Julia Gillard faced few questions in 'tense' caucus as leadership issue looms Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard walking to caucus at Parliament House in Canberra. AN outraged MP has lashed out at a senior minister at the last Labor caucus meeting before the election. Victorian MP Laura Smyth took Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor to task over the government's "no advantage" asylum seeker policy. Delaying refugee processing for potentially years under the policy was "indefensible," Ms Smyth told caucus. Mr O'Connor spoke against Ms Smyth's motion and it was lost. PM appears in women's magazine knitting I'll dump PM if you make me treasurer Rudd packing up for overseas trip Opinion: Rudd must challenge and finally end farce Opinion: How the PM's man dropped a stitch Foreign Minister Bob Carr was also challenged in caucus over comments he made on the weekend that more economic asylum seekers were coming to Australia by boat. He singled out Sri Lankans and Iranians in his reply. An MP said Ms Gillard again faced surprisingly few questions at the end of her briefing to caucus, in which she insisted the party could still win the election. She received a question about how Labor would fight the election. Ms Gillard told colleagues Labor would frame its campaign around Gonski education reforms, DisabilityCare and the NBN. The PM told the last meeting of the party's caucus to focus on Australia's future, not on themselves. Ms Gillard arrived with Wayne Swan by her side. Her speech to caucus was said to be met with very little reception. MPs left with smiles on their faces. Earlier, Labor MPs conceded they were heading into a "tense" meeting as the leadership issue continues to simmer in Canberra. Kevin Rudd was absent, as he made his way up to Sydney for Hazel Hawke's memorial. The PM attended the memorial service but travelled on the VIP plane and so had enough time to head to the 9.30am meeting. Asked earlier today if the caucus meeting would be tense, Queensland backbencher Graham Perrett said: "yes." He said some of his colleagues were telling him the leadership issue should be brought to a head via a ballot and others were saying it was resolved in March Privately several other MPs said the leadership issue would loom over caucus. A defiant Ms Gillard however was expected to rally her troops ahead of the September 14 election, and encourage them to get out in their electorates and do all they can to win. All eyes are on Kevin Rudd this week and whether or not he will challenge for the Labor leadership. After today's meeting a challenge could only occur via a special caucus called by Ms Gillard or via a petition with 30 signatures. Cabinet minister Craig Emerson this morning said there was no issue to be resolved and Ms Gillard would remain as Labor leader through to the election. "We need to get on with the job of defeating our true rival and that is Tony Abbott," Dr Emerson told Sky News. It has been resolved - there have been two ballots already.