Former Queensland Labor premier Peter Beattie says it is time that former prime minister Bob Hawke was called in to sort out the Australian Labor Party's federal leadership saga.
The ABC reports leadership tensions were fuelled on Monday by a Nielsen poll showing the party's position would be vastly improved if former leader Kevin Rudd was reinstalled as prime minister.
On Channel Nine on Tuesday morning, Mr Beattie called on Mr Hawke to be brought in as a mediator.
"Someone has got to bang their heads together and resolve it in the interests of having a credible Labor campaign," he said.
However, Australian Workers Union boss Paul Howes, who was instrumental in dumping Mr Rudd, told Channel Seven the party should stick with Julia Gillard.
"I wish the party and the movement could just focus on those big issues - get on with the job of representing their constituents," he said.
Labor backbencher Graham Perrett dismissed Mr Beattie's suggestion, saying it is the elected MPs and senators who control the ALP caucus.
"We've made our decisions about our leader. We're loyal behind... well, I'm rock solid behind the leader Julia Gillard.
''She's doing what every good leader does, which is lead us through to the election with great policies," he said.
