# First Rudd ministry

* This article is part of a series about Kevin Rudd
Early life
Diplomatic career
Goss government
Member for Griffith (1998–2013)
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Shadow Minister for Trade
2006 Labor Party leadership spill
Prime Minister of Australia
First term of government (2007–2010)
Apology to the Stolen Generations
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Immigration policies
Australia 2020 Summit
GFC stimulus
Home Insulation Program
Royal Commission
OzCar affair
Resource Super Profits Tax
National Broadband Network
2010 Labor Party leadership spill
Minister for Foreign Affairs
2012 Labor Party leadership spill
2013 Labor Party leadership spill
Second term of government (2013)
Papua New Guinea Solution
Ministries
First Ministry
Second Ministry
Elections
2007
2013 :
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The first Rudd ministry (Labor) was the 64th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 26th Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. The first Rudd ministry succeeded the Fourth Howard Ministry, which dissolved on 3 December 2007 following the federal election that took place on 24 November which saw Labor defeat John Howard's Liberal–National Coalition. The ministry was replaced by the First Gillard Ministry on 24 June 2010 following the resignation of Rudd as Prime Minister after a successful leadership challenge by Julia Gillard.

## Cabinet

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Labor | Hon Kevin Rudd (1957-) MP for Griffith (1998–2013) | Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party |
| Labor | Hon Julia Gillard (1961–) MP for Lalor (1998–2013) | Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Minister for Education Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Minister for Social Inclusion |
| Labor | Hon Wayne Swan (1954–) MP for Lilley (1998–2019) | Treasurer |
| Labor | Hon Chris Evans (1958–) Senator for Western Australia (1993–2013) | Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for Immigration and Citizenship |
| Labor | Hon John Faulkner (1954–) Senator for New South Wales (1989–2015) | Special Minister of State (to 9 June 2009) Cabinet Secretary (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Defence (from 9 June 2009) Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Labor | Hon Simon Crean (1949–2023) MP for Hotham (1990–2013) | Minister for Trade |
| Labor | Hon Stephen Smith (1955–) MP for Perth (1993–2013) | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Labor | Hon Joel Fitzgibbon (1962–) MP for Hunter (1996–2022) | Minister for Defence (to 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Nicola Roxon (1967–) MP for Gellibrand (1998–2013) | Minister for Health and Ageing |
| Labor | Hon Jenny Macklin (1953–) MP for Jagajaga (1996–2019) | Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs |
| Labor | Hon Lindsay Tanner (1956–) MP for Melbourne (1993–2010) | Minister for Finance and Deregulation |
| Labor | Hon Anthony Albanese (1963–) MP for Grayndler (1996–) | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Leader of the House |
| Labor | Hon Stephen Conroy (1963–) Senator for Victoria (1996–2016) | Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy |
| Labor | Hon Kim Carr (1955–) Senator for Victoria (1993–2022) | Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research |
| Labor | Hon Penny Wong (1968–) Senator for South Australia (2002–) | Minister for Climate Change and Water (to 8 March 2010) Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water (from 8 March 2010) |
| Labor | Hon Peter Garrett AM (1953–) MP for Kingsford Smith (2004–2013) | Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (to 8 March 2010) Minister for the Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts (from 8 March 2010) |
| Labor | Hon Robert McClelland (1958–) MP for Barton (1996–2013) | Attorney-General |
| Labor | Hon Joe Ludwig (1959–) Senator for Queensland (1999–2016) | Minister for Human Services (to 9 June 2009) Special Minister of State (from 9 June 2009) Cabinet Secretary (from 9 June 2009) Manager of Government Business in the Senate |
| Labor | Hon Tony Burke (1969–) MP for Watson (2004–) | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister for Population (from 14 April 2010) |
| Labor | Hon Martin Ferguson (1953–) MP for Batman (1996–2013) | Minister for Resources and Energy Minister for Tourism |
| Labor | Hon Chris Bowen (1973–) MP for Prospect (2004–2010) (in Cabinet from 9 June 2009) | Assistant Treasurer (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Human Services (from 9 June 2009) Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law (from 9 June 2009) |

## Outer ministry

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Labor | Hon Bob Debus (1943–) MP for Macquarie (2007–2010) | Minister for Home Affairs (to 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Alan Griffin (1960–) MP for Bruce (1996–2016) | Minister for Veterans' Affairs Minister for Defence Personnel (from 1 April 2010) |
| Labor | Hon Tanya Plibersek (1969–) MP for Sydney (1998–) | Minister for Housing Minister for the Status of Women |
| Labor | Hon Brendan O'Connor (1962–) MP for Gorton (2004–) | Minister for Employment Participation (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Home Affairs (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Warren Snowdon (1950–) MP for Lingiari (2001–2022) | Minister for Defence Science and Personnel (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Service Delivery (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Craig Emerson (1954–) MP for Rankin (1998–2013) | Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy Minister assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Nick Sherry (1955–) Senator for Tasmania (1990–2012) | Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law (to 9 June 2009) Assistant Treasurer (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Justine Elliot (1967–) MP for Richmond (2004–) | Minister for Ageing |
| Labor | Hon Kate Ellis (1977–) MP for Adelaide (2004–2019) | Minister for Sport Minister for Youth (to 9 June 2009) Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Greg Combet AM (1958–) MP for Charlton (2007–2013) (in Ministry from 9 June 2009) | Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement (to 25 February 2009) Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change (from 25 February 2009 to 9 June 2009) Minister assisting the Minister for Climate Change (from 9 June 2009 to 8 March 2010) Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science (from 9 June 2009 to 1 April 2010) Minister assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (from 8 March 2010) Minister for Defence Materiel and Science (from 1 April 2010) |
| Labor | Hon Mark Arbib (1971–) Senator for New South Wales (2008–2012) (in Ministry from 9 June 2009) | Parliamentary Secretary for Government Service Delivery (from 25 February 2009 to 9 June 2009) Minister for Employment Participation (from 9 June 2009) Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Government Service Delivery (from 9 June 2009) |

## Parliamentary Secretaries

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Labor | Hon Maxine McKew (1953–) MP for Bennelong (2007–2010) | Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care (to 9 June 2009) Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM (1960–) MP for Eden-Monaro (2007–2013) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence (to 6 February 2008) Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support (from 6 February 2008) Parliamentary Secretary for Water (from 25 February 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Gary Gray AO (1958–) MP for Brand (2007–2016) | Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia (to 9 June 2009) Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Bill Shorten (1967–) MP for Maribyrnong (2007–2025) | Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction (from 25 February 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Bob McMullan (1947–) MP for Fraser (1998–2010) | Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance |
| Labor | Hon Duncan Kerr SC (1952–) MP for Denison (1987–2010) | Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs (to 14 December 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Anthony Byrne (1962–) MP for Holt (1999–2022) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Parliamentary Secretary for Trade (from 25 February 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Dr Ursula Stephens (1954–) Senator for New South Wales (2002–2014) | Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion Parliamentary Secretary for the Voluntary Sector Parliamentary Secretary assisting the Prime Minister for Social Inclusion (to 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon John Murphy (1950–) MP for Lowe (1998–2010) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade (from 25 February 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Jan McLucas (1958–) Senator for Queensland (1999–2016) | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing (to 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Laurie Ferguson (1952–) MP for Reid (1990–2010) | Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services |
| Labor | Hon Jason Clare (1972–) MP for Blaxland (2007–) | Parliamentary Secretary for Employment (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Mark Butler (1970–) MP for Port Adelaide (2007–2019) | Parliamentary Secretary for Health (from 9 June 2009) |
| Labor | Hon Richard Marles (1967–) MP for Corio (2007–) | Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry (from 9 June 2009) |

## Changes to the Ministry
### Changes from Rudd shadow ministry

Prior to Labor's election to government, in line with long-standing parliamentary convention, Rudd led a shadow cabinet consisting of opposition spokespeople on a range of portfolios. Following the election, some changes were made to this configuration before the Ministry was sworn in.
Peter Garrett was sworn in as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, but his shadow portfolio had included Climate Change and Water, which went to Senator Penny Wong. Three previous shadow ministers — Arch Bevis, Kate Lundy and Kerry O'Brien — were relegated to the back bench, while three others — Jan McLucas, Laurie Ferguson and Bob McMullan — were only sworn in as parliamentary secretaries.
Some portfolio responsibilities changed due to Julia Gillard's appointment as Minister for Education. Tanya Plibersek's responsibilities were reduced, with Human Services transferring to Joe Ludwig, the shadow Attorney-General. Robert McClelland became Attorney-General, while Stephen Smith became Minister for Foreign Affairs in lieu of Education.
While the former Shadow Minister for Finance Lindsay Tanner retained his portfolio, the ministry and department underwent a name change to Finance and Deregulation.

### February 2009 changes

On 25 February 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a reshuffle of his Parliamentary Secretaries (the lowest ministerial rank), following the resignation of John Murphy. The reshuffle also saw the appointment of Senator Mark Arbib as Parliamentary Secretary for Government Service Delivery. Bill Shorten added Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction to his responsibilities of Disabilities and Children's Services.

### June 2009 reshuffle

On 9 June 2009, a significant reshuffle of the ministry took place. It was prompted by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon's resignation from cabinet after a series of embarrassing events and revelations harmed his reputation, along with a generally held view that his relationship with his department had irretrievably broken down. The changes were announced by Rudd on 5 June 2009. Labor veteran Senator John Faulkner, previously Special Minister for State and responsible for the government's electoral reform package, was appointed to the role. He was the first person from the Left faction of the ALP to hold the position since World War II. Other changes of note included the elevation of Greg Combet and Senator Mark Arbib from parliamentary secretaries to the Outer Ministry, and Bob Debus's retirement from the ministry. The new ministers were all sworn in on 9 June.

### Other changes

On 14 December 2009, Duncan Kerr's appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance was terminated following his announcement that he would retire at the next election.
On 8 March 2010, Peter Garrett's title was changed from Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts to Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts. This was in response to the perceived mishandling of one of the government's stimulus programs. Several of Garrett's environmental responsibilities were transferred to Senator Penny Wong, whose title changed from Minister for Climate Change and Water to Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water.
On 1 April 2010 Greg Combet became Minister for Defence Materiel and Science (losing "personnel") and Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Alan Griffin added Minister for Defence Personnel to his position as Minister for Veterans' Affairs.
On 14 April 2010 Tony Burke was appointed the inaugural Minister for Population.