Rudd rules out any future challenge

Former Labor leader Kevin Rudd has ruled out any return to the leadership. Source: AAP

KEVIN Rudd says there are now "no circumstances" under which he would return to the Labor leadership.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard called a spill of the Labor leadership on Thursday, but Mr Rudd did not challenge despite caucus members urging him to do so.

He said to AAP through a spokesman on Friday that he had been consistent that he would not challenge for the leadership and that he would contest the next election as a local member of parliament.

"That position hasn't changed," the spokesman said.

"Furthermore, Mr Rudd wishes to make 100 per cent clear to all members of the parliamentary Labor Party, including his own supporters, that there are no circumstances under which he will return to the Labor Party leadership in the future."

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Judge rules boy, 12, can change sex

A 12-YEAR-old child who was born a boy but raised as a girl since "early in life" will be given puberty-blocking drugs.

The Family Court of Australia has granted approval for the mother of "Jodie" to start urgent but reversible "Stage 1" quarterly injections to suppress male puberty after doctors warned the child was at risk of "self harm".

The ruling is likely to spark further debate over changing the gender of children in Australia as the legal system grapples over whether oestrogen treatment should be given to a child when they turn 16.

It is only the fourth case in Australia involving a child so young, with the other cases involving two pre-pubescent children changing their gender from female to male, most recently an 11-year-old child known as "Jamie".

The decision over whether to start "Jodie" on the "Stage 2" drugs hinges on a Full Court appeal currently under way involving "Jamie" whose parents want her to undergo oestrogen treatment to become female at the age of 16.

In the current case, Justice Christine Dawe declared the "evidence is compelling and clearly indicates that the child is likely to suffer significant, detrimental, psychological and emotional effects" if stage 1 treatment is not commenced.

Her ruling means Jodie, who has been known as a girl since mid-2007, will receive injections every three months to prevent her voice deepening and facial hair growth.

According to the judgment, she has undergone psychiatric treatment for a decade and was diagnosed by an infant child psychiatrist in 2008 as having Gender Identity Disorder.

Three other doctors backed up the psychiatric disorder diagnosis, declaring treatment with puberty-blocking drugs was the only option because she had lived as a "girl for a significant period".

Her mother, step-father, extended family, teachers and doctors had all acknowledged her as a girl.

A paediatric endocrinologist told the court the drugs can be stopped at any time and any long-term effects are completely reversible. The doctor also warned that without the treatment Jodie would suffer "significant depression".

"It is also likely to undermine her personal dreams and ambitions," he said.

Australian Transgender Support Association of Australia Queensland president Gina Mather said up to 6000 Queensland transgendering adults and children had sought help in the past 20 years.

"We get them as young as five and six years old," Ms Mather said.

The doctor also warned Jodie would suffer "significant depression" and was likely to "feel despairing and hopeless", putting her at risk of "self harm. It is also likely to undermine her personal dreams and ambitions," the doctor said.

He added she had "demonstrated capacity to seriously think about issues such as the possibility of adopting or fostering children of her own (and) definitely agrees to the procedure".

"Jodie is likely to experience increasing distress with puberty and should be considered for the use of puberty blocking hormones," the expert said.

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Elferink rules out tilt to be NT chief

NORTHERN Territory Attorney-General John Elferink has ruled out another bid to oust Chief Minister Terry Mills from his job after he failed to gather the numbers for a leadership challenge.

Mr Elferink told parliament on Tuesday that he would "absolutely" rule out challenging Mr Mills to become leader of the NT.

"I have listened to the colleagues on my side of the house, and we have resolved to keep Terry Mills as the leader of the parliamentary wing of the Country Liberals," Mr Elferink said.

"I am proud to stand by him, and I will look forward to working with him in the future in any capacity that he deems fit," he added.

Mr Elferink on Tuesday offered to resign after it emerged that on Monday he was counting votes to topple Mr Mills as chief minister.

A meeting had been planned for early Tuesday, but it was called off late on Monday when it became clear Mr Elferink did not have the numbers.

A senior source in the Country Liberal Party (CLP) said Mr Elferink realised he would be unsuccessful when four MPs representing rural electorates threw their support behind Mr Mills.

Mr Mills then had the support of nine MPs, compared with only seven supporting Mr Elferink.

The chief minister on Tuesday said Mr Elferink would not lose his position.

"What I require of John is to focus on the business of the Northern Territory and to offer unqualified support, which he has offered and provided and I have accepted," Mr Mills said.

The leadership speculation in the CLP comes just days after ALP candidate Nicole Manison won a by-election with a big swing to the Labor Party.

Since taking office in August last year in a landslide, the CLP has cut spending and raised electricity prices by 30 per cent.

Mr Mills says his government won't be distracted by the leadership issue.

"We have had an election result that has caused some concern to some members of our party," Mr Mills said.

"I am not going to spend my energy on the things that are in the shadows and ... the subject of rumours and speculation.

"This is time for courage under fire," Mr Mills said.

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