Rudd still part of my team: Australian PM Gillard

SYDNEY (AAP) April 6 - Prime Minister Julia Gillard is still refusing to confirm or deny whether she encouraged Kevin Rudd to dump his emissions trading scheme (ETS) last year.
The now foreign minister told the ABC's Q&A TV program on Monday night he was urged by members of his cabinet to not just shelve his ETS, but dump it.
He did not name Ms Gillard, his successor, who is actively promoting her own policy to price carbon, if she was one of the ministers involved.
Asked about the comments on ABC radio on Wednesday morning, Ms Gillard maintained cabinet discussions were confidential.
When the issue was again raised on the ABC's 7.30 program on Wednesday night, Ms Gillard once more declined to comment on whether she had urged Mr Rudd to abandon an ETS while he was prime minister.
"I understand that people will focus on some of this history, but if I wanted a history job, I would have become a historian," she said.
Further pressed on the matter, she replied: "I've always been very clear that I'm not going to talk publicly about confidential cabinet discussions between colleagues".
She added she believed climate change was real, and that she was committed to putting a price on carbon.
She side-stepped commenting on whether Mr Rudd's remarks on the ABC's Q&A program had potentially damaged her credibility.
"What has been less reported is that he was also asked about his work now, and (he) made it very clear that he has got his shoulder to the wheel," she said.
"He is out pressing the policies and plans of this government. And that is exactly what I expect my ministers to do."
Asked if she trusted the foreign minister, Ms Gillard replied: "Of course, Kevin is part of my team."