloo, traffic lights are out on Botany Road at McEvoy Street. Traffic is very heavy. 7:23am: To recap the weather, it's going to be a pearler today - partly cloudy with a top of 31 degrees in the city, 33 in the west. The weekend will be more of the same: Clearing showers and a top of 29 degrees on Saturday. Mostly sunny and a top of 29 degrees on Sunday. 6:51am: Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne has claimed on Sky News this morning that he received text messages from Labor people last night saying they will make another Rudd challenge in seven weeks time. Grain of salt, people. Manager of Opposition Business Christopher Pyne Photo: Andrew Meares 6:41am: Rudd supporters within the Labor party are falling like flies. Who's gone? Simon Crean moves to the backbench, chief whip Joel Fitzgibbon is likely to lose his job, parliamentary secretary Richard Marles has quit, Rudd supporters Chris Bowen, Mark Butler, Bob Carr and Kim Carr will possibly keep their positions for stability reasons but are very close to the edge. Richard Marles speaks to the media after resigning as a parliamentary secretary Photo: Andrew Meares 6:35am: The big loser was Simon Crean. What was he thinking?! Fairfax writer Tony Wright said Crean intended to put a bomb under the Labor party yesterday and provide a "circuit breaker" but he ended up a suicide bomber - abandoned to wander down a lonely alley and detonate himself after Rudd refused to take up the challenge. Simon Crean during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday 21 March 2013. Photo: Andrew Meares a Photo: Andrew Meares 6:32am: What a strange, extraordinary day in politics yesterday. The consensus among the analysts is that Tony Abbott was the only winner. Peter Hartcher said the damage was all self-inflicted for Labor and there was only one man with a smile on his face. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott made a statement with Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop following the ALP leadership spill in Parliament House in Canberra on March 2013 Photo: Andrew Meares Photo: Andrew Meares 6:25am: On the public transport network: Buses replace trains between Richmond and Schofields on the Western Line. There are no other disruptions. 6:25am: The culprit in yesterday's Sydney Harbour Tunnel snarl was a poorly maintained drain covered up with a dodgy metal plate (see pic) that ruptured a truck's tyre and caused its fuel tank to split open. A frank Harbour Tunnel general manager Bob Allen said: "It appears that a temporary repair last night wasn't as effective as it should've been. That seems to be what caused this unfortunate incident today ... that's a polite way of saying major f--- up. Damn right. NT News front page, March 22 6:19am: Ahh NT News, I love you. They have YET ANOTHER croc story on their front page today (after Wednesday's monster croc) and a tiny mention of the leadership challenge down the bottom. That's how you do it folks. The Australian Financial Review, March 22 6:12am: On the front page of the Australian Financial Review, Phillip Coorey writes that the bloodletting has begun. Two of Kevin Rudd's top backers, Chris Bowen and Kim Carr, face the sack from the ministry as Julia Gillard reasserts her authority after Thursday's aborted push to dump her ended in humiliation for Mr Rudd. 6:01am: Good morning all. Pretty glad that this week is almost over, hey? It will be a scorcher in Sydney today - partly cloudy with a top of 31 degrees in the city, 33 out west. Isolated showers will hang around from midday. Saturday will have clearing showers with a top of 29 degrees. Sunday is mostly sunny with a top of 27 degrees.