Kevin Rudd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Rudd AC
Rudd in 2023
23rd Ambassador of Australia to the United States
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 March 2023
Prime Minister	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Arthur Sinodinos
26th Prime Minister of Australia
In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Quentin Bryce
Deputy	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Julia Gillard
Succeeded by	Tony Abbott
In office 3 December 2007 – 24 June 2010
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Michael Jeffery Quentin Bryce
Deputy	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	John Howard
Succeeded by	Julia Gillard
18th Leader of the Labor Party
In office 26 June 2013 – 13 September 2013
Deputy	Anthony Albanese
Preceded by	Julia Gillard
Succeeded by	Bill Shorten
In office 4 December 2006 – 24 June 2010
Deputy	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Kim Beazley
Succeeded by	Julia Gillard
Leader of the Opposition
In office 4 December 2006 – 3 December 2007
Prime Minister	John Howard
Deputy	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Kim Beazley
Succeeded by	Brendan Nelson
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 14 September 2010 – 22 February 2012
Prime Minister	Julia Gillard
Preceded by	Stephen Smith
Succeeded by	Bob Carr
Member of the Australian Parliament for Griffith
In office 3 October 1998 – 22 November 2013
Preceded by	Graeme McDougall
Succeeded by	Terri Butler
Personal details
Born	Kevin Michael Rudd (1957-09-21) 21 September 1957 (age 67) Nambour, Queensland, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Thérèse Rein ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	3
Profession	Politician diplomat
Signature
Nickname	Kevin 07
Education	Marist College Ashgrove Nambour State High School
Alma mater	Australian National University (BA) Jesus College, Oxford (DPhil)
Scientific career
Thesis	China’s New Marxist Nationalism: Defining Xi Jinping’s Ideological Worldview (2022)
Doctoral advisor	Paul Irwin Crookes

Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian diplomat and former politician. He served as the 26th Prime Minister of Australia twice: from 2007 to 2010, and again from June to September 2013.

He was the leader of the Labor Party (ALP) and a member of parliament (MP) for the area of Griffith in Queensland from 1998 to 2013. Since 2023, Rudd has been Australia's 23rd Ambassador to the United States.

Kevin Rudd was born in Nambour, Queensland. He studied Chinese studies at the Australian National University and speaks Mandarin fluently. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a diplomat and for the Queensland state government.

He was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 1998. In 2001, he became the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. In December 2006, he became the leader of the Labor Party, making him the Leader of the Opposition.

Rudd led Labor to a big win in the 2007 election. His government quickly signed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. They also gave the first national apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples for the Stolen Generations. His government helped Australia avoid the Great Recession by introducing economic support plans. Australia was one of the few developed countries to avoid a recession.

His government also started the National Broadband Network (NBN). They launched education programs like the Digital Education Revolution and Building the Education Revolution. They also changed the WorkChoices laws and brought Australian troops home from the Iraq War.

By 2010, Rudd's leadership faced challenges. He lost support from within the Labor Party and struggled to pass important laws like the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. He resigned as prime minister in June 2010 after his deputy, Julia Gillard, challenged him for the leadership. Gillard became prime minister and later made him Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Tensions between Rudd and Gillard continued. He resigned as Foreign Minister in February 2012 to try and become leader again, but he was not successful. After more leadership discussions, Rudd defeated Gillard in June 2013. He became prime minister for a second time. However, Labor lost the 2013 election, and his second term ended after only two months.

Rudd left parliament after the election. He has remained active in politics and academics. He earned a PhD from Jesus College, Oxford, in 2022. He has worked with international groups, focusing on topics like relations between China and the United States. In March 2023, the Albanese government appointed him as Australia's Ambassador to the U.S.

Early Life and Education

Kevin Rudd has English and Irish family roots. His ancestors, Thomas Rudd and Mary Cable, came from England as convicts in the early 1800s.

Rudd was born in Nambour, Queensland. He was the youngest of four children. He grew up on a dairy farm in Eumundi. When he was young, he had rheumatic fever, which affected his heart. He later had two heart surgeries. He loved horse riding and shooting clay targets from his time on the farm. He went to Eumundi State School.

When Rudd was 11, his father died. Rudd says his family had to leave the farm soon after due to money problems. Despite his family's ties to the Country Party, Rudd joined the Australian Labor Party in 1972 when he was 15.

He attended Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane. He found these years difficult because his family was poor. He was known as a "charity case" after his father's death. He later described the school as "tough, harsh, unforgiving." Two years later, his mother moved the family to Nambour. Rudd became the top student, or dux, of Nambour State High School in 1974. He also won a public speaking competition that year. His future Treasurer, Wayne Swan, went to the same school but they did not know each other well.

Rudd studied at the Australian National University in Canberra. He lived at Burgmann College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honours, focusing on Chinese language and history. He became very good at Mandarin. His Chinese name is Lù Kèwén. He finished his degree in 1978 and spent a year studying in Taiwan.

Diplomatic Career

Rudd joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1981. His first job was in Stockholm, Sweden, from 1981 to 1983. In 1984, he became a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, China. He was responsible for studying Chinese politics and economic changes. He returned to Canberra in 1987.

Starting in Politics

In 1988, Kevin Rudd became the Chief of Staff for Wayne Goss, the Opposition Leader in Queensland. When Goss became Premier in 1989, Rudd stayed in this role until 1992. He then became the Director-General of the Office of Cabinet. In this job, Rudd was a very powerful public servant in Queensland.

He helped bring in many changes, including a national program for teaching foreign languages in schools. Rudd was important in creating a plan for Asian languages and cultures. This plan was accepted by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 1992.

After the Goss Government lost power, Rudd left the Queensland Government. He worked as a consultant for KPMG Australia. He then decided to run for parliament. He was chosen as the Labor candidate for the area of Griffith in the 1996 federal election. He lost this election.

Rudd ran again for the same seat in the 1998 election. This time, he won and became a Member of Parliament.

Member of Parliament (1998–2007)

Kevin Rudd gave his first speech in the Australian House of Representatives on 11 November 1998.

Shadow Minister (2001–2006)

After Labor lost the 2001 federal election, Rudd was promoted. He became the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 2002, he met with British intelligence to help decide Labor's position on the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

He said at the time, "There is no debate or dispute as to whether Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. He does." After Saddam Hussein was removed from power, Rudd criticized the Howard Government for supporting the United States. However, he still supported Australia's alliance with the US.

Rudd's experience in foreign policy made him well-known in the Labor Party. When Labor Leader Simon Crean was challenged, Rudd decided not to run for the leadership. He voted for Kim Beazley.

When Mark Latham became leader, Rudd kept his foreign affairs role. But relations between Latham and Rudd became difficult. Latham decided to withdraw Australian forces from Iraq without talking to Rudd first. After Latham lost the 2004 federal election, Rudd was again considered a possible leader, but he said he would not challenge Latham.

When Latham resigned in January 2005, Rudd was in Indonesia. He did not say if he would run for leader. After he returned, he announced he would not contest the leadership, and Beazley was elected without opposition. Rudd was then given more responsibilities in the Shadow Cabinet, becoming Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Leader of the Opposition (2006–2007)

Polls showed that more voters supported Rudd as Labor Leader than Beazley. On 1 December 2006, Beazley called for a leadership election. Rudd announced he would run. On 4 December, Rudd was elected Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition. He won with 49 votes to Beazley's 39. Julia Gillard was then elected Deputy Leader without opposition.

At his first press conference, Rudd said he would offer a "new style of leadership." He promised to be an "alternative, not just an echo" of the Howard Government. He talked about important issues like industrial relations, the Iraq War, climate change, and social justice. He also highlighted his experience in state government, as a diplomat, and in business.

Rudd and the Labor Party soon became more popular than the Howard government in polls. Rudd stayed in the media spotlight with big announcements on education, climate change, and the National Broadband Network.

In March 2007, questions were raised about Rudd's meetings with former West Australian Labor Premier Brian Burke. Burke had been in prison and then became a lobbyist. The government suggested Rudd was trying to use Burke's influence to become Labor leader. Rudd said this was not the reason for the meetings.

Rudd regularly appeared on the TV show Sunrise with Liberal MP Joe Hockey. This helped make Rudd even more well-known. They stopped their joint appearances in April 2007 due to election pressures.

2007 Election Campaign

The 2007 Australian federal election was called on 17 October 2007. On 21 October, Rudd debated Prime Minister John Howard on TV. Most media experts thought Rudd did very well.

On 14 November, Rudd officially launched Labor's election campaign. He focused on careful spending, which was usually a strength of the Liberal Party. Rudd proposed Labor spending $2.3 billion. He said the Liberals had promised $9.4 billion. He declared, "Today, I am saying loud and clear that this sort of reckless spending must stop."

The election was held on 24 November. Labor won by a large margin. The media called it a 'Ruddslide'. This win was strongly supported by Rudd's home state of Queensland. The overall swing from the Liberals to Labor was 5.44%. This was the third largest swing in a federal election since 1949.

On 29 November, Rudd announced the members of his government. This was a change from Labor tradition, where the party members elected the frontbench.

First Term as Prime Minister (2007–2010)

On 3 December 2007, Kevin Rudd became the 26th Prime Minister of Australia. He was sworn in by Governor-General Michael Jeffery. Rudd was the first Labor Prime Minister since Paul Keating in 1996. He was also the first Prime Minister since World War II not from New South Wales or Victoria.

Early actions of the Rudd Government included signing the Kyoto Protocol. They also gave a Parliamentary Apology to the Stolen Generations. In April 2008, they held the 2020 Summit. Other achievements included keeping Australia out of recession during the global financial crisis. They also started the National Broadband Network. They introduced early childhood education across the country. They developed a national Australian Curriculum for schools. They built 20 cancer clinics in regional Australia and introduced paid parental leave. Time magazine named Rudd one of the most influential people in the world in 2008.

For his first two years, Rudd was very popular in opinion polls. However, by 2010, his popularity began to fall. This was due to issues like managing the financial crisis and the Senate not passing the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. There were also debates about policies on asylum seekers and a proposed tax on the mining industry.

On 23 June 2010, after much media talk, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard asked for a leadership election. Rudd announced an election for the next day.

Domestic Policies

Protecting the Environment

When he was in opposition, Rudd made fighting climate change a top priority for the Labor Party. He suggested a system for trading carbon emissions. He also set a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before 2050. Before the election, he released a plan to make 20% of Australia's electricity from renewable sources.

The first official act of the Rudd government, on 3 December 2007, was to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Rudd attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, just ten days after becoming Prime Minister. In February 2008, he told Parliament that "the costs of not acting on climate change are much greater than the costs of acting."

The Rudd government put a lot of money into renewable energy. In August 2009, a law was passed to expand the Renewable Energy Target. This aimed to increase renewable energy use by 2020.

The Rudd Government tried to introduce a system to trade carbon emissions, called the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. This plan was published in December 2008. It aimed to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 5% to 15% below 2000 levels by 2020. However, the Australian Senate rejected the law in August 2009. The Liberal Party, Nationals, and Australian Greens voted against it.

Rudd worked with the Liberals, led by Malcolm Turnbull, to find a compromise. But on 1 December 2009, Turnbull was replaced by Tony Abbott, who was against the emissions trading scheme. The next day, the Senate voted against the revised plan. Rudd strongly criticized the Liberals for not supporting the law. In April 2010, the Government announced they would delay the scheme until 2011.

Rudd personally worked hard for international action on climate change before the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009. He brought together leaders from China, the United States, Japan, and Denmark to discuss their plans. Rudd announced financial help for small island states affected by climate change. He played a key role in reaching an agreement at Copenhagen. Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister at the time, praised Rudd's efforts.

Apology to Stolen Generations

On 13 February 2008, Rudd gave a national apology to Indigenous Australians for the stolen generations. This apology was for past government policies. Both houses of parliament passed the motion unanimously. Rudd promised his government would work to close the gap in health, education, and living conditions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This would be done while respecting their rights to self-determination.

In 2007 and 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) set six goals to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians over the next five to twenty years. Since leaving politics, Rudd has created the Australian National Apology Foundation. This foundation continues to promote reconciliation and closing the gap.

Managing the Economy

The Rudd Government's economic response to the Global Financial Crisis was seen as very effective. Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz called it "one of the strongest economic support packages in the world." He said it "helped Australia avoid recession and saved up to 200,000 jobs." Australia was the only Western economy to avoid recession in 2009. Internationally, Kevin Rudd helped make the G20 the main global group for coordinating policies to fight the crisis.

In his first speech to Parliament in 1998, Rudd said governments should play an active role in the economy. He believed this was important to ensure everyone had equal opportunities. He supported competitive markets but said governments must regulate them and step in when they fail.

When he became leader in December 2006, he promised an economic policy that would reward hard work and achievement. It would also guarantee fairness and social justice.

When the global recession began, the Rudd Government acted quickly. They guaranteed bank deposits and announced two spending packages to boost the economy. The first was worth $10.4 billion in late 2008. It included payments for low to middle-income earners and increased bonuses for first homebuyers. The second, worth $42 billion, was announced in February 2009. It included $900 cash payments to taxpayers. Rudd said his government would "move heaven and earth to reduce the impact of the global recession."

The government also launched the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan. This plan included the Building the Education Revolution (BER) program, worth $16.2 billion. It aimed to create jobs by building and improving schools across Australia. Another program, the Energy Efficient Homes Package, offered $1,600 to help homeowners install ceiling insulation.

However, two main issues affected how the public saw these plans. The Home Insulation Program faced problems in early 2010. There were reports of house fires, possible fraud, and the deaths of four young insulation installers. Rudd responded by removing the minister in charge and stopping the program. He apologized to the families involved. A later investigation found that while there were safety issues, about 1.1 million homes were insulated, and 10,000 jobs were created.

The Building the Education Revolution program completed 23,670 school projects. Some people claimed there was overpricing and poor value for money. However, a taskforce found that most projects were good value for money.

In early 2009, Rudd said that the "neo-liberal experiment of the past 30 years has failed." He called for a new era of "social capitalism." This would balance private business with public responsibility. The Center for Strategic and International Studies recognized Kevin Rudd as one of the founders of the G20.

The Rudd Government's 2010 budget predicted a $40.8 billion deficit. They also proposed a "super profits" tax on the mining industry. This tax was expected to bring in $12 billion in revenue. However, the tax was not passed by the Senate.

Australia 2020 Summit

In February 2008, Rudd announced the Australia 2020 Summit. This event, held in April 2008, brought together 1000 important Australians. They discussed new ideas for ten major policy areas. Some ideas supported at the summit included a vote on Australia becoming an Australian republic, a bill of rights, and a review of the tax system.

By mid-2010, the Rudd Government had tried to introduce an Emissions Trading Scheme but delayed it. They also set up the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples in 2010.

Workplace Relations

Kevin Rudd promised to change WorkChoices, a key policy of the Howard Government. This policy had been criticized for reducing pay and conditions for workers. It was a major reason why Howard lost the 2007 election.

In April 2007, Rudd announced Labor's "Forward with Fairness" plan. This plan included getting rid of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) over five years. It also included a safety net of 10 National Employment Standards and fairer dismissal laws.

On 20 March 2008, a new law was passed that stopped any new AWAs from being signed. Rudd declared AWAs "dead and buried." In 2009, the Fair Work Act was passed. Rudd also created Fair Work Australia, a new body to help with workplace disputes.

Education Initiatives

During the election, Rudd promised a "Digital Education Revolution." This included providing a computer for every high school student. The government increased funding for this program to $2 billion. The program provided software for office work, photo and video editing, and web design.

Immigration Policies

As prime minister, Rudd believed in a "Big Australia." His government increased the number of immigrants to about 300,000 people. In 2010, Rudd appointed Tony Burke as population minister to look at population goals.

In 2008, the government changed policies on mandatory detention for asylum seekers. They also ended the Pacific Solution. The number of asylum seekers arriving by boat increased in 2009. The Opposition said this was due to the government's policy changes. After a fatal explosion on an asylum seeker boat in April 2009, Rudd said, "People smugglers are the vilest form of human life." In April 2010, the Rudd government temporarily stopped processing new claims from Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers.

Taxation Changes

In the 2007 election, Rudd promised to make the tax system fairer. The 2008 Budget aimed to do this with $47 billion in tax cuts over four years. These cuts focused on lower and middle-income workers. They also increased the child care tax rebate and changed the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

In May 2008, Rudd started a full review of Australia's tax system. This review was led by Ken Henry. On 2 May 2010, the Rudd government announced a plan based on the review. This plan aimed to support other industries and balance the economy.

The government's tax plan had three parts. It aimed to reduce the company tax rate to 28%. It also aimed to increase the compulsory superannuation rate to 12% to boost savings. Finally, it proposed a new Resources Super Profits Tax (RSPT) on the large profits of mining companies. This tax was met with strong opposition from the mining industry.

After Kevin Rudd was replaced by Julia Gillard, the government made a deal with mining companies. They replaced the RSPT with a new tax called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT). This new tax was expected to raise less money than first thought.

Healthcare Reforms

In 2010, Rudd announced a major plan to reform Australian healthcare. However, this plan was not fully carried out. Julia Gillard later stopped it during her first year in office.

Support for Families

The Rudd Government increased the age pension by more than $100 a fortnight for single people. This was the largest increase since 1909. They also increased the Child Care Tax Rebate from 30% to 50% for about 600,000 families. The government also introduced an Education Tax Refund of 50% for up to $750 per child. Prime Minister Rudd also started Australia's first paid parental leave scheme. This helped 150,000 new parents with 18 weeks of paid leave each year.

Disability Support

Work began under Rudd on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This idea was first suggested at the 2020 Summit in April 2008. The Rudd Government doubled funding for disability services to the States. They also introduced the National Disability Strategy. The Prime Minister asked the Productivity Commission to study the idea of an insurance scheme in 2009.

Foreign Affairs

As prime minister, Rudd believed Australia could help solve global challenges through active diplomacy. He thought Australia could create global and regional groups and play an important role in the "Asia Pacific century."

Rudd's first official overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Indonesia in December 2007 for the UN Climate Change Conference. He then visited Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In February 2008, he visited East Timor, and in March 2008, he traveled to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Pacific Islands Relations

Australia developed a close relationship with the Pacific Island nations. Australia hosted the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009. Australian aid programs in the Pacific focused on goals in health, education, and employment. In August 2008, Rudd announced a three-year trial program. This allowed up to 2,500 workers from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Kiribati to work in Australia's farming industry for up to seven months. This was a new approach for Australia.

Withdrawal from Iraq

In his 2007 election campaign, Kevin Rudd promised to withdraw Australian military forces from Iraq. He disagreed with the reasons for sending Australian troops to the Iraq War in 2003.

The withdrawal of the Australian Defence Force combat troops was completed on 28 July 2009. This was three days ahead of schedule. By mid-2010, about 65 Australian defense personnel remained in Iraq. They supported UN operations or the Australian Embassy.

In March 2009, Nouri Al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq, visited Australia. He and Kevin Rudd signed an agreement for more cooperation in six key areas. They also agreed to improve trade and investment.

Role in Afghanistan

The Rudd government changed Australia's role in Afghanistan. Australia focused on the Uruzgan Province. In Afghanistan, Australian forces trained the Afghan National Army. They also worked on large programs for women's and girls' education. They built mosques with schools and provided basic healthcare.

Rudd continued to support Australian military involvement in Afghanistan. On 29 April 2009, Rudd sent 450 more troops to the region, bringing the total to 1550. He explained that this would "enhance the security of Australian citizens."

On a visit to Afghanistan in November 2009, Rudd told Australian troops, "We from Australia will remain for the long haul." In April 2010, the Australian Government decided not to send more troops to Uruzgan Province. Instead, they increased the number of diplomatic, aid, and police personnel.

Political Views

Nationhood and Global Relations

As shadow foreign minister, Rudd described Labor's foreign policy with "Three Pillars": working with the UN, working with Asia, and the alliance with the US.

Although he disagreed with the original decision to join the Iraq War, Rudd supported keeping Australian troops in Iraq, but not combat troops. Rudd also supported Australia's military presence in Afghanistan.

Rudd supported the road map for peace plan. He defended Israel's actions during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. He criticized Hezbollah and Hamas for violating Israeli territory.

As prime minister, he also promised support for East Timor. He said Australian troops would stay there as long as East Timor's government wanted them to.

Rudd also supported the independence of Kosovo from Serbia. This decision led to protests from the Serbian Australian community.

In 2008, Rudd advised Queen Elizabeth II to appoint Quentin Bryce as the first female Governor-General of Australia.

Social Views

Some people have called Rudd a social conservative. He worked to remove financial unfairness against LGBT couples. However, he had previously been against laws to recognize same-sex marriage.

In May 2013, Rudd announced he had changed his mind. He said his children thought he was "an unreconstructed dinosaur" for not supporting marriage equality. He stated, "I believe the secular Australian state should be able to recognise same sex marriage." He also said churches should not be forced to marry same-sex couples if they did not wish to.

In a 2006 vote, Rudd voted against laws to expand embryonic stem cell research.

Resignation as Prime Minister

On 23 June 2010, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Rudd's Chief of Staff had spoken to many Labor politicians. This was to see how much support Rudd had in the party. This came after much talk that his deputy, Julia Gillard, would challenge him for leadership. Later that evening, it became clear Rudd had lost a lot of support. Gillard publicly asked for a leadership election to be held soon. Rudd then announced an election for the next day, saying he would run. However, hours before the vote, it was clear Rudd would not win. So, he stepped down as Labor leader and prime minister.

Gillard was elected without opposition, becoming Australia's first female prime minister. Some Labor members said that the government's handling of the insulation program and changes to the carbon tax plan led to Rudd losing support.

Barry Cohen, a former minister, said many in the Labor Party felt ignored by Rudd's leadership style. They also felt he was sometimes rude to staff and other ministers. Many overlooked this when he was popular. But when Rudd's poll numbers dropped, they wanted a leader who could work better with the party. Rudd became the first Australian prime minister to be removed from office by his own party during his first term.

2010 Election

After resigning as prime minister, Rudd announced he would run again for his seat of Griffith in the 2010 Australian federal election, set for 21 August. Early in the campaign, he had surgery to remove his gall bladder. He later joined Julia Gillard's national campaign to help Labor win. Rudd was easily re-elected as the Member for Griffith. Labor, led by Gillard, formed a minority government after the election resulted in a hung parliament.

Foreign Minister (2010–2012)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed Rudd as Minister for Foreign Affairs in her Cabinet on 14 September 2010. He represented Gillard at a UN General Assembly meeting.

In 2010, WikiLeaks published secret documents about Kevin Rudd's time as prime minister. These included US diplomatic cables. As foreign minister, Rudd criticized WikiLeaks for publishing these documents. The Australian media reported that the cables included frank discussions between Rudd and US officials about China and Afghanistan.

Before his first visit to Israel as Foreign Minister, Rudd said Israel should be inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman rejected this call.

After the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Rudd called for "constitutional reform and a clear timetable towards free and fair elections" in Egypt.

In response to the 2011 Libyan civil war, Rudd said in March 2011 that the international community should create a no-fly zone. This was seen as the "lesser of two evils."

After the terrible 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Rudd offered Australian help. He offered field hospitals and disaster teams. He also offered Australian atomic experts and asked for urgent updates after a nuclear plant explosion.

Rudd announced he was resigning as Foreign Minister on 22 February 2012. He said Gillard failed to stop attacks on his character. He explained that he felt Gillard no longer supported him.

Leadership Tensions

February 2012 Leadership Vote

There was constant talk in the media that Rudd wanted to challenge Gillard to become Labor leader again. In October 2011, a Labor MP said he would resign if Labor replaced Gillard with Rudd. This would likely cost Labor its majority. In her 2011 speech, Prime Minister Gillard did not mention Kevin Rudd, which was seen as a slight. In early 2012, Labor MPs openly discussed the leadership issue.

After a TV program looked at Gillard's role in Rudd's removal, some Labor MPs openly criticized each other. When Rudd resigned on 22 February 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan called Rudd "dysfunctional." His colleague Tony Burke also spoke against Rudd.

Later that day, Rudd said he did not think Gillard could win the next election. He said Labor MPs had encouraged him to run for leadership. Gillard responded by announcing a leadership election for 27 February 2012, and said she would be a candidate. Two days later, Rudd announced he would run. Before the vote, Rudd promised he would not challenge Gillard again if he lost.

Gillard won the leadership election easily, with 71 votes to Rudd's 31. After the result, Rudd returned to being a regular MP. He repeated that he would not challenge Gillard again and would support her.

March 2013 Leadership Vote

On 21 March 2013, Prime Minister Julia Gillard called a leadership vote. It was widely reported that Rudd was thinking of running, but he chose not to. Gillard was the only candidate and was elected without opposition.

June 2013 Leadership Vote

On 10 June 2013, Gillard's position as leader became uncertain. Labor was losing a lot of support. Polls showed the party might win very few seats in the next election. Some Labor members felt Gillard could not win. ABC journalist Barrie Cassidy said Rudd was the only possible replacement.

On 26 June 2013, Julia Gillard called a leadership vote. Rudd announced he would challenge the prime minister. Gillard said the loser of the vote should leave politics, and Rudd agreed. Bill Shorten, who had helped remove Rudd before, now supported Rudd. Rudd won the leadership vote, 57–45, and became the Leader of the Labor Party for the second time.

Second Term as Prime Minister (2013)

After the leadership election on 26 June 2013, Julia Gillard resigned as prime minister. The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, asked Rudd to be sworn in as prime minister for the second time on 27 June. At 9:53 am, Rudd became prime minister again. He was the second Labor Prime Minister to have a second, non-consecutive term.

2013 Election

On 4 August 2013, Rudd announced that he had asked the Governor-General Quentin Bryce to call a federal election for 7 September. Labor lost the election. Rudd resigned as prime minister for the second time on 18 September 2013.

After Politics (2013–Present)

Leaving Parliament

On 13 November 2013, Rudd announced he would soon resign from Parliament. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. Rudd officially resigned on 22 November 2013. Terri Butler was chosen to run for the Labor Party in the by-election for Rudd's old seat. Butler won the seat.

International Roles

In early 2014, Rudd moved to the United States. He became a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. There, he researched the future of US-China relations. Throughout 2014, Rudd joined several international organizations. He became a distinguished statesman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was also appointed a distinguished fellow at the Paulson Institute and Chatham House.

In September 2014, he became Chair of Sanitation and Water For All. This is a global group working for clean drinking water and good sanitation for everyone. In October, he became the first president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York City. Rudd also contributes to the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on China.

In 2016, Rudd asked the Australian Government to nominate him for Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, the government decided not to nominate him. This ended Rudd's campaign for the role.

Rudd is also a member of the Global Leadership Foundation. This group is made up of former heads of state or government.

Royal Commission into Australian News Media

On 10 October 2020, Rudd started a petition for a royal commission into what he called the "Murdoch media monopoly." He believed it affected Australian democracy. The petition became very popular. On 25 October 2020, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull supported Rudd and signed the petition. With over 500,000 signatures, it became the most signed parliamentary e-petition in Australia.

Academic Work

In 2017, Rudd began studying for a doctorate at Jesus College, Oxford. In 2022, he earned his PhD from the University of Oxford. His thesis was about Xi Jinping's ideas. Rudd argued that Xi has adopted a more Marxist approach to government. He believes this will have negative effects on China's economy.

Ambassador to the United States

In late 2022, there were calls for Rudd to be appointed as the next Australian Ambassador to the United States. On 20 December 2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Rudd would be appointed. He took the position on 20 March 2023.

In March 2024, former US president Donald Trump criticized Rudd. Trump called him "nasty" and suggested he would remove Rudd if he won the 2024 presidential election. Rudd had previously been critical of Trump. Penny Wong, Australia's Foreign Minister, later said Rudd would remain ambassador even if Trump won.

In his role, Rudd has strongly supported the AUKUS security partnership. He has urged American leaders to share technology as promised. While some hoped he would ease tensions between the US and China, Rudd has become a strong critic of China's expansion.

Writings

Rudd has written several books. While prime minister, he co-wrote a children's book called Jasper & Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle in 2010. In October 2017, he launched the first part of his autobiography, Not for the Faint-hearted. This book covers his life until he became prime minister in 2007. The next year, he published the second part, The PM Years. This book covers his time as prime minister and his return to the role.

In March 2021, Rudd published The Case for Courage. This book discusses Rupert Murdoch's influence on Australian media. His next book, The Avoidable War, focuses on how the United States and China can avoid conflict.

Personal Life

In 1981, Rudd married Thérèse Rein. They met during their university years. Rudd and Rein have three children. Rudd supports the Brisbane Lions football team.

Religion

Rudd and his family attend the Anglican church of St John the Baptist in Bulimba. He was raised Roman Catholic. However, he became involved in the Evangelical Union at university. He started attending Anglican services with his wife in the 1980s. In December 2009, Rudd attended a Catholic Mass. His actions caused some discussion among religious groups.

Rudd has often spoken about his Christian faith. He has defended church leaders taking part in policy debates. These debates included WorkChoices laws, climate change, and global poverty. In 2003, he called himself "an old-fashioned Christian socialist." He believes that Christian views should be heard in political discussions. He cites Dietrich Bonhoeffer as an inspiration.

When in Canberra, Rudd and Rein worshipped at St John the Baptist Church, Reid, where they were married.

Health

In 1993, Rudd had a heart valve transplant operation. In 2011, he had a second heart valve transplant operation and made a full recovery.

Images for kids

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  Kevin Rudd's signature

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Rudd para niños

• Second Rudd Ministry
• List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II