Australia gets it first Women PM.

Australia's Julia Gillard has become the country's first female prime minister after former PM Kevin Rudd stood aside from a party ballot.

The change in the leadership of the ruling Labor Party comes just months ahead of a general election.

Ms Gillard's swearing in as prime minister will be a formality.

"I feel very honoured, I will be making a full statement very shortly," she told reporters after emerging from a party meeting at Parliament House in Canberra.

A party spokesman said Ms Gillard had stood unopposed at a vote of the Labor Party's 112 members of parliament at a meeting on Thursday morning.

Australia gets it first Women PM.