Kevin Rudd

Kevin Michael Rudd AC (born 21 September 1957) is a former Australian politician who was twice Prime Minister of Australia serving from 2007 to 2010 and again from 27 June 2013 to 18 September 2013. He also served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010. Rudd was the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs from 14 September 2010 to 22 February 2012. He was member for Griffith in Brisbane from 1998 to 2013.

Rudd went to the Australian National University and studied International Studies. He learned to speak the Chinese language. He became a diplomat for the Australian government. He lived and worked in Sweden, and later in China. Rudd won a seat in Parliament in 1998. The Australian Labor party elected him the Leader of the Opposition in December 2006. After 11 years of the Liberal Party being in power, the Labor Party won the 2007 federal election. During the election Rudd talked a lot about work agreements (industrial relations laws) and global warming. As prime minister he signed the Kyoto Protocol and "apologised" to Aboriginal Australians for bad things done by the government long ago. He spoke about human rights in China in the Chinese language to Chinese students. Australia and China were doing lots of trade, but the Chinese government did not like this talk. He also supported the Afghanistan war and took Australian troops out of the Iraq conflict.

Rudd was Prime Minister at the beginning of the Global Financial Crisis. His government, with Wayne Swan as treasurer, spent a lot of money to try and keep the economy going. Australia did not have a recession, but management of this government spending started problems for Rudd. His government was seen as being unable to cope with and this started to affect Rudd's popularity.

Rudd planned a new tax on the huge profits being made mining companies in Australia. These companies and their leaders started a huge advertising campaign against the Labor government. He also decided to delay his election promises to do something about Global Warming. His leadership style was unpopular with many members of the Labor Party. members of parliament felt that they were not able to take part in making important decisions. They felt that Rudd left things until the last moment, and then acted quickly when things had almost became a crisis. With these things happening, the Labor Party decided that there had to be some changes. Realizing that he had lost support, Rudd resigned as leader of the Labor Party, and as Prime Minister. Julia Gillard was elected to the position of leader, and therefore prime minister. He was really sad. Gillard promised that Rudd would be made Foreign Minister if they won the 2010 election.

After the 2010 Election, Gillard chose Rudd to be Foreign Minister. In February 2012, Rudd decided that he should again be leader of the Labor Party. He said he could not work with Gillard because she did not trust him. He resigned as Foreign Minister, and said he would challenge Gillard for the leadership. The Labor Party held a meeting on 27 February 2012 and held a new vote for the leader's position. Rudd only received 31 votes while Gillard got 71 votes. Rudd returned to the backbench, and not have any positions of responsibility in the government until on 26 June 2013, Gillard announced another caucus ballot on the leadership.  Rudd won it so he became the Leader of the Labor Party for a second time. On 27 June 2013, Rudd was sworn in as Prime Minister. Rudd is the first former Prime Minister to return to the office since Robert Menzies in 1949 and the second Labor Prime Minister to do so.

On 31 May 2012 Rudd became a grandfather when his daughter Jessica gave birth to a baby girl.

On 7 September 2013, Labor lost the 2013 election to the Coalition led by Tony Abbott.

On 13 November 2013, Rudd announced that he would be retiring from politics at end of week. His resignation took effect on 22 November 2013.

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1957 births
Living people
Australian Anglicans
Australian Labor Party politicians
Australian ministers for Foreign Affairs
Commonwealth Chairpersons-in-Office
Leaders of the Opposition (Australia)
People from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Politicians from Queensland
Prime Ministers of Australia
Republicans