``All Australians want and expect a responsible government,'' he said.

``We want our leaders to succeed and do what is in the national interest.

``But the elevation of Julia Gillard seems to be motivated by Labor Party fears for its electoral prospects rather a genuine desire to change or atone for failures under Kevin Rudd's prime ministership.

``We cannot forget that Julia Gillard was deputy prime minister to Kevin Rudd.

They were both instrumental in producing failed policies such as the Home Insulation Program, and the Green Loans scheme.

``We cannot forget that Julia Gillard was integral to the decision making of the Rudd Governments spending which has seen billions of dollars of debt run-up for future generations to repay.

``And we cannot forget that Julia Gillard, in her direct portfolio responsibility, was responsible for the $16 billion Building the Education Revolution, where potentially billions of taxpayers dollars have been wasted.''

Mr Hawke said concerns about the industrial relations stance of Prime Minister Gillard had already been expressed to him by local residents and small business owners.

``Under the Labor Government the influence of trade unions in the workplace has increased,'' he said.

``The decision by the Federal Labor Party to dump Mr Rudd in favour of Ms Gillard was based on electoral prospects rather than a genuine desire to change course from the government's high debt and high spending ways.

``We cannot forget that Julia Gillard was integral to all the decisions, programs, and policies made since the Labor Government came to office in 2007.

Mr Hawke added that politics aside it was ``fantastic to see in NSW we have a female lord mayor, premier and governor, as well as a governor-general and prime minister.

``That's a great thing, but if you watched what happened to Kevin Rudd, it was an ugly thing to see him torn down by the factional machine of the Labor Party.''