Rudd redux has many big risks AS Labor MPs walked back to their offices after question time on March 21 to assess support for a possible leadership challenge by Kevin Rudd, Wayne Swan walked around to Bill Shorten's office. The Gillard camp was worried Shorten could turn against them and back Rudd. Swan was checking to see if Shorten and his bloc of supporters were holding firm. Shorten, as the linchpin of the Victorian Right, is Gillard's last line of defence.