Kevin Rudd

Rudd is of English and Irish descent.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/convict-roots-of-rudds-family-tree/story-fna7dq6e-1111117069546 |title=Urchins, convicts at root of Kevin Rudd's family tree |date=31 July 2008 |access-date=18 February 2012 |work=The Australian |author=Maiden, Samantha}} His father's great-grandparents were English: Thomas Rudd and Mary Cable. Thomas had been convicted of stealing a bag of sugar, arriving in NSW on board the Earl Cornwallis in 1801.{{cite web |url=http://historyservicesnswblog.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html |title=Australia Day and your Convict Ancestor |work=History Services Blog |date=26 January 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802222244/http://historyservicesnswblog.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html |url-status=live }} Mary had been sentenced to transportation for stealing a bolt of cloth, arriving in the colony in 1804.{{Cite web |last=Elder |first=John |date=2008-01-20 |title=With family like this, some Rudd's going to stick |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/with-family-like-this-some-rudds-going-to-stick-20080120-ge6ml6.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=The Age |language=en}} His mother's grandparents, Owen Cashin and Hannah Maher, who were both born in Ireland, met and married in Brisbane in 1887.{{Cite web |last=Zwartz |first=Barney |date=2008-07-31 |title=So, Prime Minister, you're related to a thief and a forger |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/so-prime-minister-youre-related-to-a-thief-and-a-forger-20080731-3nzl.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

Rudd was born in Nambour, Queensland, to Albert ("Bert") and Margaret (née DeVere) Rudd, the youngest son of four children, and grew up on a dairy farm in nearby Eumundi.Macklin 2007 At an early age (5–7), he contracted rheumatic fever and spent a considerable time at home convalescing. It damaged his heart, in particular the valves, for which he has thus far had two aortic valve replacement surgeries, but this was discovered only some 12 years later.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html |title=We need to talk about Kevin ... Rudd, that is |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |author=Marr, David |format=An edited extract of Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd, published in Quarterly Essay, p. 38, by Black Inc Books |date=7 June 2010 |access-date=13 February 2011 |author-link=David Marr (journalist) |archive-date=2 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202223908/https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html |url-status=live }} Farm life, which required the use of horses and guns, is where he developed his lifelong love of horse riding and shooting clay targets.{{cite news |title=PM reveals inner cowboy |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=19 September 2008 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/19/1221331152219.html |access-date=19 September 2008 |archive-date=10 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210220835/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/19/1221331152219.html |url-status=live }} He attended Eumundi State School.{{Cite web|url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/rudd/before-office.aspx|title=Kevin Rudd: Before office|website=Australia's Prime Ministers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026004137/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/rudd/before-office.aspx|archive-date=26 October 2017|url-status=live|access-date=26 October 2017}}

When Rudd was 11, his father, a share farmer and Country Party member, died. Rudd states that the family was required to leave the farm amidst financial difficulty between two and three weeks after the death, though the family of the landowner states that the Rudds didn't have to leave for almost six months.{{cite news |title=A disputed eviction and a tale of family honour |last1=Duff |first1=Eamonn |last2=Walsh |first2=Kerry-Anne |work=The Sun-Herald |date=11 March 2007 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/03/10/1173478729097.html |access-date=11 March 2007 |archive-date=12 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312120147/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/03/10/1173478729097.html? |url-status=live }} Following this traumatic childhood and despite familial connections with the Country Party, Rudd joined the Australian Labor Party in 1972 at the age of 15.{{cite news |first=Cosima |last=Marriner |title=The lonely road to the top |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/12/08/1165081157750.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |page=33 |date=9 December 2006 |access-date=27 May 2007 |archive-date=10 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210194856/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/12/08/1165081157750.html |url-status=live }}

Rudd boarded at Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane,{{cite news |first=Cosima |last=Marriner |title=It's private – the school he wants to forget |date=27 April 2007 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/26/1177459877747.html?page=fullpage |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |page=1 |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=6 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106054945/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/26/1177459877747.html?page=fullpage |url-status=live }} although these years were not happy due to the indignity of poverty and reliance on charity; he was known to be a "charity case" due to his father's sudden death. He has since described the school as "tough, harsh, unforgiving, institutional Catholicism of the old school". Two years later, after she retrained as a nurse, Rudd's mother moved the family to Nambour, and Rudd rebuilt his standing through study and scholastic application and was dux of Nambour State High School in 1974.{{cite news |title=Genesis of an ideas man |work=The Australian |date=5 December 2006 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20876,20870748-28737,00.html |access-date=5 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071125141543/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20876,20870748-28737,00.html |archive-date=25 November 2007 |url-status=dead}} In that year, he was also the state winner of the "Youth Speaks for Australia" public speaking competition sponsored by the Jaycees.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260588272|title=Youth wins|newspaper=Noosa News|date=1 August 1974|access-date=12 July 2021|archive-date=12 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712091824/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260588272|url-status=live}} His future Treasurer Wayne Swan attended the same school at the same time, although they did not know each other as Swan was three years ahead.

Rudd studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, where he resided at Burgmann College and graduated with Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) with First-Class Honours. He majored in Chinese language and Chinese history, and became proficient in Mandarin. His Chinese name is Lù Kèwén ({{lang-zh|t=陸克文|s=陆克文}}).{{cite news |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |author=Garnaut, John |date=26 November 2007 |title=China's leaders slow to tackle inflation |url=http://business.smh.com.au/chinas-leaders-slow-to-tackle-inflation/20071125-1cqe.html?page=fullpage }}{{dead link|date=March 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}; {{cite news |title=Tough role, especially as the boss is the diplomat |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |author=McDonald, Hamish |date=1 December 2007 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/30/1196394619036.html?page=fullpage |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105215219/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/30/1196394619036.html?page=fullpage |url-status=live }}; {{cite news |location=Washington, D.C. |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/12/kevin_rudd_aka_lu_kewen.asp |title=Kevin Rudd, aka Lu Kewen |work=The Weekly Standard |author=Chou, Jennifer |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=5 December 2007 |archive-date=28 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728233850/http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/12/kevin_rudd_aka_lu_kewen.asp |url-status=dead }}; {{cite news |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/international/234328.htm |title=A man of reason and foresight takes the reins |work=China Daily |location=Beijing, China |date=4 December 2007 |access-date=18 February 2012 |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802212059/http://www.china.org.cn/english/international/234328.htm |url-status=live }} Rudd completed his BA in 1978, deferring his honours component for a year during which time he took a study trip to Taiwan. He also volunteered as a research assistant with the Zadok Institute for Christianity and at a St Vincent de Paul drug rehabilitation centre.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110598024|title=2 chosen from ACT for youth conference|newspaper=Canberra Times|date=16 September 1979|access-date=12 July 2021|archive-date=12 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712092311/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110598024|url-status=live}}

Rudd's thesis on Chinese democracy activist Wei Jingsheng{{cite news |work=PM |date=9 April 2008 |format=transcript |author=Brown, Rachel |publisher=ABC Radio |location=Australia |url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2212441.htm |title=Chinese activist puts hope in Rudd |access-date=14 April 2008 |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219041053/https://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2212441.htm |url-status=live }} was supervised by Pierre Ryckmans, the eminent Belgian-Australian sinologist.{{cite book |last=Stuart |first=Nicholas |title=Kevin Rudd: An Unauthorised Political Biography |author-link=Nicholas Stuart |year=2007 |publisher=Scribe |isbn=9781921215582}} During his studies, Rudd did housecleaning for political commentator Laurie Oakes to earn extra money.{{cite news |title=McKew impressed to the max |first=Caroline |last=Overington |author-link=Caroline Overington |work=The Australian |date=9 December 2006 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21124932-2702,00.html |access-date=4 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914165245/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21124932-2702,00.html |archive-date=14 September 2007 |url-status=dead}} In 1980 he continued his Chinese studies at the Mandarin Training Center of National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan. Delivering the 2008 Gough Whitlam Lecture at the University of Sydney on The Reforming Centre of Australian Politics, Rudd praised the former Labor Prime Minister for implementing educational reforms, saying he was:

... a kid who lived Gough Whitlam's dream that every child should have a desk with a lamp on it where he or she could study. A kid whose mum told him after the 1972 election that it might just now be possible for the likes of him to go to university. A kid from the country of no particular means and of no political pedigree who could therefore dream that one day he could make a contribution to our national political life.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/rudd-pays-tribute-to-his-hero-whitlam-20080912-4fis.html |title=Rudd pays tribute to his hero Whitlam |work=The Age |date=13 September 2008 |access-date=19 September 2010 |location=Melbourne |first=Katharine |last=Murphy |archive-date=8 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508044520/https://www.theage.com.au/national/rudd-pays-tribute-to-his-hero-whitlam-20080912-4fis.html |url-status=live }}; {{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/dithering-liberals-get-their-deserts/2008/09/12/1220857832437.html?page=2 |title=Dithering Liberals get their deserts |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=13 September 2008 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915231248/http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/dithering-liberals-get-their-deserts/2008/09/12/1220857832437.html?page=2 |url-status=live }}

Rudd joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1981 as a graduate trainee. His first posting was as Third Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Stockholm from November 1981 to December 1983 where he organised an Australian film festival, represented Australia at the Stockholm Conference on Acidification of the Environment, and reported on Soviet gas pipelines and European energy security.{{cite book|last= Weller|first= Patrick|year= 2014|title= Kevin Rudd: Twice Prime Minister|location= Melbourne|publisher= Melbourne University Press|isbn= 978-0522857481}}{{Page needed|date=January 2022}} In 1984, Rudd was appointed Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, and promoted to First Secretary in 1985, where he was responsible for analysing Politburo politics, economic reform, arms control and human rights under Ross Garnaut, David Irvine and Geoff Raby.{{Page needed|date=January 2022}} He returned to Canberra in 1987 and was assigned to the Policy Planning Branch, then the Staffing Policy Section, and was selected to serve as the Office of National Assessments Liaison Officer at the Australian High Commission in London commencing in 1989 but declined.{{cite book |last= Rudd|first= Kevin|year= 2017|title= Not for the Faint-hearted: A Personal Reflection on Life, Politics and Purpose 1957–2007|location= Sydney|publisher= Pan Macmillan|isbn= 978-1743534830}}

In 1988, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Opposition Leader in Queensland, Wayne Goss. He remained in that role when Goss was elected Premier in 1989, a position he held until 1992 when Goss appointed him Director-General of the Office of Cabinet. In this position, Rudd was arguably Queensland's most powerful bureaucrat. He presided over a number of reforms, including development of a national program for teaching foreign languages in schools. Rudd was influential in both promoting a policy of developing an Asian languages and cultures program which was unanimously accepted by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 1992 and later chaired a high-level working group which provided the foundation of the strategy in its report, which is frequently cited as "the Rudd Report".{{Cite journal |last=Henderson |first=Deborah |title=Shaping Australia's Future |journal=Asia Education Foundation News |pages=22–23 |year=2002 |url=http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00003245/01/3245.pdf |volume=11 |number=2 |access-date=29 March 2007 |archive-date=16 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616114630/http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00003245/01/3245.pdf |url-status=live }}; {{Cite book |last=Rudd |first=Kevin |year=1994 |title=Asian languages and Australia's economic future : a report prepared for the Council of Australian Governments on a proposed national Asian languages/studies strategy for Australian schools |location=Brisbane |publisher=Queensland Government Printer |isbn=978-0-7242-5767-6 }}

The Goss Government saw its majority slashed in 1995, before losing it altogether after a by-election one year later. After Goss' resignation, Rudd left the Queensland Government and was hired as a Senior China Consultant by the accounting firm KPMG Australia. While in that position, he won selection to be the Labor candidate for the seat of Griffith at the 1996 federal election. Despite being endorsed by the retiring Labor MP, Ben Humphreys,{{cite news |author=Gordon, Michael |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/17/1050172703137.html |title=One determined bastard |work=The Age |date=19 April 2003 |location=Melbourne |access-date=28 July 2010 |archive-date=18 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118112452/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/17/1050172703137.html |url-status=live }} Rudd was considerably hampered by Labor's unpopularity in Queensland, as well as a redistribution that almost halved Labor's majority. Rudd was defeated by Liberal Graeme McDougall on the eighth count as Labor won only two seats in Queensland. Rudd stood in the same seat against McDougall in the 1998 election, this time winning on the fifth count.

File:Rudd4-enhanced.JPG

Rudd made his maiden speech to the House of Representatives as the new Member for the Division of Griffith on 11 November 1998.{{cite web|author=Kevin Rudd |title=First Speech to Parliament |publisher=Parliament of Australia |date=11 November 1998 |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/firstspeech.asp?id=83T |access-date=3 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223222531/http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/firstspeech.asp?id=83T |archive-date=23 December 2007 }} It drew heavily his personal experience of poverty to argue for the need for strong social security, public hospitals, and public housing.{{Cite web |date=6 June 2010 |title=We need to talk about Kevin ... Rudd, that is |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

Following Labor's defeat in the 2001 federal election, Rudd was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet and appointed Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.{{cite Au Parliament |name=Hon Kevin Rudd MP |mpid=83T |access-date=7 November 2021}} In 2002, he met with British intelligence and helped define the position that Labor would take in regards to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

There is no debate or dispute as to whether Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. He does. There's no dispute as whether he's in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. He is.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s685074.htm |title=Lateline – 24/9/2002: Labor to decide position on Iraq attack. Australian Broadcasting Corp |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=24 September 2002 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212124140/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s685074.htm |archive-date=12 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}

After the fall of Saddam Hussein he would criticise the Howard government over its support for the United States, while maintaining Labor's position of support for the Australian-American alliance.

Well, what Secretary Powell and the US seems to have said is that he now has grave doubts about the accuracy of the case he put to the United Nations about the claim that Iraq possessed biological weapons laboratories – the so-called mobile trailers. And here in Australia, that formed also part of the government's argument on the war. I think what it does is it adds to the fabric of how the Australian people were misled about the reasons for going to war.{{cite web

|title = Interview: Shadow Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd

|work = Transcripts by category: Politics

|publisher = Seven Network

|date = 4 April 2004

|url = http://seven.com.au/sundaysunrise/politics_040404_rudd

|access-date = 4 December 2006

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060829155625/http://seven.com.au/sundaysunrise/politics_040404_rudd

|archive-date = 29 August 2006

|url-status = dead}}

Rudd's policy experience and parliamentary performances during the Iraq War made him one of the best-known Labor members. When Labor Leader Simon Crean was challenged by his predecessor Kim Beazley, Rudd did not publicly commit himself to either candidate.{{cite web

|publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation

|title = Lateline

|date = 7 June 2003

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2003/s874357.htm

|access-date = 9 December 2006

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071017042503/http://abc.net.au/lateline/content/2003/s874357.htm

|archive-date = 17 October 2007

|url-status = dead}} When Crean resigned, Rudd was considered a possible candidate for the Labor leadership,{{cite web

|title = Beazley, Latham, Rudd in ALP leadership line-up

|first = Catherine

|last = McGrath

|publisher = AM

|date = 28 November 2003

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2003/s999123.htm

|access-date = 9 December 2006

|archive-date = 17 October 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071017042458/http://abc.net.au/am/content/2003/s999123.htm

|url-status = live

}} however he announced that he would not run in the leadership ballot, and would instead vote for Kim Beazley.

Rudd was predicted by some commentators to be demoted or moved as a result of his support for Beazley following the election of Mark Latham as Leader, but he retained his portfolio. Relations between Latham and Rudd deteriorated during 2004, especially after Latham made his pledge to withdraw all Australian forces from Iraq by Christmas 2004 without consulting Rudd.{{cite web

|title = Howard on front foot over troops

|first = Michael

|last = Brissenden

|publisher = The 7.30 Report

|date = 30 March 2004

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1077381.htm

|access-date = 9 December 2006

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071017042443/http://abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1077381.htm

|archive-date = 17 October 2007

|url-status = dead}} After Latham failed to win the 2004 federal election, Rudd was again spoken of as a possible alternative leader, although he disavowed any intention of challenging Latham.

When Latham suddenly resigned in January 2005, Rudd was in Indonesia and refused to say whether he would be a candidate for the Labor leadership.{{cite news

|title = Rudd to end suspense tomorrow

|work = The Age

|date = 23 January 2005

|url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Rudd-to-end-suspense-tomorrow/2005/01/23/1106415441552.html

|access-date = 9 December 2006

|location = Melbourne

|archive-date = 14 June 2006

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060614074600/http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Rudd-to-end-suspense-tomorrow/2005/01/23/1106415441552.html

|url-status = live

}} After returning from Indonesia, Rudd announced that he would again not contest the leadership, and Beazley was subsequently elected unopposed. Following this, Rudd was given expanded responsibilities in the Shadow Cabinet, retaining his role as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and also becoming the Shadow Minister for Trade.

File:Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.JPG at their first press conference as Leader and Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party, 4 December 2006]]

Following opinion polls indicating that voter support for Rudd as Labor Leader was higher than for Beazley, speculation mounted that Rudd would challenge Beazley for the leadership. One particular poll in November 2006 indicated that support for Labor would double if Rudd was to become Leader.{{cite web

|title = Federal voting intention and leaders' ratings

|date = 30 November 2006

|work = The Australian

|url = http://polling.newspoll.com.au.tmp.anchor.net.au/image_uploads/1204%20Fed.pdf

|access-date = 4 December 2006

|archive-date = 11 March 2014

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140311053849/http://polling.newspoll.com.au.tmp.anchor.net.au/image_uploads/1204%20Fed.pdf

|url-status = dead

}} On 1 December 2006, Beazley called a leadership election. Rudd announced his candidacy for the leadership hours later.{{cite news

| title = Rudd, Gillard confirm challenge

| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-gillard-confirm-challenge/2006/12/01/1164777759776.html

| newspaper = The Sydney Morning Herald

| date = 1 December 2006

| access-date = 11 March 2014

| archive-date = 31 May 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140531104727/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-gillard-confirm-challenge/2006/12/01/1164777759776.html

| url-status = live

}}{{cite web

|title = Rudd, Beazley to lobby colleagues

|date = 2 December 2006

|publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-12-02/rudd-beazley-to-lobby-colleagues/2143478

|access-date = 11 March 2014

|archive-date = 12 March 2014

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140312063414/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-12-02/rudd-beazley-to-lobby-colleagues/2143478

|url-status = live

}} On 4 December, Rudd was elected Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition with 49 votes to Beazley's 39. Julia Gillard was subsequently elected unopposed as Deputy Leader after Jenny Macklin resigned.{{cite news

|title = Rudd ousts Beazley

|work = The Age

|date = 4 December 2006

|url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-ousts-beazley/2006/12/04/1165080846679.html

|access-date = 4 December 2006

|location = Melbourne

|archive-date = 10 December 2006

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061210133643/http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-ousts-beazley/2006/12/04/1165080846679.html

|url-status = live

}}

File:Pollchart-tpp-event.svg polling during the last term of the Howard government; Rudd became Labor Leader in December 2006.]]

At his first press conference as Labor Leader, having thanked Beazley and Macklin, Rudd said he would offer a "new style of leadership" and would be an "alternative, not just an echo" of the Howard government. He outlined the areas of industrial relations, the war in Iraq, climate change, Australian federalism, social justice and the future of Australia's manufacturing industry as major policy concerns. Rudd also stressed his long experience in state government and also as a diplomat and in business before entering federal politics.{{cite web

|title=Press Conference

|date=4 December 2006

|publisher=Australian Labor Party

|url=http://www.alp.org.au/media/1206/pcloo040.php

|access-date=4 December 2006

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206020206/http://www.alp.org.au/media/1206/pcloo040.php

|archive-date=6 December 2006

|url-status=dead}}

Rudd and the Labor Party soon overtook the Howard government in both party and leadership polling. Rudd maintained a high media profile with major announcements on an "education revolution",{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-vows-education-revolution/2007/01/22/1169330827940.html |title=Rudd vows education revolution |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 January 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124175607/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-vows-education-revolution/2007/01/22/1169330827940.html |url-status=live }} federalism,{{cite news |author=Matthew Franklin |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20879481-2702,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911181452/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20879481-2702,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 September 2012 |title=Rudd calls on states to corner PM |work=The Australian |date=6 December 2006 |access-date=25 April 2010 }} climate change,{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-unveils-climate-change-blueprint/2007/03/31/1174761799176.html |title=Rudd unveils climate change blueprint |work=The Age |date=31 March 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |location=Melbourne |archive-date=12 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212121751/http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-unveils-climate-change-blueprint/2007/03/31/1174761799176.html |url-status=live }} a National Broadband Network,{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/wireless--broadband/labors-47-billion-broadband-plan/2007/03/21/1174153131586.html |title=Labor's $4.7 billion broadband plan |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=21 March 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=10 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410191701/http://www.smh.com.au/news/wireless--broadband/labors-47-billion-broadband-plan/2007/03/21/1174153131586.html |url-status=live }} and the domestic car industry.

In March 2007, the government raised questions over a series of meetings Rudd had had with former West Australian Labor Premier Brian Burke during 2005, alleging that Rudd had been attempting to use Burke's influence to become Labor leader (after losing office, Burke had spent time in prison before returning to politics as a lobbyist).{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1860887.htm |title=7.30 Report – 01/03/2007: Rudd under fire over Burke meetings |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=1 August 2005 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704072358/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1860887.htm |url-status=live }}; {{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/27/1172338625209.html |title=The strife of Brian – In Depth |newspaper=The Age |date=28 February 2007 |access-date=8 June 2010 |location=Melbourne |first=David |last=Cohen |archive-date=28 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228210956/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/27/1172338625209.html |url-status=live }} Rudd said that this had not been the purpose of the three meetings and said that they had been arranged by his colleague Graham Edwards, the Member for Cowan.{{cite news |last=Franklin |first=Matthew |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/pm-admits-to-dodging-dinner/story-e6frfkw9-1111115587221 |title=Kevin Rudd admits to dodging Brian Burke dinner |work=News.com.au |date=19 February 2008 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=26 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126181729/http://www.news.com.au/national/pm-admits-to-dodging-dinner/story-e6frfkw9-1111115587221 |url-status=dead }}

From 2002, Rudd appeared regularly in interviews and topical discussions on the popular breakfast television program Sunrise, along with Liberal MP Joe Hockey. This was credited with helping to raise Rudd's public profile even further.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/act/content/2006/s1803326.htm |title=Rudd Challenge |first=Michael |last=Brissenden |work=Stateline Canberra|publisher=ABC |date=1 December 2006 |access-date=4 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017042540/http://abc.net.au/stateline/act/content/2006/s1803326.htm |archive-date=17 October 2007 |url-status=dead}} Rudd and Hockey ended their joint appearances in April 2007, citing the increasing political pressures of an election year.{{cite news |title=Sunrise spots too hard: Rudd |date=16 April 2007 |publisher=News Ltd |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,4057,21563847-2,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213022554/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C4057%2C21563847-2%2C00.html |archive-date=13 February 2009}}

On 19 August 2007, it was revealed that Rudd, while on a visit to New York City as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, had visited a strip club in September 2003, with New York Post editor Col Allan and Labor MP Warren Snowdon. By way of explanation, Rudd said: "I had had too much to drink, I have no recollection, and nor does Mr Snowdon, of any incident occurring at the nightclub – or of being asked to leave...it is our recollection that we left within about an hour".{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudds-strip-club-visit/2007/08/19/1187462058476.html |title=Rudd's Strip Club Visit |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=19 August 2007 |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830175935/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudds-strip-club-visit/2007/08/19/1187462058476.html |url-status=live }}; {{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/21/2010489.htm |title=Rudd in strip joint: 'Oh no, this won't do' |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=21 August 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=7 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407230258/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/21/2010489.htm |url-status=dead }} The incident generated a lot of media coverage, but made no impact on Rudd's popularity in the polls.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2010353.htm |title=Rudd avoids poll slide after strip club revelations |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=20 August 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=4 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404050512/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2010353.htm |url-status=live }} Some believe the incident may have enabled Rudd to appear "more human" and lifted his popularity.{{cite news |last=Mennie |first=Sarah |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,22023,22278944-5000112,00.html |title=Rudd on last chance |work=News.com.au |date=21 August 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=9 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309152236/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,22023,22278944-5000112,00.html |url-status=live }}

{{Main|2007 Australian federal election}}

File:RuddWins.jpg announcing Rudd's win, 25 November 2007]]

Electoral writs were issued for the 2007 federal election on 17 October 2007. On 21 October, Rudd faced incumbent Prime Minister John Howard in a television debate, where he was judged by most media analysts to have performed strongly.{{cite news|last=Heywood |first=Lachlan |title=Worm turns against Howard |work=news.com.au |date=21 October 2007 |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22624834-952,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023031645/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0%2C23739%2C22624834-952%2C00.html |archive-date=23 October 2007 }}

On 14 November, Rudd officially launched the Labor Party's election campaign with a policy of fiscal restraint, usually considered the electoral strength of the opposing Liberal Party. Rudd proposed Labor spending measures totalling $2.3 billion, contrasting them to $9.4 billion Rudd claimed the Liberals had promised, declaring: "Today, I am saying loud and clear that this sort of reckless spending must stop."[http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2091167.htm Rudd warns of Howard's 'reckless spending'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125103042/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2091167.htm |date=25 January 2009 }} – Lateline transcript[http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/rudd-undercuts-howard-this-sort-of-reckless-spending-must-stop/283816.aspx?storypage=1 Rudd undercuts Howard 'This sort of reckless spending must stop'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027210723/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/rudd-undercuts-howard-this-sort-of-reckless-spending-must-stop/283816.aspx?storypage=1 |date=27 October 2011 }} – Canberra Times; Laurie Oakes [http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2008/11/24/40281_opinion.html Rudd calm in the crisis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721134003/http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2008/11/24/40281_opinion.html |date=21 July 2011 }} – The Mercury, 24 November 2008

The election was held on 24 November, and was won overwhelmingly by Labor. The result was dubbed a 'Ruddslide' by the media and was underpinned by the considerable support from Rudd's home state of Queensland, with the state result recording a two-party preferred swing of 7.53%.{{cite news |title=Qld support underpins Rudd's landslide |publisher=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2007/11/25/2100641.htm |date=25 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206213010/http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2007/11/25/2100641.htm |archive-date=6 February 2009 }}; {{cite news

| title = Qld set at battle ground for federal election

| publisher = The 7.30 Report

| url = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1867103.htm

| date = 8 March 2007

| access-date = 17 December 2007

| archive-date = 3 November 2007

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071103011914/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1867103.htm

| url-status = live

}} The overall swing was 5.44% from the Liberals to Labor, the third largest swing at a federal election since two party estimates began in 1949.

As foreshadowed during the election campaign, on 29 November Rudd announced the members of his Government (see First Rudd Ministry), breaking with more than a century of Labor tradition whereby the frontbench was elected by the Labor caucus, with the leader then given the right to allocate portfolios.{{cite news

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/29/2046939.htm

|title = Rudd seizes power from factions

|author = Ben Worsley

|work = ABC News

|publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation

|date = 29 September 2007

|access-date = 29 November 2007

|archive-date = 6 February 2009

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090206204444/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/29/2046939.htm

|url-status = dead

}}{{cite news

|title = Rudd hands out portfolios

|publisher = ABC News

|date = 29 November 2007

|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/29/2105169.htm

|access-date = 29 November 2007

|archive-date = 8 February 2011

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110208111130/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/29/2105169.htm

|url-status = dead

}}

{{Main|Rudd government (2007–2010)}}

File:Kevin Rudd official portrait.jpg

On 3 December 2007, Rudd was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Australia by governor-general Michael Jeffery.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2007/12/03/2107673.htm |title=Kevin Rudd sworn in as Prime Minister |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=12 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212125808/http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2007/12/03/2107673.htm |url-status=live }} Rudd was the first Labor Prime Minister since Paul Keating left office in 1996, and the first to make no mention of the monarch when taking his oath of office. He also became only the second Queenslander to lead his party to a federal election victory (the first being Andrew Fisher in 1910) and was the first prime minister since the Second World War not to have come from either New South Wales or Victoria.{{cite web |url=http://australianpolitics.com/2007/12/03/kevin-rudd-sworn-in-as-australias-26th-prime-minister.shtml |title=Kevin Rudd Sworn in As Australia's 26th Prime Minister |work=Australian Politics |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=23 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523225605/http://australianpolitics.com/2007/12/03/kevin-rudd-sworn-in-as-australias-26th-prime-minister.shtml |url-status=live }}

Early initiatives of the Rudd government included the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, a Parliamentary Apology to the Stolen Generations and the 2020 Summit in April 2008.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/03/2108345.htm |title=Rudd signs Kyoto ratification document |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=11 September 2010 |archive-date=7 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207041816/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/03/2108345.htm |url-status=dead }} Other achievements of the Rudd government included keeping Australia out of recession during the 2008 financial crisis, commencing the rollout of the National Broadband Network, the introduction of nationwide early childhood education, the development of a national Australian Curriculum for schools, the construction of 20 cancer clinics around regional Australia, and paid parental leave.{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudd-s-successes-and-failures-20100624-ivaju|title=Kevin Rudd's successes and failures|work=Australian Financial Review|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=27 June 2010|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111211726/https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudd-s-successes-and-failures-20100624-ivaju|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/04/13/2871216.htm|title=$9.1 million for Lismore Base Hospital|work=ABC News (Australia)|date=13 April 2010|accessdate=15 April 2010|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029132007/https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/04/13/2871216.htm|url-status=live}} Rudd was named as one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2008.{{cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733757_1735719,00.html|title=The 2008 TIME 100|magazine=Time|first=Cate|last=Blanchett|authorlink=Cate Blanchett|date=12 May 2008|access-date=29 October 2021|page=10|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020205952/http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733757_1735719,00.html|url-status=live}}

During his first two years in office, Rudd set records for popularity in Newspoll opinion polling, maintaining very high approval ratings.{{cite news |agency=Australian Associated Press |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23237839-2,00.html |title=Brendan Nelson's record low approval rating |work=News.com.au |date=19 February 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215185108/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C23599%2C23237839-2%2C00.html |archive-date=15 February 2009}}; {{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23315143-5013947,00.html |title=Nelson defends record low poll figures |work=The Australian |date=4 March 2008 }} By 2010, however, Rudd's approval ratings had begun to drop significantly, with controversies arising over the management of the 2008 financial crisis, the Senate refusal to pass the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, policies on asylum seekers and a debate over a proposed "super profits" tax on the mining industry.{{cite news |author=Rodgers, Emma |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/10/2895483.htm |title=MPs challenge Rudd over backflips, bad polls |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=10 May 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=14 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614071008/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/10/2895483.htm |url-status=dead }}

On 23 June 2010, following lengthy media speculation, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard publicly asked that a leadership election be held. Rudd announced a leadership election for the following day.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/23/2935356.htm |title=Gillard requests leadership spill |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=23 June 2010 |access-date=23 June 2010 |archive-date=25 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625130457/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/23/2935356.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-leadership-hangs-by-a-thread-20100623-yywa.html |title=Rudd's leadership hangs by a thread |last=Coorey |first=Philip |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 June 2010 |access-date=23 June 2010 |archive-date=25 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625002807/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-leadership-hangs-by-a-thread-20100623-yywa.html |url-status=live }}

In opposition, Rudd made combatting climate change a key priority for the Labor Party, proposing an emissions trading scheme and setting an ambitious long term target of a cut to greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before 2050.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-lays-out-his-platform-as-claytons-election-campaign-rolls-on/2007/03/08/1173166895544.html |title=Rudd lays out his platform as Clayton's election campaign rolls on |work=The Age |date=9 March 2007 |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162304/https://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-lays-out-his-platform-as-claytons-election-campaign-rolls-on/2007/03/08/1173166895544.html |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web|url=http://australianpolitics.com/2007/03/08/rudd-commit-to-emissions-trading-regime.html|title=Kevin Rudd's speech to The Global Foundation in Melbourne|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|date=8 March 2007|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=30 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630124049/http://australianpolitics.com/2007/03/08/rudd-commit-to-emissions-trading-regime.html|url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s1938274.htm|title=Howard, Rudd step up climate change debate|last=Gilmore|first=Narda|date=30 May 2007|work=Lateline|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=31 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731040325/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s1938274.htm|url-status=live}} He also released a plan before the election to require 20% of Australia's electricity to be generated from renewable power sources.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/federalelection2007environment/rudds-renewable-2020-vision/2007/10/30/1193618883930.html?page=fullpage|title=Rudd's renewable 2020 vision|last1=Davis|first1=Mark|last2=Wilkinson|first2=Marian|date=31 October 2007|work=The Age|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163509/https://www.smh.com.au/news/federalelection2007environment/rudds-renewable-2020-vision/2007/10/30/1193618883930.html?page=fullpage|url-status=dead}} Prior to the election, Paul Kelly wrote that Rudd had "enshrined climate change as the new moral passion for the Labor Party in a way that recalled Ben Chifley's invocation of the Light on the Hill".{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/green-light-on-the-hill-is-hard-to-miss/story-e6frg74x-1111113277884|title=(Opinion) Green light on the hill is hard to miss|last=Kelly|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Kelly (journalist)|date=4 April 2007|work=The Australian|access-date=28 May 2016}}

The first official act of the Rudd government, on 3 December 2007, was to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/rudd-signs-kyoto-deal/2007/12/03/1196530553203.html |title=Australia ratifies Kyoto Protocol |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=3 December 2007 |archive-date=4 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204063020/http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/rudd-signs-kyoto-deal/2007/12/03/1196530553203.html |url-status=live }} Rudd attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2007 just ten days after being sworn in.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/rudds-address-to-the-un-conference/story-e6frg6no-1111115095965|title=Rudd's address to the UN conference|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|date=12 December 2007|work=The Australian|access-date=28 May 2016}} In February 2008, the Prime Minister told Parliament that "the costs of inaction on climate change are much greater than the costs of action" and that "Australia must... seize the opportunity now to become a leader globally".{{Cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia |house=House of Representatives |title=Questions Without Notice: Climate Change |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2008-02-21%2F0057%22 |date=21 February 2008 |page=1147 |speaker=Kevin Rudd |position=Prime Minister }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814182829/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22chamber/hansardr/2008-02-21/0057%22 |date=14 August 2016 }} In the 2008 budget, the Rudd government set out its climate agenda which included an emissions trading scheme and a number of renewable energy, energy efficiency and research, development and demonstration (RD&D) programs.{{cite web|url=https://circabc.europa.eu/webdav/CircaBC/MARE/steccostclimat/Library/country_information/outside_europe/Australie%20budget%20overview.pdf|title=Climate Change Budget Overview 2008–09|author=Department of Climate Change|year=2008|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=25 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625001318/https://circabc.europa.eu/webdav/CircaBC/MARE/steccostclimat/Library/country_information/outside_europe/Australie%20budget%20overview.pdf|url-status=live}}

File:2009 Summit on Climate Change (4345809406).jpg summit on climate change, September 2009]]

Rudd established the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology globally and the sharing of information. The institute was launched in a joint press conference with US President Barack Obama and Rudd at the Major Economies Forum in Italy in 2009. Obama said the partnership aimed to double the amount of investment in research and development needed to make alternative technologies viable and "points to the ability for us to pool our resources in order to see the technological breakthroughs necessary in order for us to solve this problem."{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-07-10/rudd-takes-centre-stage-in-climate-talks/1347928|title=Rudd takes centre stage in climate talks|work=ABC Online|date=10 July 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=3 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803195617/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-07-10/rudd-takes-centre-stage-in-climate-talks/1347928|url-status=live}} The Institute received international support with 15 governments and more than 40 major companies and industry groups signing on as foundation members.{{cite news|url=http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/institute/media-centre/media-releases/launch-global-ccs-institute|title=Launch of the Global CCS Institute (media release)|author=Global CCS Institute|date=16 April 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625024117/http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/institute/media-centre/media-releases/launch-global-ccs-institute|archive-date=25 June 2016}}

The Rudd government committed significant resources to renewable energy. Legislation for an expanded Renewable Energy Target was passed in August 2009, expanding it from 9,500 GWh by 2010 to 45,000 GWh by 2020 and introducing a 'solar credits' multiplier to provide an additional incentive for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems.{{cite news|url=http://www.ags.gov.au/publications/express-law/el105.htm|title=Parliament passes new renewable energy target|author=Australian Government Solicitor|work=Express Law|date=31 August 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204942/http://ags.gov.au/publications/express-law/el105.htm|url-status=dead}}

The Rudd government sought to introduce an emissions trading scheme to tackle climate change in Australia and embarked on a thorough policy development process involving the Garnaut Review led by its climate change adviser, Ross Garnaut, followed by a green paper on ETS design issues, Treasury modelling to inform mitigation target decisions and a final white paper, which would be published in December 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.climatechange.gov.au/publications/cprs/white-paper/cprs-whitepaper.aspx |work=Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency |title=Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme: Australia's Low Pollution Future |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date= 15 December 2008 |access-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107052620/http://www.climatechange.gov.au/publications/cprs/white-paper/cprs-whitepaper.aspx |archive-date=7 January 2010 }} The White Paper included a plan to introduce an emissions trading scheme in 2010, known as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, and gave a target range for Australia's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 of between 5% and 15% less than 2000 levels. However, the ultimate legislation was frustrated in the Australian Senate — with the Liberal Party, Nationals and Australian Greens voting against it, the Senate rejected it on 13 August 2009. Rudd and key Labor ministers worked with the Liberals under opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull, who personally supported action on emissions, to achieve compromise on details of the scheme and gain their support.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2009/s2737676.htm|title=Malcolm and the Malcontents|work=Four Corners|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|last=Ferguson|first=Sarah|date=9 November 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032751/http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2009/s2737676.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} On 1 December 2009, Turnbull was replaced in a leadership spill called over the issue, by ETS opponent Tony Abbott, and the following day, the Senate voted against the revised package of bills.{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Statistics/Senate_StatsNet/legislation/negatived/2009|title=Bills negatived or discharged from the Notice Paper 2009|author=Parliament of Australia|year=2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=29 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629183636/http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Statistics/Senate_StatsNet/legislation/negatived/2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-win-dooms-the-ets-20091201-k45k.html|title=Abbott win dooms the ETS|last=Grattan|first=Michelle|author-link=Michelle Grattan|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 December 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=16 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116173020/http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-win-dooms-the-ets-20091201-k45k.html|url-status=live}} Rudd criticised the Liberals heavily for their refusal to support the legislation ("What absolute political cowardice, what absolute failure of leadership, what absolute failure of logic ..."){{cite news |author=van Onselen, Peter |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/politics-trumps-a-moral-challenge/story-e6frg6z6-1225859592923 |title=Politics trumps a moral challenge |work=The Australian |date=29 April 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=21 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621140822/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/politics-trumps-a-moral-challenge/story-e6frg6z6-1225859592923 |url-status=live }} but in April 2010 announced that the Government would delay implementing an emissions trading scheme until 2011.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2010/s2883294.htm |work=AM ABC Radio |title=Rudd puts ETS on backburner |date=27 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=29 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100629211454/http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2010/s2883294.htm |url-status=live }}File:President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd attend the leaders' lunch during the G-20.jpg at a G20 meeting, September 2009]]Rudd personally committed himself to international action on climate change in the lead-up to the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009. Ahead of the summit, he convened a meeting of leaders at the 2009 APEC conference in Singapore which brought together the leaders of China, the United States, Japan and Denmark for the first time to discuss their respective positions. Rudd announced financial help for small island states affected by climate change at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009 and used the meeting to rally support for the Copenhagen summit.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/environment/rudd-plan-to-help-small-islands-hit-by-rising-seas-20091127-jwwg.html|title=Rudd plan to help small islands hit by rising seas|last=Davies|first=Anne|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 November 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=27 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027150036/http://www.smh.com.au/environment/rudd-plan-to-help-small-islands-hit-by-rising-seas-20091127-jwwg.html|url-status=live}} Rudd played a key role in Copenhagen in delivering an accord despite the wide divergence of views among advanced and emerging economies. Gordon Brown, the then-prime minister of the United Kingdom, said of Rudd at Copenhagen: "Kevin stood up to those who wanted to say 'no' on climate change ... The fact we got a Copenhagen declaration which has now led to the next stage ... is in no small measure due to him."Brown in The Killing Season (2015), as quoted by [https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-killing-season-exposes-australias-malicious-media,7869] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427122649/https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-killing-season-exposes-australias-malicious-media,7869|date=27 April 2016}} However, the perceived weakness of the Copenhagen accord in setting binding targets impacted upon the momentum towards an emissions trading scheme at home.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/come-clean-on-targets-rudd-told-20091221-la2h.html|title=Come clean on targets, Rudd told|last=Arup|first=Tom|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=21 December 2009|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=11 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911191454/https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/come-clean-on-targets-rudd-told-20091221-la2h.html|url-status=live}} Rudd reflected later that "we all failed... though not for want of effort from many of us."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/opinion/kevin-rudd-paris-cant-be-another-copenhagen.html|title=Paris can't be another Copenhagen|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|work=The New York Times|date=25 May 2015|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-date=3 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203110636/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/opinion/kevin-rudd-paris-cant-be-another-copenhagen.html|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Stolen Generations}}

File:RuddSorry.jpg, Melbourne, apologising to the stolen generations|left]]

As the parliament's first order of business, on 13 February 2008, Rudd gave a national apology to Indigenous Australians for the stolen generations. The apology, for the policies of successive parliaments and governments, passed unanimously as a motion by both houses of parliament.{{cite web

|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/apology/

|title=The Apology: ABC News

|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation

|date=16 February 2008

|access-date=11 September 2010

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010123643/http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/apology/

|archive-date=10 October 2010

}}; {{cite web

|url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2008-02-13%2F0003%22

|title=Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples

|publisher=Australian Parliament

|date=13 February 2008

|access-date=16 April 2016

|archive-date=7 April 2016

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407214819/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22chamber/hansardr/2008-02-13/0003%22

|url-status=live

}}; {{cite news

|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760345721.html

|title=Tears in Melbourne as PM delivers apology

|work=The Age

|date=13 February 2008

|access-date=13 February 2008

|first1=Matthew

|last1=Burgess

|first2=Reko

|last2=Rennie

|archive-date=4 January 2009

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104133000/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760345721.html

|url-status=live

}}; {{cite web

|url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/indigenous_background/photographs.html

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002093413/http://www.dfat.gov.au/indigenous_background/photographs.html

|archive-date=2 October 2008

|title=Speech by Kevin Rudd to the Parliament: 13 February 2008

|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

|access-date=21 November 2016

}}; {{cite news

|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/13/2161452.htm

|title=Thousands greet Stolen Generations apology

|work=ABC News Online

|publisher=ABC

|date=13 February 2008

|access-date=13 February 2008

|archive-date=20 February 2008

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220220530/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/13/2161452.htm

|url-status=dead

}}; {{cite news

|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-02-13/cheers-tears-as-rudd-says-sorry/1041628

|title=Cheers, tears as Rudd says 'sorry'

|work=ABC Online

|date=13 February 2008

|access-date=16 April 2016

|archive-date=3 May 2016

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503193122/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-02-13/cheers-tears-as-rudd-says-sorry/1041628

|url-status=live

}} Rudd pledged the government to bridging the gap between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian health, education and living conditions, and in a way that respects their rights to self-determination.{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/13/2161776.htm | title=Govt promises action after apology | work=ABC News | publisher=ABC | date=13 February 2008 | access-date=13 February 2008 | archive-date=17 February 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217023609/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/13/2161776.htm | url-status=dead }}; {{Cite news

| last = Calma

| first = Tom

| title = UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Australia should sign

| work = Koori Mail

| issue = 435

| page = 27

| date = 24 September 2008

| publisher = Budsoar

| place = Lismore, NSW}} During meetings held in December 2007 and March 2008 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) adopted six targets to improve the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians over the next five to twenty years. As of 2016, there have been eight Closing the Gap Reports presented to Parliament, providing data in areas that previously had none and updates on progress.{{cite web|url=http://closingthegap.dpmc.gov.au/|title=Closing the Gap: Prime Minister's Report 2016|author=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet|year=2016|access-date=16 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211092719/http://closingthegap.dpmc.gov.au/|archive-date=11 February 2016|url-status=dead}}

Since leaving politics, Rudd has established the Australian National Apology Foundation, as foreshadowed in his final speech to Parliament, to continue to promote reconciliation and closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/kevin-rudd-announces-national-apology-foundation-20140207-326cl.html|title=Kevin Rudd announces National Apology Foundation|last=Atfield|first=Cameron|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=7 February 2014|access-date=16 April 2016|archive-date=4 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104191102/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/kevin-rudd-announces-national-apology-foundation-20140207-326cl.html|url-status=live}} He has contributed $100,000 to the Foundation and to kickstart fundraising for a National Apology Chair at the Australian National University.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/11/11/rudd-close-the-gap_n_8530528.html|title=Kevin Rudd Announces Donation To Establish 'Close The Gap' Chair at ANU|work=Huffington Post Australia|date=11 November 2015|access-date=16 April 2016|archive-date=25 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425035914/http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/11/11/rudd-close-the-gap_n_8530528.html|url-status=live}}; {{cite news|url=http://www.anu.edu.au/giving/news-updates/former-pm-rudd-donates-100000-to-anu-apology-chair|title=Former PM Rudd donates $100,000 to ANU Apology Chair (media release)|publisher=Australian National University|date=11 November 2015|access-date=16 April 2016|archive-date=27 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427024823/http://www.anu.edu.au/giving/news-updates/former-pm-rudd-donates-100000-to-anu-apology-chair|url-status=live}}

{{see also|2008 Australian federal budget|2009 Australian federal budget}}File:Cumbre de Washington.jpg on Financial Markets and the World Economy|220x220px]]

The Rudd government's economic policy response to the 2008 financial crisis has been cited as an effective international model and described by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz as "one of the strongest Keynesian stimulus packages in the world" that "helped Australia avoid recession and saved up to 200,000 jobs".{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/comment/australia-you-dont-know-how-good-youve-got-it-20130901-2sytb.html|last=Stiglitz|first=Joseph|author-link=Joseph Stiglitz|title=Australia, you don't know how good you've got it|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 September 2013|access-date=5 April 2016|archive-date=2 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402213338/http://www.smh.com.au/comment/australia-you-dont-know-how-good-youve-got-it-20130901-2sytb.html|url-status=live}} Following the start of the 2008 financial crisis, increased exports and consumer spending stimulated by the Rudd government's intervention helped the Australian economy avoid recession in 2009. Australia was the only western economy to do so.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8080446.stm|title=Australia able to avoid recession|date=3 June 2009|publisher=BBC News (Business)|access-date=5 April 2016|archive-date=26 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126164029/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8080446.stm|url-status=live}} Internationally, Kevin Rudd helped lead efforts to make the G20 the most influential global forum coordinating policies to counter the global impact of the crisis.{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Andrew F. |author-link1= Andrew F. Cooper |year= 2014 |chapter= The Group of Twenty: Input and Output Legitimacy, Reforms and Agenda |editor1-last= Kawai |editor1-first= Masahiro |editor2-last= Morgan |editor2-first= Peter J. |editor3-last= Rana |editor3-first= Pradumna B. |title= New Global Economic Architecture: The Asian Perspective |publisher= Edward Elgar Publishing |pages= 27–54 |doi= 10.4337/9781783472208 |isbn= 9781783472192 }}

In his first speech to Parliament in 1998, Rudd outlined his belief in the need for governments to take an active role in the economy, particularly to assure equality of opportunity.{{cite web|url=http://australianpolitics.com/1998/11/11/kevin-rudd-maiden-speech.html|date=11 November 1998|title=Kevin Rudd (ALP-Griffith) – Maiden Speech|publisher=AustralianPolitics.com|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404062738/http://australianpolitics.com/1998/11/11/kevin-rudd-maiden-speech.html|url-status=live}} He affirmed his general belief in competitive markets, but repudiated neoliberalism and free market economists such as Friedrich Hayek, saying governments must regulate markets and intervene where they fail.{{cite web|first=Kevin |last=Rudd |title=What's Wrong with the Right |date=16 November 2006 |url=http://www.labour.com.au/media/1106/spefaistra160.php |access-date=15 January 2008 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}; {{cite news | first=Peter | last=Hartcher | title=Howard's warriors sweep all before them | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=14 October 2006 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/howards-warriors-sweep-all-before-them/2006/10/13/1160246325222.html?page=fullpage | access-date=4 December 2006 | archive-date=17 October 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017032744/http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/howards-warriors-sweep-all-before-them/2006/10/13/1160246325222.html?page=fullpage | url-status=live }} Upon becoming leader in December 2006, he promised an economic policy with two arms to its philosophy and practice: rewarding hard work and achievement, but with a guarantee of fairness and social justice.{{cite news | title = New Labor Leader Outlines Plan | work = The 7.30 Report | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date = 4 December 2006 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1804034.htm?page=fullpage | access-date = 13 April 2016 | archive-date = 4 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032142/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1804034.htm?page=fullpage | url-status = live }}

On election to office prior to the 2008 financial crisis, the Rudd government announced a five-point plan to combat inflation.{{cite news|url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/kevin-rudd-s-plan-fight-inflation|title=Kevin Rudd's plan to fight inflation|last=Dixon|first=John|date=22 January 2008|work=National Business Review (NZ)|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424181806/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/kevin-rudd-s-plan-fight-inflation|archive-date=24 April 2016|url-status=dead}} The first budget of the Rudd government was delivered by Treasurer Wayne Swan in May 2008 and a projected surplus of $21.7 billion was announced.{{cite web|url=http://business.smh.com.au/swan-confident-stockpile-will-help-fight-inflation-20080513-2dup.html|title=Swan confident stockpile will help fight inflation|last=Murdoch|first=Scott|date=14 May 2008|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=17 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517152517/http://business.smh.com.au/swan-confident-stockpile-will-help-fight-inflation-20080513-2dup.html|url-status=dead}} In line with Rudd's explanation of his economic philosophy on taking office, his government intervened early as the global recession began to take hold by guaranteeing bank deposits and announcing two stimulatory spending packages.{{cite web |author=Emma Rodgers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/21/2548591.htm?section=business |title=RBA Governor confirms recession |publisher=ABC Online |date=21 April 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221215203/https://www.abc.net.au/news |url-status=dead }}; {{cite web |author=Emma Rodgers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/26/2430344.htm |title=Budget may be forced into deficit: Rudd |publisher=ABC Online |date=26 November 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=12 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212122525/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/26/2430344.htm |url-status=dead }} The first was worth $10.4 billion and announced in late 2008, and included measures such as lump sum payments for low to middle income earners, increasing the first homebuyers' bonus, doubling training places and fast-tracking a national infrastructure program.{{cite news |url=http://business.theage.com.au/business/rudd-unveils-104b-stimulus-plan-20081014-50a6.html?page=fullpage |title=Rudd unveils $10.4 billion stimulus plan |work=The Age |date=14 October 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=12 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212122320/http://business.theage.com.au/business/rudd-unveils-104b-stimulus-plan-20081014-50a6.html?page=fullpage |url-status=live }}; {{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/rudds-green-car-drive/story-e6frg90f-1111117999621 |title='Green car' drive in Kevin Rudd's industry rescue |last=Taylor |first=Lenore |work=The Australian |date=11 November 2008 |access-date=13 April 2016 }} The second, worth $42 billion, was announced in February 2009 and included $900 cash payments to resident taxpayers who paid net tax in the 2007–08 financial year. Stating that his Government would "move heaven and earth to reduce the impact of the global recession", Rudd delivered a spending program for infrastructure, schools and housing worth $28.8 billion as part of this package.{{cite news |url=http://business.smh.com.au/business/govt-unveils-42b-stimulus-20090203-7w6v.html |title=Govt unveils $42b stimulus |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=3 February 2009 |access-date=13 April 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609202757/http://business.smh.com.au/business/govt-unveils-42b-stimulus-20090203-7w6v.html? |url-status=live }}; {{cite web |author=Emma Thelwell |url=http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=769321 |title=$900 cash bonus: who gets it? |publisher=NineMSN Money |date=11 March 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421142810/http://money.ninemsn.com.au/ARTICLE.aspx?id=769321 |archive-date=21 April 2010 }} After initially raising interest rates to combat inflation, The Reserve Bank cut official interest rates several times in increments of up to 1 percent, and fell to 3 percent in May 2009, the lowest since 1960.{{cite news |url=http://business.smh.com.au/business/china-buoys-economy-rba-20090505-atkg.html |title=China buoys economy – RBA |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 May 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |first=Chris |last=Zappone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528100200/http://business.smh.com.au/business/china-buoys-economy-rba-20090505-atkg.html |archive-date=28 May 2009}} The second budget, released in May 2009, projected a $57.6 billion deficit for 2009–10. The majority of the deficit was created by a loss of taxation revenue as a result of the recession, with the rest made up in stimulus and other spending. The downturn was expected to remove $210 billion in taxation revenue from the budget over the next four years.{{cite news |url=http://business.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/records-abound-in-tough-budget-20090512-b1qb.html?page=-1 |title=Records abound in tough budget |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=12 May 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |first=Peter |last=Hannam |archive-date=17 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517002917/http://business.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/records-abound-in-tough-budget-20090512-b1qb.html?page=-1 |url-status=live }}

The Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan, as it was branded, contained a range of programs implemented through Commonwealth legislation and overseen by Commonwealth agencies, although administered by state governments and other authorities. The Building the Education Revolution (BER) program, worth $16.2 billion, sought to stimulate the nationwide economy by employing construction workers in school building developments. These included the construction of libraries, classrooms and multipurpose centres, the refurbishment and repairs of existing facilities, and science and language centres in 70 secondary schools in disadvantaged areas.{{cite web|url=http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/archive/Pages/ber.aspx|title=Building the Education Revolution|year=2009|author=Department of Education and Training (Victoria)|access-date=13 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808215313/http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/archive/Pages/ber.aspx|archive-date=8 August 2016}} A$4 billion Energy Efficient Homes Package was also launched, containing a Home Insulation Program (HIP) which provided $1,600 worth of assistance to owner-occupiers to install ceiling insulation in existing homes. The government estimated that 40% of homes were not insulated, and that this had costs in energy waste, household bills for heating and cooling, and resident health and comfort among others.{{cite web|url=http://www.homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au/Hearings/Documents/Evidence10April2014/AGS.002.008.0887.pdf|title=Energy Efficient Homes Package – Homeowner Insulation Program – Program Guidelines|year=2009|author=Australian Government|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305095335/http://homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au/Hearings/Documents/Evidence10April2014/AGS.002.008.0887.pdf|url-status=live}} Other components included social and defence housing construction, funding for local community infrastructure and road projects, and the $950 cash bonus.{{cite web|url=http://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2009/009.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=&DocType=0|title=Media release: $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan|date=3 February 2009|author1=Kevin Rudd|author2=Wayne Swan|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=28 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428154505/http://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2009/009.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=&DocType=0|url-status=dead}} The OECD assessed in its 2009 Economic Outlook Report that the Rudd government's policy response to the crisis had reduced the impact of the global recession on employment.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-16/stimulus-saved-200000-australian-jobs-oecd/1432016|title=Stimulus saved 200,000 jobs: OECD|work=ABC Online|date=17 September 2009|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=3 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503215053/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-16/stimulus-saved-200000-australian-jobs-oecd/1432016|url-status=live}}

Two major controversies, however, affected public reception of the scheme. The Home Insulation Program became controversial in early 2010 after reports of house fires, possible fraud and the deaths of four young insulation installers. Rudd responded by demoting the minister responsible, Peter Garrett, suspending the scheme and commissioning an immediate review of the program by Dr Allan Hawke. Hawke noted in his report that "despite the safety, quality and compliance concerns, there were solid achievements against the program objectives". Approximately 1.1 million homes had been insulated through the scheme by April 2010, about 10,000 jobs had been created, and national safety standards and training were a focus. However, Hawke found the department was not up to the task of monitoring thousands of independent contractors around Australia on a tight timeframe and that demand was higher than anticipated, which led to safety and quality risks that "cannot be fully abated".{{cite web|url=http://www.homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au/Hearings/Documents/Evidence31March2014/AGS.002.039.1149.pdf|title=Review of the Home Insulation Program|date=6 April 2010|last1=Hawke|first1=Allan|author-link1=Allan Hawke|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308184445/http://homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au/Hearings/Documents/Evidence31March2014/AGS.002.039.1149.pdf|url-status=dead}} Greg Combet, who had been appointed Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, announced upon the report's release on 22 April that the scheme would not resume, and that he would work to restore public confidence in the home insulation industry.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/politics/scathing-hawke-report-sank-home-insulation-scheme/story-e6frgczf-1225856914831|title=Allan Hawke review sank home insulation scheme|last=Kelly|first=Joe|work=The Australian|date=22 April 2010|access-date=13 April 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2880571.htm|title=Insulation scheme axed|work=7.30 Report|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=22 April 2010|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=3 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503144757/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2880571.htm|url-status=live}} Rudd personally apologised to the families on 26 April.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-04-27/pm-apologises-to-families-of-insulation-victims/412234|title=PM apologises to families of insulation victims|work=ABC Online|date=27 April 2010|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=4 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504164226/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-04-27/pm-apologises-to-families-of-insulation-victims/412234|url-status=live}} In a 2014 Royal Commission investigation into the scheme, Rudd accepted his Government's responsibility for systems failures that led to the deaths, describing them as a "deep tragedy" and acknowledged the pain of the families involved.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-15/rudd-accepts-ultimate-responsibility-for-insulation-scheme/5454834|title=Home insulation royal commission: Kevin Rudd accepts 'ultimate responsibility' for scheme|work=ABC Online|date=16 May 2014|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=9 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509210733/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-15/rudd-accepts-ultimate-responsibility-for-insulation-scheme/5454834|url-status=live}}

The Building the Education Revolution program rolled out 23,670 school projects around Australia representing a completion rate of 92 per cent.{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/final-report-on-school-building-the-education-revolution-released/story-e6frfku9-1226090773438|title=Final report on school Building the Education Revolution released|work=News.com.au|date=8 July 2011|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=24 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424200455/http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/final-report-on-school-building-the-education-revolution-released/story-e6frfku9-1226090773438|url-status=dead}} However, claims of overpricing and poor value for money in some projects resulted in a taskforce being established to examine the implementation of the scheme, led by Brad Orgill, the former CEO of UBS Australasia. Only 3% of complaints about the scheme were upheld, and most projects were found to have been good value for money.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3264998.htm|title=Three per cent of BER complaints upheld|last=Woodley|first=Naomi|work=ABC News – PM|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=8 July 2011|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=1 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801084134/http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3264998.htm|url-status=live}}

In early 2009,{{cite web |url=http://www.themonthly.com.au/node/1421 |title=The Global Financial Crisis by Kevin Rudd 2009–02 |date=February 2009 |publisher=Themonthly.com.au |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=4 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504141855/http://www.themonthly.com.au/node/1421 |url-status=live }} during the Great Recession,{{cite news |url=http://business.theage.com.au/business/the-road-to-recovery-20090725-dwg5.html?page=-1 |title=The Road to Recovery by Kevin Rudd 25 July 2009 |work=The Age |date=25 July 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |location=Melbourne |archive-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729053112/http://business.theage.com.au/business/the-road-to-recovery-20090725-dwg5.html?page=-1 |url-status=dead }} Rudd stated "that the great neo-liberal experiment of the past 30 years has failed", and that "Neo-liberalism and the free-market fundamentalism it has produced has been revealed as little more than personal greed dressed up as an economic philosophy. And, ironically, it now falls to social democracy to prevent liberal capitalism from cannibalising itself." Rudd called for a new era of "social capitalism" from social democrats such as himself and US President Barack Obama to "support a global financial system that properly balances private incentive with public responsibility".{{cite web |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/time-for-a-new-world-order-pm/1421121.aspx |title=Time for a new world order: PM |work=The Canberra Times |date=31 January 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205214628/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/time-for-a-new-world-order-pm/1421121.aspx |archive-date=5 February 2009 }}; {{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a.ZYw9usr1N0&refer=asia |title=Australia's Rudd Says States Must 'Save Capitalism From Itself' |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=31 January 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014072312/http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080 |archive-date=14 October 2007}} The Center for Strategic and International Studies has acknowledged Kevin Rudd as one of the founders of the G20 that helped prevent a second global depression.{{cite web|url=http://csis.org/expert/kevin-rudd|title=Kevin Rudd (Distinguished Statesman)|author=Center for Strategic and International Studies|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-date=5 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205015013/http://csis.org/expert/kevin-rudd|url-status=live}}

The Rudd government's third budget in 2010 projected a $40.8 billion deficit for 2010–11{{cite web |url=http://www.budget.gov.au/2010-11/content/at_a_glance/html/at_a_glance.htm |title=budget at a glance |publisher=Budget.gov.au |date=13 May 2008 |access-date=13 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604043232/http://www.budget.gov.au/2010-11/content/at_a_glance/html/at_a_glance.htm |archive-date=4 June 2010 |url-status=dead }} but forecast that Australia would return to surplus by 2012–13. The government proposed a "super profits" tax on the mining industry and included $12 billion in revenue from the proposal in the forecast, although the tax had not been passed by the Senate.{{cite web |author=Emma Rodgers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/11/2896581.htm |title=Swan plots course back to the black – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |date=11 May 2010 |publisher=ABC Online |access-date=13 April 2016 |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511185150/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/11/2896581.htm |url-status=dead }}

In February 2008 Rudd announced the Australia 2020 Summit, held from 19 to 20 April 2008, which brought together 1000 leading Australians to discuss ten major areas of policy innovation.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23153777-16741,00.html |title=2020 summit not just another talkfest |work=The Australian |access-date=18 February 2008 |date=4 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206114450/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23153777-16741,00.html |archive-date=6 February 2008 |url-status=dead}} Among the initiatives supported at the event, the summit voted in favour of a plebiscite on Australia "relinquishing ties" to the United Kingdom followed by a referendum on the model for an Australian republic,{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_409_text |title=Law Library > Global Legal Monitor > News and Events > Summit Recommends Republic |date=2 May 2008 |publisher=Law Library of Congress |access-date=10 March 2009 |archive-date=3 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303182133/http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_409_text |url-status=live }} a bill of rights, the re-formation of an Indigenous peak representative body similar to ATSIC, (which had been abolished by the Howard government), the introduction of an Emissions Trading Scheme and a National Disability Insurance Scheme, and a review of the taxation system.{{cite news |last=Kerr |first=Christian |url=http://www.news.com.au/just-nine-2020-ideas-get-the-go-ahead/story-0-1225702303638 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906002242/http://www.news.com.au/just-nine-2020-ideas-get-the-go-ahead/story-0-1225702303638 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 September 2012 |title=Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's 2020 summit yields nine projects |work=News.com.au |date=23 April 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 }}

Findings released in April 2009 reported that nine out of the 1000 submitted ideas were to be immediately enacted and that the government was deliberating on other ideas proposed.[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25370533-661,00.html Nine ideas adopted from Rudd's 2020 Summit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425041211/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25370533-661,00.html |date=25 April 2009 }}; [http://www.australia2020.gov.au/final_report/index.cfm Australia 2020 summit final report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620120848/http://www.australia2020.gov.au/final_report/index.cfm |date=20 June 2012 }}; [http://www.australia2020.gov.au/docs/government_response/2020_summit_response_full.pdf Government response to the Australia 2020 Summit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514145113/http://www.australia2020.gov.au/docs/government_response/2020_summit_response_full.pdf |date=14 May 2009 }}; {{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2515918.htm |title=PM – Supporters of the 2020 summit are upset about the delay in the Federal Government's response to the final report |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=13 March 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112035116/http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2515918.htm |url-status=live }} By mid-2010, among the key reform ideas suggested, Prime Minister Rudd had sought to introduce an ETS, but postponed it after failing to secure passage through the senate;{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2884108.htm |title=The 7.30 Report |publisher=ABC |date=27 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=8 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708221512/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2884108.htm |url-status=live }} formed a consultative committee on a Bill of rights then rejected its recommendation for implementation;{{cite news |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/govt-rejects-formal-human-rights-charter-20100421-stv8.html |title=Govt rejects formal human rights charter |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=21 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |first=Susanna |last=Dunkerley |archive-date=16 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616075710/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/govt-rejects-formal-human-rights-charter-20100421-stv8.html |url-status=live }} established the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples in 2010;{{cite web |url=http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201005/2887974.htm?desktop |title=Stories:New representative body for Australia's indigenous people |publisher=Australia Network News |date=2 May 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314103850/http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201005/2887974.htm?desktop |archive-date=14 March 2012}} commissioned the Henry Review of taxation (on the basis of which the Rudd government proposed a new "super-profits" tax on mining);{{cite web |author=Gibson |first=Nevil |date=3 May 2010 |title=Australian mining companies face 40% super profit tax |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/australian-mining-companies-face-40-super-profit-tax-122391 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604031242/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/australian-mining-companies-face-40-super-profit-tax-122391 |archive-date=4 June 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |publisher=National Business Review}} and Rudd had described the issue of a vote on a republic as not being "a priority".{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/republic-not-a-top-priority-rudd/story-e6frfkvr-1225692846610 |title=Republic not a top priority: Rudd |work=News.com.au |date=29 March 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=31 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031181515/http://www.news.com.au/national/republic-not-a-top-priority-rudd/story-e6frfkvr-1225692846610 |url-status=dead }}

Kevin Rudd came to office pledging to overhaul WorkChoices, a key Howard government policy commencing in March 2006 which had been attacked for reducing pay and conditions in the workplace, and which was crucial to Howard's defeat at the 2007 federal election.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/workplace-law-still-loathed-poll/2007/03/25/1174761282553.html?page=fullpage|title=Workplace law still loathed: poll|author-link1=Michael Bachelard|last1=Bachelard|first1=Michael|last2=Grattan|first2=Michelle|author-link2=Michelle Grattan|work=The Age|date=25 March 2007|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-date=18 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018012920/http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/workplace-law-still-loathed-poll/2007/03/25/1174761282553.html?page=fullpage|url-status=live}}{{cite journal |last= Woodward |first= Dennis |date= 15 September 2010 |title= WorkChoices and Howard's Defeat |journal= Australian Journal of Public Administration |volume= 69 |issue= 3 |pages= 274–288 |doi= 10.1111/j.1467-8500.2010.00690.x}}{{cite journal |last= Gardiner |first= Mary |date= March 2009 |title= His Master's Voice? Work Choices as a Return to Master and Servant Concepts |url= https://sydney.edu.au/law/slr/slr31/slr31_1/Gardiner.pdf |journal= Sydney Law Review |volume= 31 |issue= 1 |pages= 53–81 |access-date= 5 November 2006 |archive-date= 5 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161105224212/https://sydney.edu.au/law/slr/slr31/slr31_1/Gardiner.pdf |url-status= live }}

Upon Rudd's arrival as Leader of the Opposition in December 2006, he gave a speech emphasising this commitment.{{Cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia |house=House of Representatives |title=Matters of Public Importance |url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2006-12-05%2F0056%22 |date=5 December 2006 |page=41–44 |speaker=Kevin Rudd |position=Leader of the Opposition }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709150254/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2006-12-05%2F0056%22 |date=9 July 2019 }} In April 2007, he announced Labor's "Forward with Fairness" plan to take to the election, which included a phased abolition of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) over five years, a safety net consisting of 10 National Employment Standards, an independent umpire and simplified industrial awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.airc.gov.au/kirbyarchives/2009exhibn/documents/070428FWF.pdf|title=Forward with Fairness|last1=Rudd|first1=Kevin|last2=Gillard|first2=Julia|date=28 April 2007|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-date=16 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316185309/http://www.airc.gov.au/kirbyarchives/2009exhibn/documents/070428FWF.pdf|url-status=live}} It also included the restoration of unfair dismissal laws for companies with under 100 employees (probation period of 12 months for companies with less than 15 employees), and the retention of the Australian Building and Construction Commission until 2010. It retained the illegality of secondary boycotts, the right of employers to lock workers out, restriction of a union right of entry to workplaces, and restrictions on workers' right to strike.{{cite news

|author = Ross Gittins

|author-link = Ross Gittins

|title = Coalition and Labor narrow industrial relations gap

|url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/coalition-and-labor-narrow-industrial-relations-gap/2007/09/02/1188671793954.html

|work = The Age

|date = 3 September 2007

|access-date = 13 November 2007

|location = Melbourne

|archive-date = 22 November 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071122184852/http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/coalition-and-labor-narrow-industrial-relations-gap/2007/09/02/1188671793954.html

|url-status = live

}} It was broadly seen as a concession to business on some areas of concern while still upholding key elements of the original plan.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-takes-an-eachway-gamble-on-workers-and-bosses/2007/08/28/1188067111374.html?page=fullpage|title=Rudd takes an each-way gamble on workers and bosses|last=Davis|first=Mark|date=28 August 2007|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517041340/https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-takes-an-each-way-gamble-on-workers-and-bosses-20070829-gdqz4z.html?page=fullpage|url-status=live}}

On 20 March 2008, the Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Act 2008 gained assent, and gave effect to some of these measures, including preventing any new AWAs from being signed. Rudd declared AWA's "dead and buried", saying: "Today we declare this shameful chapter in the history of Australia's workplaces to be dead and buried. And today with this legislation we begin the process of burying the rest of the Work Choices omnibus once and for all."{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/coalition-fumes-as-work-choices-shown-the-door/2008/03/19/1205602483772.html|last=Davis|first=Mark|title=Coalition fumes as Work Choices shown the door|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 March 2008|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-date=23 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423115232/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/coalition-fumes-as-work-choices-shown-the-door/2008/03/19/1205602483772.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r2906|title=Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Bill 2008|author=Parliament of Australia|date=20 March 2008|access-date=5 November 2016|archive-date=5 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105225242/http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r2906|url-status=live}}

In 2009, the Fair Work Act was passed.{{cite news |last=Hannon |first=Kate |url=http://www.news.com.au/work-choices-finally-buried/story-0-1225699503869 |title=Rudd Government gets IR Fair Work Bill passed through Senate 2009 |work=News.com.au |date=20 March 2009 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=5 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305115753/https://www.news.com.au/work-choices-finally-buried/story-0-1225699503869 |url-status=dead }} Rudd also established a single industrial relations bureaucracy called Fair Work Australia, designed to play a far more interventionist role than the Howard government's Fair Pay Commission.{{cite news

|title = PM promises not to extend Work Choices

|url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Fielding-noncommittal-on-ALPs-IR-plan/2007/10/15/1192300644672.html

|work = The Age

|date = 15 October 2007

|access-date = 13 November 2007

|location = Melbourne

|archive-date = 17 November 2007

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071117100235/http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Fielding-noncommittal-on-ALPs-IR-plan/2007/10/15/1192300644672.html

|url-status = live

}} Fair Work Australia mediated the 2011 Qantas industrial disputes.

During the election, Rudd promised a "Digital Education Revolution", including provision of a computer on the desk of every upper secondary student. The program initially stalled with state governments asserting that the proposed funding was inadequate. The federal government increased proposed funding from $1.2 billion to $2 billion,{{cite news |url=http://news.smh.com.au/national/govt-adds-807m-to-school-computer-deal-20081128-6mnx.html |title=Govt adds $807m to school computer deal: Sydney Morning Herald 28/11/2008 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 November 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |first1=Julian |last1=Drape |first2=Caroline |last2=Berdon |archive-date=27 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027115820/http://news.smh.com.au/national/govt-adds-807m-to-school-computer-deal-20081128-6mnx.html |url-status=live }} and did not mandate that a computer be provided to each upper secondary student.{{cite web |agency=Australian Associated Press |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/rudd-computer-plan-unplugged/story-e6freon6-1111115601492 |title=Rudd's school computer promise comes unplugged |work=The Courier-Mail |date=17 June 2013 |access-date=26 June 2013}} The program supplied office software, photo and video editing software, and web design software, some of it unusable due to the hardware becoming obsolete.{{cite news |title=Rudd giveaway gripes: students slam 'slow' laptops |url=https://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/rudd-giveaway-gripes-students-slam-slow-laptops-20110812-1iq3w.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 August 2011 |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=23 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823034842/http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/rudd-giveaway-gripes-students-slam-slow-laptops-20110812-1iq3w.html |url-status=live }}

As prime minister, Rudd professed his belief in a "Big Australia",{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/23/2721924.htm |title=Rudd welcomes 'big Australia' |date=23 October 2009 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=10 December 2010 |archive-date=17 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217170856/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/23/2721924.htm |url-status=dead }} while his government increased the immigration quota after to around 300,000 people.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2272014.htm |title=Lateline – 11/06/2008: Immigration intake to rise to 300,000 |date=11 June 2008 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=5 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205082020/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2272014.htm |url-status=live }} In 2010, Rudd appointed Tony Burke as population minister to examine population goals.{{cite web |url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/201004/s2865632.htm |title=Asia Pacific:Story:Australia appoints a Minister of Population |publisher=Radio Australia |date=6 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=27 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527224131/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/201004/s2865632.htm |url-status=live }}

In 2008, the government adjusted the mandatory detention policies established by the Keating and Howard governments and declared an end to the Pacific Solution.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/29/2317303.htm |title=Sweeping changes to mandatory detention announced: ABC News 29/7/2008 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 July 2008 |access-date=13 June 2010 |archive-date=20 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420072319/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/29/2317303.htm |url-status=dead }} Boat arrivals increased considerably during 2009 and the Opposition said this was due to the government's policy adjustments, the Government said it was due to "push factors".{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/rudd-government-marks-100th-asylum-seeker-boat/story-e6frgczf-1225847045425 |title=Rudd Government marks 100th asylum seeker boat |newspaper=The Australian |date=29 March 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |first=Joe |last=Kelly}} After a fatal explosion on an asylum seeker boat in April 2009, Rudd said: "People smugglers are the vilest form of human life." Opposition frontbencher Tony Abbott said that Kevin Rudd was inept and hypocritical in his handling of the issue during the Oceanic Viking affair of October 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/28/2725891.htm |title=Indonesian solution 'a shambles' – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=28 October 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=17 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217174819/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/28/2725891.htm |url-status=dead }} In April 2010, the Rudd government suspended processing new claims by Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers, who comprised 80 per cent of all boat arrivals, for three and six months respectively.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-defends-ban-on-sri-lankan-afghan-asylum-seekers-20100411-s0ln.html |title=Rudd defends ban on Sri Lankan, Afghan asylum seekers |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=7 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107101901/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-defends-ban-on-sri-lankan-afghan-asylum-seekers-20100411-s0ln.html |url-status=live }}

In the 2007 election, Rudd committed to increase the fairness of the tax system.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bet-your-bottom-line-its-poll-time/2007/04/27/1177459980670.html|title=Bet your bottom line, it's poll time|last=Khadem|first=Nassim|work=The Age|date=28 April 2007|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517041341/https://www.theage.com.au/national/bet-your-bottom-line-its-poll-time-20070428-ge4rll.html|url-status=live}} The 2008 Budget aimed to achieve this with a range of measures including $47 billion of tax cuts over four years focused on lower and middle income workers, an increase of the child care tax rebate from 30% to 50%, an increase of the income level at which the Medicare Levy Surcharge was targeted, and introducing means tests for some other benefits. Some other measures were blocked or amended in the Senate, in which any crossbencher in combination with the Liberal-National Coalition could defeat a bill.{{cite book|title=Australian Political Institutions|last=Singleton|first=Gwynneth|publisher=Pearson Australia|year=2013|isbn=9781442559455|page=177}}

In May 2008, Rudd committed to a "root and branch" review of all aspects of the Australian taxation system, led by the secretary of the Treasury, Ken Henry, and taking evidence from a wide range of sources.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/federal-budget/giant-review-of-tax-and-welfare-labor/2008/05/11/1210444243778.html?page=fullpage|title=Labor pledges giant tax review|last1=Grattan|first1=Michelle|author-link=Michelle Grattan|last2=Khadem|first2=Nassim|work=The Age|date=12 May 2008|page=1|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517041342/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labour-pledges-giant-review-of-tax-and-welfare-20080512-ge72f9.html?page=fullpage|url-status=live}} After receiving around 1,500 submissions and running a two-day conference, the Henry Tax Review reported to the Treasurer in December 2009. On 2 May 2010, the Rudd government formally responded, announcing a package of measures to help support investment in the non-mining sectors and rebalance the economy to a more sustainable trajectory.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2883165.htm |title=Lateline – 26/04/2010: Rudd prepares to release tax review |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=26 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=10 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610215514/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2883165.htm |url-status=live }}

The government's tax plan had three components: reducing the corporate tax rate to 28% and introducing investment incentives for small business; increasing the compulsory employee superannuation rate to 12% to increase the savings base; and eliminating state-based mining royalties, establishing a $5.6 billion infrastructure fund to support resources sector expansion and competitiveness, and increasing tax rebates for mining exploration. These three components were to be funded by a new Resources Super Profits Tax (RSPT) on the 'super profits' of mining companies. The RSPT was a profits-based tax, which meant that when resource companies made large profits their effective tax rate increased and when those profits fell, their tax rate fell.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-05-25/factbox-the-new-mining-tax/840162|title=Factbox: the new mining tax|last=Andersen|first=Brigid|work=ABC Online|date=25 May 2010|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=10 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910224320/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-05-25/factbox-the-new-mining-tax/840162|url-status=live}} The tax policy was the subject of strong opposition from the mining industry, including an advertising campaign.{{cite news|url=http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/mining-group-turns-the-tables-on-rudd/1845525.aspx|title=Mining group turns the tables on Rudd|last=Coorey|first=Phillip|date=1 June 2010|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=4|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807172217/http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/mining-group-turns-the-tables-on-rudd/1845525.aspx|archive-date=7 August 2016|url-status=dead}}

Immediately following Kevin Rudd's replacement as prime minister by Julia Gillard, the Government did a deal with the largest mining companies to replace the RSPT with a new tax – the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT). The Government claimed the new tax would raise $10.6 billion in its first two years, just $1.5 billion less than the $12 billion that RSPT had been forecast to raise.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/gillard-cuts-mining-tax-deal-20100701-zr62.html|title=Gillard cuts mining tax deal|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 July 2010|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913211834/http://www.smh.com.au/business/gillard-cuts-mining-tax-deal-20100701-zr62.html|url-status=live}} It was quickly realised that this was a wildly optimistic estimate. John Quiggin said, "All the changes that were made to the package between the original tax and the agreement they reached in the end were too generous."{{cite news|url=http://theconversation.com/mining-tax-shortfall-the-experts-respond-12105|title=Mining tax shortfall: the experts respond|work=The Conversation|date=8 February 2013|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=1 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801142324/http://theconversation.com/mining-tax-shortfall-the-experts-respond-12105|url-status=live}} Prior to the introduction of the MRRT in the May 2012 budget, the government revised down its forecasts, suggesting that the tax would only bring in $3 billion for the financial year. In October 2012, the figure was reduced to $2 billion, while on 14 May 2013, it was announced that the receipts were expected to be less than $200 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/mining-tax-revenue-slumps-20130514-2jkm1.html|title=Mining tax revenue slumps|last=Ker|first=Peter|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=14 May 2013|access-date=16 July 2016|archive-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913210240/http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/mining-tax-revenue-slumps-20130514-2jkm1.html|url-status=live}}

Rudd announced a significant and far-reaching strategic reform to Australian healthcare in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/25/2937220.htm |title=Rudd's reforms missed mental health |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=13 February 2011 |archive-date=19 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119074048/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/25/2937220.htm |url-status=dead }} However, this was not pursued beyond in-principle agreements with Labor State and Territory governments, and was scrapped by Julia Gillard during her first year in office.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/05/3130853.htm |title=Gillard ready to dump hospital reform |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=5 February 2011 |access-date=13 February 2011 |archive-date=8 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208161535/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/05/3130853.htm? |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/11/3136193.htm |title=Gillard jettisons Rudd's health deal |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 February 2011 |access-date=13 February 2011 |archive-date=12 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212190949/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/11/3136193.htm |url-status=dead }}

The Rudd government increased the age pension by more than $100 a fortnight for singles and $76 for couples, the largest increase since 1909, in response to the Harmer Review which found that single retirees living on their own were unusually disadvantaged.{{cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/06/13/interactive-how-australias-pension-system-works|title=Interactive: How Australia's pension system works|last=Anderson|first=Stephanie|date=6 May 2015|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-date=28 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628055851/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/06/13/interactive-how-australias-pension-system-works|url-status=live}}{{cite journal|last=Yu|first=Serena|date=March 2016|title=Retiree Welfare and the 2009 Pension Increase: Impacts from an Australian Experiment|journal=Economic Record|volume=92|issue=296|pages=67–80|doi=10.1111/1475-4932.12237|hdl=10.1111/1475-4932.12237|s2cid=155711016|hdl-access=free}} It also lifted the Child Care Tax Rebate from 30 to 50 per cent for around 600,000 families – paid quarterly rather than annually.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/childcare-rebate-due-in-weeks/2008/10/04/1223013854818.html|title=Child-care rebate due in weeks|last=Walsh|first=Kerry-Anne|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 October 2008|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-date=18 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018204242/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/childcare-rebate-due-in-weeks/2008/10/04/1223013854818.html|url-status=live}} In addition, the Government introduced an Education Tax Refund of 50 per cent of up to $750 per child, benefiting 1.3 million families.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/tax-break-for-school-expenses-20080925-4nsw.html|title=Tax break for school expenses|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=25 September 2008|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106135932/https://www.smh.com.au/national/tax-break-for-school-expenses-20080925-4nsw.html|url-status=live}} Prime Minister Rudd was also responsible for Australia's first paid parental leave scheme – benefiting 150,000 new parents 18 weeks of paid leave each year.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/australia-gets-first-national-paid-parental-leave-scheme/story-e6frg6n6-1225881031472|title=Australia gets first national paid parental leave scheme|last=Karvelas|first=Patricia|work=The Australian|date=17 June 2010|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-date=4 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804060211/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/australia-gets-first-national-paid-parental-leave-scheme/story-e6frg6n6-1225881031472|url-status=live}}

Work began under Rudd on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. First floated as a big idea by advocates at the 2020 Summit in April 2008, the Rudd government doubled funding for disability services to the States and introduced the National Disability Strategy. The PM referred the idea of an insurance scheme to the Productivity Commission in 2009, announced at the National Disability Awards in Canberra.{{cite journal|url=http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2014/09/goggin_wadiwel.html|title=Australian disability reform and political participation|last1=Goggin|first1=Gerard|last2=Wadiwel|first2=Dinesh|author-link2=Dinesh Wadiwel|journal=Australian Review of Public Affairs|issn=1832-1526|date=September 2014|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-date=4 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604095203/http://australianreview.net/digest/2014/09/goggin_wadiwel.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.info4carers.com/index.php/articles/306-ndis-the-2020-vision-15-mins-with-kevinrudd-mp.html|title=NDIS: The 2020 Vision − 15 Mins With Kevin Rudd MP|last=Marier|first=David|date=10 May 2012|publisher=Info 4 Carers|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713215407/http://www.info4carers.com/index.php/articles/306-ndis-the-2020-vision-15-mins-with-kevinrudd-mp.html|archive-date=13 July 2016|url-status=dead}}

As prime minister, Rudd saw Australia as being able to help shape world responses to urgent global challenges through active diplomacy, including the creation of global and regional institutions and building of coalitions, and playing an important role in the "Asia Pacific century".{{cite web|url=http://www.lowyinstitute.org/files/pubfiles/Gyngell,_Ambition_web.pdf|last=Gyngell|first=Allan|title=Ambition: The Emerging Foreign Policy of the Rudd government|publisher=Lowy Institute for International Affairs|date=December 2008|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617035711/http://www.lowyinstitute.org/files/pubfiles/Gyngell,_Ambition_web.pdf|archive-date=17 June 2016|url-status=dead}}

Rudd's first official overseas visit as prime minister was to Indonesia in December 2007 for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, then visited Australian troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. In February 2008, he visited East Timor following the assassination attempt on the President of East Timor, Dr José Ramos-Horta, and in March 2008 travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/editorial/captain-rudd-sets-course-for-a-brave-new-world/2008/03/06/1204779963358.html|title=Captain Rudd sets course for a brave new world|work=The Age|date=7 March 2008|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=16 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016142149/http://www.theage.com.au/news/editorial/captain-rudd-sets-course-for-a-brave-new-world/2008/03/06/1204779963358.html|url-status=live}} The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Dr Derek Sikua, was also the first foreign head of government Mr Rudd received as prime minister.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-23/rudd-optimistic-of-renewed-solomons-relations/1020440|title=Rudd optimistic of renewed Solomons relations|work=ABC Online|date=22 January 2008|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=3 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803175910/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-01-23/rudd-optimistic-of-renewed-solomons-relations/1020440|url-status=live}} In April 2008, Rudd signed Australia to the global Millennium Development Goals Call to Action.{{cite web|url=https://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/corporate/annual-reports/australian-agency-for-international-development-annual-report-2007-2008/section02c.html|author=Australian Agency for International Development|title=Annual Report 2007–2008, Section 2. Report on Performance|year=2008|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=15 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815052348/http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/corporate/annual-reports/australian-agency-for-international-development-annual-report-2007-2008/section02c.html|url-status=live}}

A close, co-operative relationship was developed with the Pacific Island nations, leading to Australia hosting the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009, and the application of a Millennium Development Goals framework to Australian aid programs with development partners across the Pacific.

The revised aid program set out concrete goals in areas such as health, education and employment for Australia's 15 development partners in the region.{{cite web|url=http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Documents/Cairns-compact.pdf|title=Cairns Compact on strengthening development co-ordination in the Pacific|date=7 August 2009|author=Pacific Islands Forum|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=14 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814114229/http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Documents/Cairns-compact.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://aciar.gov.au/files/node/11465/Australia's%20Aid%20Program%20is%20making%20a%20difference.pdf|title=(Media release) Australia's aid program is making a difference|last=McMullan|first=Bob|author-link=Bob McMullan|publisher=Government of Australia|date=July 2009|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223051604/http://aciar.gov.au/files/node/11465/Australia%27s%20Aid%20Program%20is%20making%20a%20difference.pdf|archive-date=23 February 2014|url-status=dead}} In August 2008, at the Pacific Islands Forum in Niue, Mr Rudd also announced the introduction of a three-year pilot seasonal worker scheme for up to 2,500 workers from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati to work in Australia's horticulture industry for up to seven months.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pacific-workers-to-help-fruit-crisis/2008/08/17/1218911460329.html?page=fullpage|title=Pacific workers to help fruit crisis|last=Hudson|first=Phillip|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 August 2008|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517041343/https://www.smh.com.au/national/pacific-workers-to-help-fruit-crisis-20080818-gdsr5o.html?page=fullpage|url-status=live}} This acceptance of guest workers was a radical departure from previous Australian policy. The seasonal worker scheme got off to slow start, bringing in 1,100 workers to 2012.{{cite web|url=https://devpolicy.anu.edu.au/pdf/papers/DP_17_-_Australia%27s_Pacific_Seasonal_Worker_Pilot_Scheme.pdf|title=Australia's Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme: why has take-up been so low?|last1=Hay|first1=Danielle|last2=Howes|first2=Stephen|publisher=Australian National University|date=April 2012|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809040612/http://devpolicy.anu.edu.au/pdf/papers/DP_17_-_Australia%27s_Pacific_Seasonal_Worker_Pilot_Scheme.pdf|url-status=live}} However, it accelerated over the ensuing years as demand for labour increased.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-08/govt-expands-seasonal-worker-program-cracks-down-on-exploitation/7147796|title=Seasonal Worker Programme expanded to take more Pacific Islander and East Timorese workers for livestock and grain farms|last=Locke|first=Sabina|work=ABC Rural|date=9 February 2016|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=19 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619223027/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-08/govt-expands-seasonal-worker-program-cracks-down-on-exploitation/7147796|url-status=live}}

In his 2007 election campaign, Kevin Rudd committed to withdrawing Australian military forces from Iraq.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/troops-pull-out-of-iraq-20080601-2kjh.html|title=Troops pull out of Iraq|last=Schubert|first=Misha|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 June 2009|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=15 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115202630/https://www.smh.com.au/national/troops-pull-out-of-iraq-20080601-2kjh.html|url-status=live}} He dismissed each of the reasons which had been used to commit Australian troops to the Iraq War in 2003, and accused his predecessor of abusing pre-war intelligence, some of which indicated that an attack on Iraq would increase the threat of terrorism.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/2064720/Going-to-war-with-Iraq-was-wrong-Australian-Prime-Minister-Kevin-Rudd-admits.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/2064720/Going-to-war-with-Iraq-was-wrong-Australian-Prime-Minister-Kevin-Rudd-admits.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Going to war with Iraq was wrong, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd admits|last=Squires|first=Nick|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=2 June 2008|access-date=5 June 2016}}{{cbignore}}

In accordance with a Multinational Force Iraq agreement with the new Iraqi Government,The decision to partially withdraw was noted in {{cite journal

| last = Kelton

| first = Maryanne

| title = The 2007 Australian federal election and a 'steadfast, straight-talking' alliance

| journal = Social Alternatives

| volume = 27

| issue = 2

| pages = 17–22

| date = April–June 2008

| issn = 0155-0306}}

Labor's plan to withdraw the Australian Defence Force combat contingent was completed on 28 July 2009, three days ahead of the deadline.{{cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/117463/Australia-ends-Iraq-troop-presence |title=Australia ends Iraq troop presence |newspaper=Daily Express |date=31 July 2009 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=4 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104053639/http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/117463/Australia-ends-Iraq-troop-presence |url-status=live }} In mid-2010, there were about 65 ADF personnel remaining in Iraq supporting UN operations or the Australian Embassy.{{cite web |author=Australian Government, Department of Defence |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/op/iraq/index.htm |title=Australian Operation in Iraq – Department of Defence |publisher=Defence.gov.au |access-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609040919/http://www.defence.gov.au/op/iraq/index.htm |archive-date=9 June 2010}}

In March 2009, Nouri Al-Maliki, the then-Prime Minister of Iraq, visited Australia. During the visit, Prime Minister Al-Maliki and then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed a declaration on increased cooperation in six key areas and to enhance trade and investment ties. The leaders agreed to an Australia-Iraq Agricultural Partnership focused on bolstering Iraq's agricultural productivity and food security as a central element of Iraq's reconstruction and development. Australia also appointed a Senior Trade Commissioner to contribute to stronger commercial links, and committed to an AusAID presence in Baghdad to support the Government's three-year A$165 million development assistance commitment.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/3b-in-contracts-iraq-is-back-in-business-20090312-8wh6.html|title=$3b in contracts: Iraq is back in business|last=Metherell|first=Mark|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=13 March 2009|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=19 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119012804/https://www.smh.com.au/national/3b-in-contracts-iraq-is-back-in-business-20090312-8wh6.html|url-status=live}}

The Rudd government redefined Australia's role in Afghanistan, including Australia's particular responsibility for Uruzgan Province. In Afghanistan, the Australian presence not only trained the 4th Brigade of the Afghan National Army, but also undertook large scale programs in the education of women and girls, the building of mosques with schools attached, basic healthcare and the extension of the road network.{{cite news|url=http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/nation-building-in-afghanistan-australias-contribution-to-prt-uruzgan/|title=Nation Building in Afghanistan: Australia's Contribution to PRT Uruzgan|last=DeSilva-Ranasinghe|first=Sergei|date=15 December 2011|work=Future Directions International|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=5 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805191252/http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/nation-building-in-afghanistan-australias-contribution-to-prt-uruzgan/|url-status=dead}} From a total of $56 million spent on foreign aid in 2009–2010, $25 million went to Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund.{{cite news|url=https://crawford.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/135/australian-aid-afghanistan|title=Australian aid to Afghanistan|last=Howes|first=Stephen|publisher=Crawford School of Public Policy|date=20 January 2013|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-date=7 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807151908/https://crawford.anu.edu.au/news-events/news/135/australian-aid-afghanistan|url-status=dead}}

Rudd continued to support Australian military involvement in Afghanistan, despite the growing number of Australian casualties. On 29 April 2009, Rudd committed 450 extra troops to the region bringing the total to 1550. Explaining the deployment, he said, "A measured increase in Australian forces in Afghanistan will enhance the security of Australian citizens, given that so many terrorists attacking Australians in the past have been trained in Afghanistan."{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/expect-more-afghanistan-deaths-pm/story-e6frg6n6-1225705222830 |title=Expect more Afghanistan deaths says Kevin Rudd as force boosted to 1550: The Australian 30 April 2009 |work=The Australian |date=28 September 2012 |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=21 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421140551/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/expect-more-afghanistan-deaths-pm/story-e6frg6n6-1225705222830 |url-status=live }}

On a November 2009 visit to Afghanistan, Rudd told Australian troops: "We from Australia will remain for the long haul."{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/were-in-afghanistan-for-long-haul-pm-tells-troops-20091111-ia1s.html |title=PM Kevin Rudd in Afghanistan | Troop Visit at Tarin Kowt |work=The Age |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=8 June 2010 |location=Melbourne |first1=Katharine |last1=Murphy |archive-date=18 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118162107/http://www.theage.com.au/national/were-in-afghanistan-for-long-haul-pm-tells-troops-20091111-ia1s.html |url-status=live }} In April 2010, the Australian Government decided not to commit further troops to Uruzgan Province to replace Dutch forces when they withdrew, but increased the numbers of diplomatic, development aid, and police personnel to around 50 with military effort and civilian work focussed on Uruzgan.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/24/2881961.htm |title=Rudd to boost civilian effort in Afghanistan – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=24 April 2010 |access-date=8 June 2010 |archive-date=28 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528032517/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/24/2881961.htm |url-status=dead }}

The United States diplomatic cables leak reported Rudd's criticisms of Australia's European allies in the Afghanistan campaign.

File:George W. Bush and Kevin Rudd.jpg meet at APEC Australia 2007 in Sydney]]

As shadow foreign minister, Rudd reformulated Labor's foreign policy in terms of "Three Pillars": engagement with the UN, engagement with Asia, and the US alliance.{{cite news|first=Greg |last=Sheridan |author-link=Greg Sheridan|title=ALP's pillar of wisdom |work=The Australian |date=9 December 2006 |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/alps-pillar-of-wisdom/news-story/8f7fe0b1ba36064deb8a70902c4b11e9 |access-date=24 January 2017}}

Although disagreeing with the original commitment to the Iraq War, Rudd supports the continued deployment of Australian troops in Iraq, but not the continued deployment of combat troops. Rudd was also in favour of Australia's military presence in Afghanistan.{{cite news

| work = The Age

| publisher = AAP

| title = Afghan, Iraq wars are not the same: Rudd

| date = 23 February 2007

| url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Afghan-Iraq-wars-are-not-the-same-Rudd/2007/02/23/1171733986257.html

| access-date = 21 November 2016

| location = Melbourne

| archive-date = 25 June 2016

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160625104207/http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Afghan-Iraq-wars-are-not-the-same-Rudd/2007/02/23/1171733986257.html

| url-status = live

}}

Rudd backs the road map for peace plan and defended Israel's actions during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, condemning Hezbollah and Hamas for violating Israeli territory.{{cite web

| title = Rudd: Hamas, Hezbollah and Lebanon in 'violation'

| publisher = Australian Jewish News

| date= 18 July 2006

| url =http://www.ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?pgID=1130

| access-date =4 December 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060921021204/http://ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?pgID=1130 |archive-date = 21 September 2006}}

As prime minister, he also pledged support for East Timor, stating that Australian troops would remain in East Timor for as long as East Timor's government wanted them to.{{cite news

| title = Rudd pledges support for East Timor

| work = The Sydney Morning Herald

| date = 15 February 2008

| url = http://news.smh.com.au/rudd-pledges-support-for-east-timor/20080215-1sdr.html

| access-date = 13 February 2011

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080215203456/http://news.smh.com.au/rudd-pledges-support-for-east-timor/20080215-1sdr.html

| archive-date = 15 February 2008 }}

Rudd also gave his support for the independence of Kosovo from Serbia,{{cite news|title=Australia backs independent Kosovo|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/australia-backs-independent-kosovo/2008/02/18/1203190694124.html|newspaper=The Age|date=18 February 2008|location=Melbourne|access-date=9 March 2014|archive-date=31 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531142723/http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/australia-backs-independent-kosovo/2008/02/18/1203190694124.html|url-status=live}}

before Australia officially recognised the republic.{{cite web

| title = Australia Recognises the Republic of Kosovo

| publisher = Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

| date = 19 February 2008

| url = http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2008/fa-s034_08.html

| access-date = 23 February 2008

| archive-date = 20 February 2008

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080220012853/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2008/fa-s034_08.html

| url-status = dead

}} This decision sparked protests of the Serbian Australian community against Rudd.{{cite web|title=Protesters want Kosovo decision reversed |publisher=Nine MSN |date=22 February 2008 |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=381016 |access-date=30 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112060408/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=381016 |archive-date=12 January 2009 }}

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

Some commentators have described Rudd as a social conservative.{{cite news |first=Gerard |last=Henderson |author-link=Gerard Henderson |title=Luvvies Labor's loss over Henson |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/gerard-henderson/luvvies-labors-loss-over-henson/2008/06/02/1212258733548.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=3 June 2008 |access-date=9 September 2008 |archive-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607025958/http://www.smh.com.au/news/gerard-henderson/luvvies-labors-loss-over-henson/2008/06/02/1212258733548.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Gawenda |author-link=Michael Gawenda |title=Desperately seeking Kevin |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/desperately-seeking-kevin/2007/11/16/1194766958567.html?page=5 |work=The Age |date=17 November 2007 |access-date=9 September 2008 |location=Melbourne |archive-date=6 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206210206/http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/desperately-seeking-kevin/2007/11/16/1194766958567.html?page=5 |url-status=live }} He has moved to remove financial discrimination against LGBT couples, but he had previously been opposed to legislation to recognise same-sex marriage.{{cite news

| last =Donald

| first =Peta

| title =Howard, Rudd make pitch to Christian voters

| publisher =AM

| date =18 October 2007

| url =http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2001400.htm

| access-date =18 October 2007

| archive-date =17 October 2007

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071017222235/http://abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2001400.htm

| url-status =live

}}

In May 2013, however, Rudd announced he had changed his position based on personal experience and the fact that his children had long thought him "an unreconstructed dinosaur" for not supporting marriage equality legislation. He went on to say that "I believe the secular Australian state should be able to recognise same sex marriage" while opposing any compulsion for churches to marry same-sex couples if that was not their wish.{{cite web|url=http://www.kevinruddmp.com/2013/05/church-and-state-are-able-to-have.html|title=Church and State are able to have different positions on same sex marriage.|first=Kevin|last=Rudd|publisher=Kevin Connects|date=20 May 2013|access-date=20 May 2013|archive-date=8 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608022342/http://www.kevinruddmp.com/2013/05/church-and-state-are-able-to-have.html|url-status=live}}

In a conscience vote in 2006, Rudd supported legislation to transfer regulatory authority for the abortion-inducing drug RU486 from the federal Minister For Health to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, removing the minister's veto on the use of RU486 in Australia. Rudd said that "For me and for the reasons I have outlined, the life of the unborn is of great importance. And having tested these reasons with men and women of faith, and men and women of science, that I've decided not to oppose this bill. "{{cite web|title=MPs to vote on RU486 control |url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1571075.htm |date=16 February 2006 |access-date=11 September 2008 |work=ABC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206204205/http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1571075.htm |archive-date=6 February 2009 }}

In another 2006 conscience vote, Rudd voted against legislation to expand embryonic stem cell research{{cite news|author=Danielle Cronin |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/mps-vote-expands-stem-cell-research/346524.aspx |title=MPs' vote expands stem cell research   – General |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=7 December 2006 |access-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905162800/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/mps-vote-expands-stem-cell-research/346524.aspx |archive-date=5 September 2008 }}

In May 2008, Rudd was drawn into the controversy over photographic artist Bill Henson and his work depicting naked adolescents as part of a show due to open at an inner-city gallery in Sydney. In a televised interview, Rudd stated that he found the images "absolutely revolting"{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/23/1211183044543.html |title=Rudd revolted – Arts – Entertainment – |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=23 May 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603095618/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/23/1211183044543.html |archive-date=3 June 2009 }} and that they had "no artistic merit".{{cite news |author=Matthew Westwood |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23745396-2702,00.html |title=PM says Henson photos have no artistic merit |work=The Australian |date=23 May 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019041841/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23745396-2702,00.html |archive-date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead}} These views swiftly drew censure from members of the "creative stream" who attended the 2020 Summit convened by Rudd, led by actress Cate Blanchett.{{cite web|last=Davis |first=Karen |url=http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/blanchett-joins-chorus-against-henson-attack/778095.aspx |title=Blanchett joins chorus against Henson attack   – General – The Canberra Times |publisher=Canberra.yourguide.com.au |date=28 May 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606062947/http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/blanchett-joins-chorus-against-henson-attack/778095.aspx |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}

{{Main|2010 Australian Labor Party leadership spill}}

File:Kevin Rudd DOS cropped.jpg

On 23 June 2010, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Rudd's Chief of Staff, Alister Jordan, had talked to over half of the Labor caucus to gauge the level of Rudd's support within the party. This followed significant media speculation that his deputy, Julia Gillard, would challenge him for the leadership.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-secret-polling-on-his-leadership-20100622-yvrc.html |title=Rudd's secret polling on his leadership |last=Hartcher |first=Peter |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 June 2010 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=25 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625235745/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudds-secret-polling-on-his-leadership-20100622-yvrc.html |url-status=live }} Late that evening, after it became clear that Rudd had lost the support of a large number of Labor MPs, Gillard publicly requested that Rudd hold a leadership election as soon as possible. Rudd subsequently announced a leadership election for 24 June, saying that he would stand.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-fights-to-the-death-20100623-yz8r.html |last=Coorey |first=Philip |title=Rudd fights to the death |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 June 2010 |access-date=24 June 2010 |archive-date=26 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626112607/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-fights-to-the-death-20100623-yz8r.html |url-status=live }} Hours before the vote, however, it became clear that Rudd would not have the support to win, and so he stood down as Labor leader and prime minister.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--to-become-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-tearful-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html |title=Gillard to become Australia's first female prime minister as tearful Rudd stands aside |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=24 June 2010 |first1=Phillip |last1=Coorey |first2=Tim |last2=Lester |archive-date=17 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517041343/https://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--becomes-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-tearful-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html |url-status=live }}; {{cite news

|url = http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/julia-gillard-is-australias-new-prime-minister/story-e6freuy9-1225883617249

|title = Julia Gillard is Australia's new Prime Minister

|access-date = 24 June 2010

|last = Farr

|first = Malcolm

|author-link = Malcolm Farr

|date = 24 June 2010

|newspaper = The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

|archive-date = 22 September 2012

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120922141458/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/julia-gillard-is-australias-new-prime-minister/story-e6freuy9-1225883617249

|url-status = live

}}

Gillard was elected unopposed, becoming Australia's first female prime minister. Bill Shorten, the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services and a key member of the Labor Party's right faction, speculated that it was the Government's handling of the insulation program, the sudden announcement of change of policy on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, and the way in which they had "introduced the debate" about the Resource Super Profits Tax as the main reasons which had led to a collapse in support for Rudd's leadership.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2933046.htm |title=The Gillard Coup | Q&A |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=12 July 2010 |archive-date=3 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703075348/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2933046.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Matthew Franklin, Chief political correspondent |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/pm-kevin-rudd-holds-line-on-mining-tax-reform/story-e6frgczf-1225879656354 |title=PM Kevin Rudd holds line on mining tax reform |work=The Australian |date=15 June 2010 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024190154/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/pm-kevin-rudd-holds-line-on-mining-tax-reform/story-e6frgczf-1225879656354 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-business/business-hopes-for-more-consultative-pm-20100624-z33t.html |title=Business hopes for more consultative PM |work=The Age |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=19 September 2010 |location=Melbourne |first=Colin |last=Brinsden |archive-date=25 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625235415/http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-business/business-hopes-for-more-consultative-pm-20100624-z33t.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11037486 |title=Australia count begins after tight election race |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=21 August 2010 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=15 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915154616/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11037486 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Sid Maher |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/ets-backlash-sees-home-turf-turn-on-rudd/story-e6frgczf-1225882960269 |title=ETS backlash sees home turf turn on Rudd |work=The Australian |date=22 June 2010 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=21 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621134248/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/ets-backlash-sees-home-turf-turn-on-rudd/story-e6frgczf-1225882960269 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Curtis |first=Lyndal |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/17/2956534.htm |title=Election 2010: Game on! |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=17 July 2010 |access-date=19 September 2010 |archive-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925151146/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/17/2956534.htm |url-status=dead }}

Barry Cohen, a former minister in the Hawke government, said that many in the Labor Party felt ignored by Rudd's centralist leadership style, and his at times insulting and rude treatment of staff and other ministers. Many were willing to overlook this due to his immense popularity, but when Rudd's poll numbers began to drop in late 2009 and 2010, they wanted to install a leader more able to establish consensus and involve the party caucus as a whole.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/no-one-assassinated-rudd-he-simply-topped-himself/story-e6frg6zo-1225897188218 |title=No one assassinated Rudd, he simply topped himself | Barry Cohen |work=The Australian |date=27 July 2010 |access-date=28 July 2010}} Rudd became the first Australian prime minister to be removed from office by his own party during his first term.

File:Kevin rudd pm bust.jpg in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens]]

Rudd maintained long periods of popularity in opinion polls during his initial tenure as prime minister for his management of the 2008 financial crisis and his well renowned apology to the Indigenous community,{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/how-will-history-judge-kevin-rudd-20131118-2xqie.html|title=How will history judge Kevin Rudd|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Frank|last=Bongiorno|date=18 November 2013|accessdate=19 November 2013|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502155345/https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/how-will-history-judge-kevin-rudd-20131118-2xqie.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43039522|title=Australia's apology to Stolen Generations: 'It gave me peace'|work=BBC News|first=Frances|last=Mao|date=13 February 2018|accessdate=17 February 2018|archive-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216183017/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43039522|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/27/kevin-rudd-party-man-childhood|title=Kevin Rudd: a man for the party but not a party man|work=The Guardian|first=David|last=Marr|authorlink=David Marr (journalist)|date=27 June 2013|accessdate=29 June 2013|archive-date=8 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908074303/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/27/kevin-rudd-party-man-childhood|url-status=live}} achieving some of the highest approval ratings for an Australian prime minister on record during the height of the 2008 financial crisis.{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudds-polling-since-2006-20100624-ivajn|title=Kevin Rudd's polling since 2006|work=Australian Financial Review|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=27 June 2010|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415235408/https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudds-polling-since-2006-20100624-ivajn|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-rudd-supremacy-20141112-9flo.html|title=The Rudd supremacy|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Philip|last=Coorey|date=30 March 2009|accessdate=12 September 2012|archive-date=24 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924122940/https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-rudd-supremacy-20141112-9flo.html|url-status=live}} However, he would see a rapid decrease in popularity after his failed handling of legislative negotiations, ultimately leading to the demise of his premiership. The circumstances of his removal from office have remained controversial; his supporters have decried the undemocratic nature of his ousting, while critics have accused him of an autocratic and flawed leadership style.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jun/24/kevin-rudd-australia-labor|title=Why Labor ditched Kevin Rudd|work=The Guardian|first=Tim|last=Soutphommasane|authorlink=Tim Soutphommasane|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=28 June 2010|archive-date=15 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915004048/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jun/24/kevin-rudd-australia-labor|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html|title=We need to talk about Kevin ... Rudd, that is|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=David|last=Marr|authorlink=David Marr (journalist)|date=7 June 2010|accessdate=11 June 2010|archive-date=2 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202223908/https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudd-s-successes-and-failures-20100624-ivaju|title=Kevin Rudd's successes and failures|work=Australian Financial Review|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=28 June 2010|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111211726/https://www.afr.com/politics/kevin-rudd-s-successes-and-failures-20100624-ivaju|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2013/11/14/the-rudd-years-highs-and-lows/|title=The Rudd years: highs and lows|publisher=Crikey|first=Matthew|last=Knott|date=14 November 2013|accessdate=18 November 2013|archive-date=17 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117230412/http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/11/14/the-rudd-years-highs-and-lows/|url-status=live}} He is often ranked in the middle-to-lower tier of Australian prime ministers.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/ranking-australias-prime-ministers-20100624-z3bn.html|title=Ranking Australia's prime ministers|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Malcolm|last=Mackerras|authorlink=Malcolm Mackerras|date=25 June 2010|accessdate=8 April 2023|archive-date=25 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025091144/https://www.smh.com.au/national/ranking-australias-prime-ministers-20100624-z3bn.html|url-status=live}}{{cite book |first=Paul|last=Strangio|chapter=Evaluating Prime-Ministerial Performance: The Australian Experience|title=Understanding Prime-Ministerial Performance: Comparative Perspectives |editor1-first=Paul|editor1-last=Strangio|editor2-first=Paul|editor2-last='t Hart|editor3-first=James|editor3-last=Walter|publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2013 |isbn=9780199666423 }}{{cite journal |last1=Strangio |first1=Paul |title=Prime-ministerial leadership rankings: the Australian experience |journal=Australian Journal of Political Science |date=February 2022 |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=180–198 |doi=10.1080/10361146.2022.2040426 |s2cid=247112944 |url=https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/22a12abe-f812-48a0-b4a8-16e67f22c636 |access-date=11 December 2023 |archive-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221215215/https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/prime-ministerial-leadership-rankings-the-australian-experience |url-status=live }}

Rudd announced following his resignation as prime minister that he would re-contest his seat of Griffith for the 2010 federal election, set for 21 August. Early in the campaign, he suffered abdominal pain and underwent surgery to remove his gall bladder.[http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/rudd-recovering-well-from-keyhole-surgery-20100731-110c4.html Rudd 'recovering well' from keyhole surgery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805050040/http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/rudd-recovering-well-from-keyhole-surgery-20100731-110c4.html |date=5 August 2010 }}, The Age, 31 July 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010. His first public statements after the operation were in an interview[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2010/2973665.htm Interview with Kevin Rudd] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813084222/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2010/2973665.htm |date=13 August 2010 }}, Phillip Adams, 4 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010. with ABC Radio National's Phillip Adams for Late Night Live, which received wide national coverage;[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/capital-circle/rudd-returns-to-rout-libs/story-fn59nqgy-1225901416424 Rudd returns to rout Libs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811035435/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/capital-circle/rudd-returns-to-rout-libs/story-fn59nqgy-1225901416424 |date=11 August 2010 }}, James Massola, The Australian, 5 August 2010 in it, he denied being the source of political leaks concerning Julia Gillard. Gillard later requested that Rudd join the national campaign to boost Labor's chances of re-election, which he did.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/expm-rudd-to-pm-gillard-i-will-save-you-20100805-11kqu.html |title=Ex-PM Rudd to PM Gillard: I will save you | The Sydney Morning Herald |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 August 2010 |access-date=7 August 2010 |archive-date=3 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903024213/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/expm-rudd-to-pm-gillard-i-will-save-you-20100805-11kqu.html |url-status=live }} Rudd and Gillard were subsequently photographed together during a private meeting in Brisbane, both appearing uncomfortable, unsmiling and unspeaking.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-07/gillard-rudd-wont-campaign-together/935832 |title=Gillard, Rudd won't campaign together; ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=7 August 2010 |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-date=9 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121209020125/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-07/gillard-rudd-wont-campaign-together/935832 |url-status=live }} Rudd was comfortably re-elected as the Member for Griffith.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/grif.htm|title=Griffith - 2010 Federal Election|work=ABC News (Australia)|first=Antony|last=Green|authorlink=Antony Green|accessdate=29 October 2021|archive-date=29 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029132618/https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/grif.htm|url-status=live}} The election resulted in a hung parliament after both major parties failed to win a majority of seats.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/21/australian-election-hung-parliament-likely|title=Australia faces hung parliament as Julia Gillard's Labor party suffers losses|work=The Guardian|first=Alison|last=Rourke|date=21 August 2010|accessdate=5 May 2024|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517042856/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/21/australian-election-hung-parliament-likely|url-status=live}} Weeks later, Gillard was able to form a minority government with the support of the Greens and independent MPs.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/07/labor-julia-gillard-form-minority-government-australia|title=Labor's Julia Gillard to form minority government in Australia|work=The Guardian|first=Paul|last=Owen|date=7 September 2010|accessdate=11 September 2010|archive-date=16 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916234708/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/07/labor-julia-gillard-form-minority-government-australia|url-status=live}}

File:Then Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd with AusAID's Thanh Le and elements of the Australian Army medical team August 2010.jpg in Pakistan, August 2010]]

Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed Rudd as Minister for Foreign Affairs in Cabinet on 14 September 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/11/3009056.htm |title=Rudd nabs Foreign Affairs portfolio |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=11 September 2010 |access-date=11 September 2010 |archive-date=13 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913040312/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/11/3009056.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/14/3011462.htm |title=Governor-General swears in new ministry |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=14 September 2010 |access-date=11 October 2010 |archive-date=16 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916010752/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/14/3011462.htm |url-status=dead }} He represented Gillard at a UN General Assembly meeting in September 2010.{{cite news |title=Rudd to represent Gillard at annual UN meeting |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-to-represent-gillard-at-annual-un-meeting-20100913-159do.html |first1=Phillip |last1=Coorey |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 September 2010 |access-date=14 September 2010 |archive-date=18 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918122717/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-to-represent-gillard-at-annual-un-meeting-20100913-159do.html |url-status=live }}

WikiLeaks, in 2010, published material about Kevin Rudd's term as prime minister, included United States diplomatic cables leak. As foreign minister, Rudd denounced publishing classified documents by WikiLeaks. The Australian media reported that references to Rudd in the cables included frank discussions between Rudd and US officials about China and Afghanistan. This included negative assessments of some of Rudd's foreign policy initiatives and leadership style, written in confidence for the US Government by the US Embassy staff in Australia.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/08/3087480.htm |title=Rudd shrugs off 'control freak' cable |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |date=8 December 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=2 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202051725/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/08/3087480.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kevin-rudds-plan-to-contain-beijing/story-fn59niix-1225966044004 |title=Kevin Rudd's plan to contain Beijing |work=The Australian |date=5 December 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |first=Paul |last=Maley |archive-date=20 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120143540/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kevin-rudds-plan-to-contain-beijing/story-fn59niix-1225966044004 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/10/3089711.htm |title=Afghanistan 'scared the hell' out of Rudd |author=Yaxley, Louise |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |date=10 December 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=27 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127225122/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/10/3089711.htm |url-status=dead }}

Before his first visit to Israel as foreign minister, Rudd stated Israel should be subject to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman rejected the call.{{cite news |author=Lyons, John |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/rudd-calls-for-inspections-of-israels-nuclear-facility/story-e6frg6nf-1225970522340 |title=Rudd calls for inspections of Israel's nuclear facility |work=The Australian |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=13 May 2011}}{{cite news |last=Fay Cashman |first=Greer |url=http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?ID=199409&R=R1 |title=Lieberman rejects Rudd's calls for Israel to sign NPT |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=13 May 2011 |agency=Associated Press |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629021515/http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?ID=199409&R=R1 |archive-date=29 June 2011}}

Following the 2011 Egyptian revolution and resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Rudd called for "constitutional reform and a clear timetable towards free and fair elections".{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/gillard-rudd-call-for-election-timetable-to-steer-new-egypt/story-e6frg6so-1226004938914 |title=Gillard, Rudd call for election timetable to steer new Egypt |work=The Australian |date=12 February 2011 |access-date=13 May 2011 |agency=Australian Associated Press |archive-date=13 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213095647/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/gillard-rudd-call-for-election-timetable-to-steer-new-egypt/story-e6frg6so-1226004938914 |url-status=live }}

In response to the 2011 Libyan civil war, Rudd announced in early March 2011, the international community should enforce a no-fly zone, as the "lesser of two evils". The US officials in Canberra sought clarification on what the Australian Government was proposing. Gillard said the United Nations Security Council should consider a full range of alternatives, and that Australia was not planning to send forces to enforce a no-fly zone.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/gillard-rudd-at-odds-on-libya-20110310-1bprv.html |title=Gillard, Rudd at odds on Libya |work=The Age |date=11 March 2011 |access-date=13 May 2011 |location=Melbourne |author-link=Michelle Grattan |first1=Michelle |last1=Grattan |first2=Jason |last2=Koutsoukis |archive-date=16 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516094709/http://www.theage.com.au/national/gillard-rudd-at-odds-on-libya-20110310-1bprv.html |url-status=live }}

File:Hillary Clinton Kevin Rudd Sept 2010.jpg in September 2010|left]]

Following the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Rudd announced after talking with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, he had offered Australian field hospitals and disaster victim identification teams to help with recovery. Rudd also said he had offered Australian atomic expertise and sought urgent briefings following an explosion at a nuclear plant.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/kevin-rudd-says-world-needs-urgent-briefings-on-nuclear-threat-in-japan/story-fn84naht-1226020581838 |title=Kevin Rudd says world needs urgent briefings on nuclear threat in Japan |work=The Australian |date=13 March 2011 |access-date=13 May 2011 |agency=AAP, AFP}}

Rudd announced his resignation as foreign minister on 22 February 2012, citing Gillard's failure to counter character attacks launched by Simon Crean and "other faceless men" as his reasons. Speaking to the press, Rudd explained that he considered Gillard's silence as evidence that she no longer supported him, and therefore he could not continue in office. "I can only serve as Foreign Minister if I have the confidence of Prime Minister Gillard and her senior ministers," he said.{{cite news |title=Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd resigns as Foreign Minister |date=22 February 2012 |work=PerthNow |agency=Australian Associated Press |url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/former-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-resigns-as-foreign-minister/story-e6frg12u-1226278542431 |access-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302021935/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/former-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-resigns-as-foreign-minister/story-e6frg12u-1226278542431 |archive-date=2 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=Rudd resigns as foreign minister |date=22 February 2012 |agency=Australian Associated Press |work=World News Australia |access-date=22 February 2012 |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1628677/Rudd-resigns-as-foreign-minister |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209013711/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/rudd-resigns-as-foreign-minister/6d9oy311v |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Benson |first=Simon |title=Kevin Rudd had dinner with Kim Beazley before all hell broke loose |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/kevin-rudd-had-dinner-with-kim-beazley-before-all-hell-broke-loose/story-e6frfkvr-1226279047970 |access-date=23 February 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=23 February 2012 |archive-date=23 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223184626/http://www.news.com.au/national/kevin-rudd-had-dinner-with-kim-beazley-before-all-hell-broke-loose/story-e6frfkvr-1226279047970 |url-status=dead }}

Rudd resigned as the Minister for Foreign Affairs followed heated speculation about a possible leadership spill. Craig Emerson temporarily replaced Rudd as Minister for Foreign Affairs, until Senator Bob Carr became Minister for Foreign Affairs on 13 March 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/emerson-takes-foreign-reins-20120222-1todb.html#poll |title=Emerson takes foreign reins |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 February 2012 |access-date=22 February 2012 |archive-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221225843/https://mb.moatads.com/yi/v2?ol=0&qn=%604%7BZEYwoqI%24%5BK%2BdLLU)%2CMm~tR%23a.%5BMhS%3A15.snxNz3%2B1bmlLntoDUj%7B!%3CFeid%5BOV%7C%2B2x%3D(%3Ce7%25%7DSlx%3Am4%2C..8WLdA1%3BxTiWio8bYLaXBjA%3AmQ)%3CF!tAbjrzJ%3BgoVYGVxc%40lQQV%23tc3%2Fh%7C%3FVKV%3BaBgS%3F%2BWx%3Ba5%2F%5BGI%3F4YNmD%3Dn%3Cy)%23*R%23tw98YCC2J.bq!CASw%5EXm0okt%24b_o%3FtVD%5D%5BpN%7CQF%40Sy7%7B%2CNr1U*%26ujMUU8fvb%26%22B&tf=1_nMzjG---CSa7H-1SJH-bW7qhB-LRwqH-nMzjG-&vi=111111&rc=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1%2C0%2C0%2Cprobably%2Cprobably&rb=1-zkS3h0IJ33cxUahFibJNuf8fWh6NxOl9R0RB2436S0SxzRsAfXjmhYeX&rs=1-uOlLasUST%2BDrDg%3D%3D&sc=1&os=1-jQ%3D%3D&qp=00000&is=BBBBB2BBEYBvGl2BBCBBtUTE1RmsqbKW8BsrBu0rCFE48CRBeeBS2hWTMBBQeQBBn2soYggyUig0CBlWZ0uBBCCCCCCOgRBBiOfnE6Bkg7OxCb8MxOtJYHCBdm5kBhBBC9Y8oBXckXBR76iUUsJBCBBBBBBBBBWBBBj3BBBZeGV2BBBCMciUBBBjgEBBBBBB94UMgTdJMtEcpMBBBQBBBniOccBBBBBB47kNBBBBBBBBBBBBBhcjG6BBJM2L4Bk8BwCBQmIoRBBCzBz1BBCTClBBrbGBC4ehueB57NG9aJeRzBqEKiuwBBBB&iv=8&qt=0&gz=0&hh=0&hn=0&tw=%23G%3BI%2C(nN%7BQ&qc=0&qd=0&qf=1400&qe=900&qh=1400&qg=900&qm=0&qa=1400&qb=900&qi=1400&qj=900&to=000&po=1-0020002000002120&vy=ot%24b%5Bh%40%22oDgO%3DLlE6%3AYnIBMwqCf%5D)4%5Dz%2C%5B%26u9L%2F%2F%24b4%5DIAIbzbld%7Dt00%7Ca_BB%3FVxyEO%22zf4%5D%24cr16Zh5YigBghs%7ClTr1W*d%5B4kf%2FLyUoRdByZ%3C99Ks(I%7DY(T0c%7BDQ3MY.NjDby7p%26C&qr=0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Fpolitics%2Ffederal%2Femerson-takes-foreign-reins-20120222-1todb.html&pcode=fairfaxheader492510264302&rx=529322703784&callback=MoatNadoAllJsonpRequest_40297849#poll |url-status=live }}

{{main|2012 Australian Labor Party leadership spill}}

Speculation regarding Rudd's desire to challenge Gillard to regain the leadership of the Labor Party—and hence the Prime Ministership—became a near constant feature of media commentary on the Gillard government. In October 2011, Queensland MP Graham Perrett, the member for the marginal Brisbane-area seat of Moreton, announced that if Labor replaced Gillard with Rudd, he would resign and force a by-election—a move that would have likely cost Labor its majority.{{cite news |author=Chlamers, Emma |date=11 October 2011 |title=Queensland MP Graham Perrett says he'll quit if Julia Gillard is dumped as PM |work=The Courier-Mail |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-mp-graham-perrett-says-hell-quit-if-julia-gillard-is-dumped-as-pm/story-e6freoof-1226163524937 |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=18 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518122944/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-mp-graham-perrett-says-hell-quit-if-julia-gillard-is-dumped-as-pm/story-e6freoof-1226163524937 |url-status=live }} In her speech to Labor's 2011 Conference, Prime Minister Gillard mentioned every Labor Prime Minister since World War II with the exception of Kevin Rudd.{{cite speech |title=Speech to ALP National Conference |first=Julia |last=Gillard |author-link=Julia Gillard |event=ALP National Conference |location=Sydney, NSW |date=2 December 2011 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/julia-gillards-speech-in-full-20111202-1o9yu.html |access-date=24 February 2012 |work=reproduced transcript by The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326084233/http://www.smh.com.au/national/julia-gillards-speech-in-full-20111202-1o9yu.html |url-status=live }} The speech was widely reported as a snub to Rudd.{{cite news |title=Simon Crean rejects claims Kevin Rudd was snubbed at the ALP conference |agency=Australian Associated Press |date=4 December 2011 |work=The Australian |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/simon-crean-rejects-claims-kevin-rudd-was-snubbed-at-the-alp-conference/story-fnba0rxe-1226213348854 |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=6 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206163437/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/simon-crean-rejects-claims-kevin-rudd-was-snubbed-at-the-alp-conference/story-fnba0rxe-1226213348854 |url-status=live }} In early 2012, Labor MPs began to openly discuss the issue of leadership. Simon Crean told Radio 3AW, "[Rudd] can't be leader again...people will not elect as leaders those they don't perceive as team players".{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-wasnt-a-team-player-will-never-be-leader-again-crean-20120131-1qqf2.html |title=Rudd wasn't a team player, will never be leader again: Crean |agency=Australian Associated Press |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=31 January 2012 |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222123957/http://www.smh.com.au/national/rudd-wasnt-a-team-player-will-never-be-leader-again-crean-20120131-1qqf2.html |url-status=live }}

File:Kevin Rudd World Economic Forum 2013.jpg

Following a Four Corners program that revisited Gillard's role in Rudd's downfall as prime minister, a breakdown in party discipline saw Labor MP Darren Cheeseman call on Gillard to resign, while his colleague Steve Gibbons called Rudd a "psychopath with a giant ego".{{cite news |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |title=Wilkie convinced Rudd will launch challenge |date=19 February 2012 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-19/questions-over-leaked-rudd-video/3838358 |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=23 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223232733/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-19/questions-over-leaked-rudd-video/3838358 |url-status=live }} Amidst the controversy, an expletive-laden video of out-takes of an intemperate Kevin Rudd attempting to record a Chinese language message during his time as prime minister was released anonymously on YouTube, apparently aimed at discrediting his push for the leadership. While Rudd said publicly only that he was "happy as Foreign Minister", media commentators widely declared that a leadership challenge was "on".{{cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/labor-challenge-will-occur-wilkie/story-e6freooo-1226274928521 |title=Rudd will challenge for leadership, says Andrew Wilkie |date=19 February 2012 |author=Scott, Steven |work=The Courier-Mail |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=23 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423032653/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/labor-challenge-will-occur-wilkie/story-e6freooo-1226274928521 |url-status=live }}

When Rudd resigned on 22 February 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan lambasted Rudd as "dysfunctional". His Cabinet colleague Tony Burke also spoke against Rudd, saying of his time in office that "the stories that were around of the chaos, of the temperament, of the inability to have decisions made, they are not stories.".{{cite news |title=Wayne Swan attacks 'dysfunctional' Kevin Rudd, accusing him of self-interest |agency=Australian Associated Press |date=22 February 2012 |work=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide, South Australia |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/wayne-swan-attacks-dysfunctional-kevin-rudd-accusing-him-of-self-interest/story-e6frea6u-1226278752968 |access-date=22 February 2012 |archive-date=23 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223054231/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/wayne-swan-attacks-dysfunctional-kevin-rudd-accusing-him-of-self-interest/story-e6frea6u-1226278752968 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/pm-says-rudd-didnt-tell-her-of-his-plan/story-e6frf7jx-1226278721007 |work=Herald Sun |author-link=Malcolm Farr |author-last=Farr |author-first=Malcolm |date=22 February 2012 |title=Gillard will call leadership ballot on Monday |access-date=24 February 2012}}{{cite news |work=7.30 Report |location=Australia |date=22 December 2012 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3437238.htm |title=Burke gives frank assessment of developments |author=Uhlmann, Chris |access-date=24 February 2012 |format=transcript |archive-date=20 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620002221/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3437238.htm |url-status=live }} Labor Senator Doug Cameron came out in support of Rudd and called on his colleagues to show him respect.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3437323.htm |date=22 February 2012 |author=Jones, Tony |work=Lateline |location=Australia |format=transcript |title=Democracy requires leadership ballot to wait: Cameron |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=20 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620151529/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3437323.htm |url-status=live }}

Later that day, Rudd said that he did not think Gillard could defeat the Coalition at the next election and that, since his resignation, he had received encouragement from Labor MPs to contest the leadership.{{cite news |last=Toohey |first=Paul |title=Kevin Rudd speaks for the first time since his resignation as foreign minister |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/kevin-rudd-holed-up-in-washington-hotel-the-willard-after-resigning-as-foreign-minister/story-e6freuy9-1226278947012 |access-date=23 February 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=23 February 2012 |archive-date=16 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916231621/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/kevin-rudd-holed-up-in-washington-hotel-the-willard-after-resigning-as-foreign-minister/story-e6freuy9-1226278947012 |url-status=live }} Gillard responded to these developments by announcing a leadership election for the morning of 27 February 2012, and stating that she would be a candidate.{{cite news |title=Julia Gillard calls leadership ballot to end 'squabbling' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17136442 |access-date=22 February 2012 |work=BBC News |date=22 February 2012 |archive-date=23 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223041535/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17136442 |url-status=live }} Two days later, Rudd announced his own candidacy.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-24/rudd-confirms-ballot-nomination/3851086 |title=Rudd confirms he'll contest leadership |author=Griffiths, Emma |date=24 February 2012 |work=ABC News |location=Australia |access-date=24 February 2012 |archive-date=19 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919184200/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-24/rudd-confirms-ballot-nomination/3851086 |url-status=live }} Before the vote, Rudd promised that he would not initiate any further leadership challenges against Gillard should he lose, but he did not rule out becoming Leader again at a later date.{{cite news |title=Kevin Rudd fails to rule out being drafted as leader at a later date, as he heads for ballot defeat |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/fears-gillard-win-wont-end-warfare/story-fnccyr6m-1226282270766 |access-date=27 February 2012 |newspaper=The Australian |date=27 February 2012 |first1=Ben |last1=Packham |first2=Lanai |last2=Vasek |archive-date=27 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227070638/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/fears-gillard-win-wont-end-warfare/story-fnccyr6m-1226282270766 |url-status=live }}

Gillard won the leadership election comfortably with 71 votes to Rudd's 31.{{cite news |title=Julia Gillard wins Labor leadership ballot |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/julia-gillard-wins-labor-leadership-ballot/story-fn3dxity-1226282461385 |access-date=27 February 2012 |newspaper=The Australian |date=27 February 2012 |archive-date=27 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227102600/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/julia-gillard-wins-labor-leadership-ballot/story-fn3dxity-1226282461385 |url-status=live }} Following the result Rudd returned to the backbenches, reiterating that he would not mount any further leadership challenges against Gillard, and stating that he would support her in any further leadership elections.{{cite web |last=Rudd |first=Kevin |title=Statement to the Parliamentary Labor Party following the Re-Election of the Leader |url=http://www.kevinruddmp.com/2012/02/statement-to-parliamentary-labor-party_27.html |work=Kevin Connects |publisher=Kevin Rudd |access-date=2 March 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304052440/http://www.kevinruddmp.com/2012/02/statement-to-parliamentary-labor-party_27.html |url-status=live }}

File:Kevin Rudd campaigning at Ekka show in Brisbane 14 August 2013.jpeg in 2013]]

{{main|March 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill}}

On 21 March 2013, following a request from Simon Crean, the prime minister, Julia Gillard, called a leadership spill. It was widely reported that Rudd was considering nominating for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party, but he chose not to stand. Gillard was the sole candidate and was elected unopposed.{{cite journal |last= Wanna | first= John | date=December 2013 | title= Australian Political Chronicle: January–June 2013 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 59 |issue= 4 |pages= 618–621 |issn=0004-9522| doi= 10.1111/ajph.12037 }}

{{main|June 2013 Australian Labor Party leadership spill}}

On 10 June 2013, the security of Gillard's position as leader was put in doubt following the loss of significant support in the Labor caucus. Furthermore, polling in the preceding week indicated that the party could be left with a very low number of 40 seats in the Federal Parliament, while one Labor backbencher compared the Labor Party to the Titanic.{{cite news |title=Julia Gillard loses significant support among caucus |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-09/julia-gillard-loses-significant-support-in-caucus/4742626 |access-date=9 June 2013 |newspaper=ABC |date=9 June 2013 |archive-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609145818/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-09/julia-gillard-loses-significant-support-in-caucus/4742626 |url-status=live }} ABC reported that "some former staunch supporters" held the view that Gillard could not win the election, and ABC journalist Barrie Cassidy identified Rudd as the only feasible replacement.{{cite news |title=Is Gillard's number up? |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-09/cassidy---gillard/4742634 |access-date=9 June 2013 |newspaper=ABC |date=9 June 2013 |author-first=Barrie |author-last=Cassidy |author-link=Barrie Cassidy |archive-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609145911/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-09/cassidy---gillard/4742634 |url-status=live }}

The political editor of the Australian newspaper, Dennis Shanahan, reported on 10 June 2013 that Rudd had been "mobbed" by supporters in the Victorian city of Geelong days earlier and that he was "expected to be returned to the ALP leadership".{{cite news |title=Julia Gillard's leadership on the line as caucus eyes turn to Bill Shorten |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/julia-gillards-leadership-on-the-line-as-caucus-eyes-turn-to-bill-shorten/story-fn59niix-1226661034356?net_sub_uid=44933799 |access-date=10 June 2013 |newspaper=The Australian |date=10 June 2013 |author=Dennis Shenahan}}

On 26 June 2013, Julia Gillard called a leadership spill, intending to head off any challenge. Rudd announced that he would challenge the prime minister. Gillard said that, in her view, the loser of the ballot should retire from politics; Rudd agreed that this would be appropriate.{{cite news |title=Julia Gillard calls leadership vote |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10893164 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=26 June 2013 |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=26 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626153447/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10893164 |url-status=live }} Key Gillard supporter Bill Shorten, who was one of the main figures responsible for Rudd's previous overturn as prime minister, this time announced his support for Rudd.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/kevin-rudd-to-challenge-pm-julia-gillard-for-labor-leadership-tomorrow-morning/story-fni0cx12-1226670143790|title=Kevin Rudd poised for return as PM after Bill Shorten withdraws support for Julia Gillard in leadership battle}} Rudd subsequently won the leadership ballot, 57–45, and became the Leader of the Labor Party for the second time.{{cite news |date=26 June 2013 |title=Labor leadership live: Kevin Rudd returns, Julia Gillard loses support of partyroom |url=http://www.news.com.au/national-news/federal-election/labor-leadership-live-kevin-rudd-returns-julia-gillard-loses-support-of-partyroom/story-fnho52ip-1226669921693 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016132633/http://www.news.com.au/national-news/federal-election/labor-leadership-live-kevin-rudd-returns-julia-gillard-loses-support-of-partyroom/story-fnho52ip-1226669921693 |archive-date=16 October 2013 |access-date=26 June 2013 |work=news.com.au}}

{{Main|Rudd government (2013)}}

File:Kevin Rudd swearing-in 2013 (1).jpg

Following the leadership election on 26 June 2013, Julia Gillard resigned as prime minister. After seeking legal advice from the acting Solicitor-General, Robert Orr, the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, invited Rudd to be sworn in as prime minister for the second time on 27 June.{{Cite news

| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/leadership-spill-governorgeneral-invites-kevin-rudd-to-be-prime-minister/story-e6frg6n6-1226670425853

| title = Leadership spill: Governor-General invites Kevin Rudd to be Prime Minister

| last = Lewis

| first = Stephen

| date = 27 June 2013

| work = The Australian

| access-date = 28 February 2016

| archive-date = 27 June 2013

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130627004713/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/leadership-spill-governorgeneral-invites-kevin-rudd-to-be-prime-minister/story-e6frg6n6-1226670425853

| url-status = live

}} At 9:53 am (AEST), Rudd was sworn in as prime minister for a second term,{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-features/live-coverage-kevin-rudd-faces-the-nation-as-julia-gillard-ponders-her-future/story-fnho52jj-1226670571202|title=Stephen Smith resigns and Kevin Rudd has no change to election date yet}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10145093/Kevin-Rudd-sworn-in-as-Australian-prime-minister.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10145093/Kevin-Rudd-sworn-in-as-Australian-prime-minister.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Kevin Rudd sworn in as Australian prime minister |date=27 June 2012 |work=Daily Telegraph UK |access-date=27 June 2013 |location=London |first=Jonathan |last=Pearlman}}{{cbignore}} becoming the second Labor Prime Minister to have a second non-consecutive term; the first was Andrew Fisher.

{{main|2013 Australian federal election}}

On 4 August 2013, Rudd announced that he had visited Governor-General Quentin Bryce at Parliament House, asking her to dissolve Parliament and for a federal election to be held on 7 September. After Labor subsequently lost the election, Rudd resigned as prime minister for the second time on 18 September 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/07/australian-elections-2013-results-live|title=Australian elections 2013: Coalition wins - as it happened|work=The Guardian|first=Katharine|last=Murphy|date=7 September 2013|accessdate=12 September 2013|archive-date=9 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409143031/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/07/australian-elections-2013-results-live|url-status=live}}

File:Kevin Rudd DFAT (serious).jpg

On 13 November 2013, Rudd announced that he would soon resign from Parliament.{{Cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/13/kevin-rudd-resigns-parliament | title = Kevin Rudd quits politics | last = Murphy | first = Katharine | date = 13 November 2013 | work = Guardian Australia | access-date = 28 February 2016 | archive-date = 4 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205031/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/13/kevin-rudd-resigns-parliament | url-status = live }} In his valedictory speech to the House of Representatives, Rudd expressed his attachment to his community but said he wanted to dedicate more time to his family and minimise disruption to House proceedings.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudds-full-resignation-speech/story-fni0xqrc-1226759343916|title=Kevin Rudd's full resignation speech|author=Kevin Rudd|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=14 November 2013|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=14 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114103404/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudds-full-resignation-speech/story-fni0xqrc-1226759343916|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-13/kevin-rudd-to-retire-from-politics/5090108|title=Former prime minister Kevin Rudd quits federal politics with emotional speech to Parliament|work=ABC Online|date=14 November 2013|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=17 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317153328/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-13/kevin-rudd-to-retire-from-politics/5090108|url-status=live}} Rudd submitted his resignation in writing to the Speaker, Bronwyn Bishop, on 22 November 2013, formally ending his parliamentary career.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/with-formal-resignation-kevin-rudd-irritates-coalition-one-more-time-20131122-2y0mg.html|title=With formal resignation, Kevin Rudd irritates Coalition one more time|last=Swan|first=Jonathon|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 November 2013|access-date=16 April 2016|archive-date=6 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106054945/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/with-formal-resignation-kevin-rudd-irritates-coalition-one-more-time-20131122-2y0mg.html|url-status=live}} Terri Butler was selected to run for the Labor Party at the resulting by-election in the electorate of Griffith to be held on 8 February 2014.{{cite news |last=Swan |first=Jonathan |title=With formal resignation, Kevin Rudd irritates Coalition one more time |url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/with-formal-resignation-kevin-rudd-irritates-coalition-one-more-time-20131122-2y0mg.html |access-date=22 November 2013 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=22 November 2013 |archive-date=23 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123103943/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/with-formal-resignation-kevin-rudd-irritates-coalition-one-more-time-20131122-2y0mg.html |url-status=live }} Rudd offered Butler his support and advice, and campaigned with her in a low-key appearance on 11 January 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/kevin-rudd-promises-advice-to-griffith-labor-candidate-terri-butler/story-fnihsrf2-1226783638720|title=Kevin Rudd promises advice to Griffith Labor candidate Terri Butler|work=The Courier-Mail|date=16 December 2013|last=Brennan|first=Rose|access-date=30 March 2006|archive-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215233245/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/kevin-rudd-promises-advice-to-griffith-labor-candidate-terri-butler/story-fnihsrf2-1226783638720|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bill-shorten-to-campaign-in-griffith-for-terri-butler-days-after-kevin-rudd-quietly-lent-a-hand/story-fnihsrf2-1226802984917|title=Bill Shorten to campaign in Griffith for Terri Butler days after Kevin Rudd quietly lent a hand|date=16 January 2014|work=The Courier-Mail|last=Vogler|first=Sarah|access-date=30 March 2016}} Butler ultimately succeeded Rudd in the seat.{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17552/Website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-17552-163.htm|title=The official election results|website=Griffith by-election 2014|publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|date=27 February 2014|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322184912/http://results.aec.gov.au/17552/Website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-17552-163.htm|url-status=live}}

File:Secretary Blinken Speaks with Asia Society President and CEO Rudd (52101254954).jpg in May 2022]]

In early 2014, Rudd left Australia to work in the United States, where he was appointed a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he completed a major research effort on the future of US-China relations.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-goes-to-harvard-20140221-338el.html|title=Kevin Rudd goes to Harvard|date=21 February 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=18 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718071155/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-goes-to-harvard-20140221-338el.html|url-status=live}} Through 2014 Rudd joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies as a distinguished statesman,{{cite web|url=http://csis.org/press/press-release/former-australian-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-joins-csis-distinguished-statesman|title=Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Joins CSIS as Distinguished Statesman|date=11 June 2014|author=Center for Strategic and International Studies|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=20 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220182704/http://csis.org/press/press-release/former-australian-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-joins-csis-distinguished-statesman|url-status=live}} and was appointed a distinguished fellow at both the Paulson Institute at the University of Chicago, Illinois{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/distinguished-fellow-rudd-adds-another-string-to-bow/news-story/6c18e9c93be76bfd37bfee8caacb3c54|title=Distinguished fellow Rudd adds another string to bow|work=The Australian|last=Bramston|first=Troy|date=12 September 2014|access-date=30 March 2016}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.paulsoninstitute.org/news/2014/09/11/paulson-institute-welcomes-former-australian-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-as-its-first-distinguished-fellow/|title=Paulson Institute welcomes former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as its first Distinguished Fellow|publisher=Paulson Institute|date=11 September 2014|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=15 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415065356/http://www.paulsoninstitute.org/news/2014/09/11/paulson-institute-welcomes-former-australian-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-as-its-first-distinguished-fellow/|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite news|url=http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2014/10/14/former-australian-prime-minister-joins-paulson-institute-distinguished-fellow|title=Former Australian prime minister joins Paulson Institute as distinguished fellow|last=Huang|first=Wen|publisher=University of Chicago|date=14 October 2014|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=23 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423000809/http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2014/10/14/former-australian-prime-minister-joins-paulson-institute-distinguished-fellow|url-status=live}} and Chatham House, London.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/former-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-appointed-to-chatham-house-20131113-2xh8n.html|title=Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd appointed to Chatham House|last=Miller|first=Nick|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=13 November 2013|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=24 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224232006/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/former-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-appointed-to-chatham-house-20131113-2xh8n.html|url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/news/2014-06-20-kevin-rudd-joins-chatham-house-distinguished-visiting-fellow|title=Kevin Rudd Joins Chatham House as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow|author=Chatham House|date=20 June 2014|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418080135/https://www.chathamhouse.org/news/2014-06-20-kevin-rudd-joins-chatham-house-distinguished-visiting-fellow|url-status=live}}

In September of that year, he was appointed Chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism at the International Peace Institute in Vienna, Austria,{{cite news|url=https://www.ipinst.org/2014/09/kevin-rudd-former-australian-pm-to-chair-independent-commission-on-multilateralism|title=Kevin Rudd, Former Australian PM, to Chair Independent Commission on Multilateralism|publisher=International Peace Institute|date=22 September 2014|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=15 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415211145/https://www.ipinst.org/2014/09/kevin-rudd-former-australian-pm-to-chair-independent-commission-on-multilateralism|url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/latest/rudd-to-chair-global-security-review/news-story/e5ba3efd8ed9508d75e6946b65424067|title=Rudd to chair global security review|date=24 September 2014|work=The Australian|agency=Australian Associated Press|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=7 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107082218/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/latest/rudd-to-chair-global-security-review/news-story/e5ba3efd8ed9508d75e6946b65424067|url-status=live}} and in October became the first president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York City.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/kevin-rudd-makes-debut-as-president-of-asia-society-policy-institute-20150218-13i23r.html|title=Kevin Rudd makes debut as president of Asia Society Policy Institute|last=O'Malley|first=Nick|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 February 2015|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=13 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213152708/http://www.smh.com.au/world/kevin-rudd-makes-debut-as-president-of-asia-society-policy-institute-20150218-13i23r.html|url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|url=http://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/kevin-rudd-former-australian-pm-head-asia-society-policy-institute|title=Kevin Rudd, Former Australian PM, to Head Asia Society Policy Institute|date=21 October 2014|author=Asia Society|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=21 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321055214/http://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/kevin-rudd-former-australian-pm-head-asia-society-policy-institute|url-status=live}}

On 5 November 2015, Rudd was appointed to chair Sanitation and Water For All, a global partnership to achieve universal access to drinking water and adequate sanitation.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/higher-ambitions-in-sight-kevin-rudd-appointed-to-unicef-sanitation-and-water-role-20151106-gksh9b.html|title=Higher ambitions in sight? Kevin Rudd appointed to water and sanitation role with UN partner|last=Cox|first=Lisa|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 November 2015|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=10 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110021513/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/higher-ambitions-in-sight-kevin-rudd-appointed-to-unicef-sanitation-and-water-role-20151106-gksh9b.html?|url-status=live}} He has also actively contributed to the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on China.{{cite web|url=http://reports.weforum.org/outlook-global-agenda-2015/regional-challenges/building-for-better-asia/|title=Outlook on the Global Agenda 2015. Regional Challenges: Asia.|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|work=Outlook on the Global Agenda 2015 |year=2015|access-date=30 March 2016|archive-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418105524/http://reports.weforum.org/outlook-global-agenda-2015/regional-challenges/building-for-better-asia/|url-status=live}} Rudd is also a member of the Berggruen Institute's 21st Century Council.{{cite web|title=Berggruen Institute|url=http://governance.berggruen.org/councils/21st-century-council/members|access-date=5 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173236/http://governance.berggruen.org/councils/21st-century-council/members|archive-date=6 January 2017|url-status=dead}} On 21 October 2016, he was awarded an honorary professorship at Peking University.{{cite news|url=http://www.oir.pku.edu.cn/En/html/2016/NewsExpress_1026/493.html|title=The 26th Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd Receives Honorary Professorship and Speaks at PKU|author=Zhu Jieyun (Jane)|publisher=Peking University|date=21 October 2016|access-date=6 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105225955/http://www.oir.pku.edu.cn/En/html/2016/NewsExpress_1026/493.html|archive-date=5 November 2016|url-status=dead}}

In 2016, Rudd asked the Government of Australia (then a government of the Liberal-National Coalition) to nominate him for Secretary-General of the United Nations. At its meeting on 28 July, the Cabinet was divided on his suitability for the role and, on that basis, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull decided to decline the request; since nomination by the Australian government was considered a necessary prerequisite for candidacy, Turnbull's decision essentially ended Rudd's campaign;{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-seeks-australian-government-support-for-un-secretary-general-candidacy-20160717-gq7sfw.html|title=Julie Bishop confirms Kevin Rudd seeking nomination for UN Secretary-General election|last=Anderson|first=Stephanie|date=18 July 2016|website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=18 July 2016|archive-date=18 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718200627/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-seeks-australian-government-support-for-un-secretary-general-candidacy-20160717-gq7sfw.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-seeks-australian-government-support-for-un-secretary-general-candidacy-20160717-gq7sfw.html|title=Nominate me: Kevin Rudd seeks government support to be United Nations boss|last=Hunter|first=Fergus|journal=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=18 July 2016|access-date=18 July 2016|archive-date=18 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718200627/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-seeks-australian-government-support-for-un-secretary-general-candidacy-20160717-gq7sfw.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/29/malcolm-turnbull-kevin-rudd-un-secretary-general-nomination|title=Malcolm Turnbull refuses to nominate Kevin Rudd as UN secretary general|work=The Guardian|last=Murphy|first=Katharine|date=29 July 2016|access-date=29 July 2016|archive-date=8 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508044652/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/29/malcolm-turnbull-kevin-rudd-un-secretary-general-nomination|url-status=live}} Rudd later confirmed as much.{{cite news |author-last=Grattan |author-first=Michelle |author-link=Michelle Grattan |url=https://theconversation.com/turnbull-kills-rudds-un-secretary-general-bid-63261 |title=Turnbull kills Rudd's UN secretary-general bid |work=The Conversation |publisher=The Conversation Media Group Ltd |date=29 July 2016 |accessdate=24 October 2022 |archive-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024054755/https://theconversation.com/turnbull-kills-rudds-un-secretary-general-bid-63261 |url-status=live }} However, there remains dispute over what if any earlier assurances Turnbull may have given to Rudd and about what happened in the Cabinet meeting.{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/did-barnaby-joyce-mislead-australia-the-questions-the-government-needs-to-answer-over-kevin-rudd-20160803-gqjrt6.html|title=Did Barnaby Joyce mislead Australia? The questions the government needs to answer over Kevin Rudd|last=Hunter|first=Fergus|journal=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 August 2016|access-date=3 August 2016|archive-date=6 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806065846/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/did-barnaby-joyce-mislead-australia-the-questions-the-government-needs-to-answer-over-kevin-rudd-20160803-gqjrt6.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/05/kevin-rudd-says-malcolm-turnbulls-rejection-of-un-bid-a-monstrous-intrusion|title=Kevin Rudd says Malcolm Turnbull's rejection of UN bid a 'monstrous intrusion'|last=Karp|first=Paul|journal=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 August 2016|access-date=5 August 2016|archive-date=6 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806170807/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/05/kevin-rudd-says-malcolm-turnbulls-rejection-of-un-bid-a-monstrous-intrusion|url-status=live}}{{cite news |author=Wyeth, Grant |url=https://thediplomat.com/2016/08/why-did-turnbull-decide-against-endorsing-rudd-for-un-secretary-general/ |title=Why Did Turnbull Decide Against Endorsing Rudd for UN Secretary General? |work=The Diplomat |publisher=Diplomat Media Inc. |date=1 August 2016 |accessdate=24 October 2022 |archive-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024054742/https://thediplomat.com/2016/08/why-did-turnbull-decide-against-endorsing-rudd-for-un-secretary-general/ |url-status=live }}

Rudd is also a member of the Global Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organisation comprising a network of former heads of state or government.{{cite web|url=https://www.g-l-f.org/|title=Home|work=Global Leadership Foundation|accessdate=5 September 2021|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924070151/https://www.g-l-f.org/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.g-l-f.org/who-we-are/glf-members-listed-by-region/kevin-rudd/|title=Kevin Rudd|work=Global Leadership Foundation|accessdate=5 September 2021|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905034751/https://www.g-l-f.org/who-we-are/glf-members-listed-by-region/kevin-rudd/|url-status=live}}

On 10 October 2020, Rudd launched a petition for a royal commission into what he termed the "Murdoch media monopoly" and its impact on Australian democracy.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1314697819945492480 |title=Australians have watched with growing anger at what the Murdoch media monopoly is doing to our country. A cancer on democracy. Today I am launching a national petition to establish a #MurdochRoyalCommission. If you value our democracy, please sign here: https://aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN1938 |publisher=Twitter |last=Rudd |first=Kevin |date=10 October 2020 |access-date=30 October 2020 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029230024/https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1314697819945492480 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Petitions List - Petition EN1938 - Royal Commission to ensure a strong, diverse Australian news media |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN1938 |website=Parliament of Australia |access-date=30 October 2020 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029230043/https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN1938 |url-status=live }} The public demand to sign the petition following Rudd's Twitter announcement caused the Australian Parliament House's ePetitions site to experience technical difficulties.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/11/kevin-rudd-petition-royal-commission-news-corp-media-domination-australia |title=Kevin Rudd petition calls for royal commission into News Corp domination of Australian media |author=Visontay, Elias |date=11 October 2020 |work=The Guardian |location=Australia |access-date=30 October 2020 |archive-date=17 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517042428/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/11/kevin-rudd-petition-royal-commission-news-corp-media-domination-australia |url-status=live }} On 25 October 2020, Rudd was joined by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull who gave him his support,{{cite web|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7003259/turnbull-rudd-warn-against-murdoch-media/|title=Turnbull, Rudd warn against Murdoch media|work=The Canberra Times|first=Marty|last=Silk|date=8 November 2020|accessdate=11 November 2020|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108065607/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7003259/turnbull-rudd-warn-against-murdoch-media/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/25/malcolm-turnbull-signs-kevin-rudds-petition-challenging-news-corp-media-dominance|title=Malcolm Turnbull signs Kevin Rudd's petition challenging News Corp media dominance|work=The Guardian|first=Calla|last=Wahlquist|date=25 October 2020|accessdate=27 October 2020|url-access=limited}} tweeting that he too had signed the petition.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/TurnbullMalcolm/status/1320139943134384129 |title=Kevin has done well to get this petition going. I doubt it will result in a Royal Commission and Murdoch's print monopoly (since 1987) is only part of the problem. But I have signed it and encourage others to do so. |publisher=Twitter |author-link=Malcolm Turnbull |last=Turnbull |first=Malcolm |date=25 October 2020 |access-date=30 October 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/25/malcolm-turnbull-signs-kevin-rudds-petition-challenging-news-corp-media-dominance |title=Malcolm Turnbull signs Kevin Rudd's petition challenging News Corp media dominance |author=Wahlquist, Calla |date=25 October 2020 |work=The Guardian |location=Australia |access-date=30 October 2020}} With more than 500,000 signatures, the petition became the most signed parliamentary e-petition in Australia and the third most signed parliamentary petition ever.{{cite web |title=Kevin Rudd's News Royal Commission Petition Has Reached A Record 500,000 Signatures |url=https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/11/kevin-rudds-news-royal-commission-petition-has-reached-a-record-500000-signatures/ |website=Gizmodo |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=5 November 2020}} The petition was tabled in the House of Representatives by Labor MP Andrew Leigh on 9 November 2020.{{cite news |title=Petition calling for media royal commission and setting Australian record tabled in Parliament |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-09/media-diversity-petition-started-by-kevin-rudd-lodged-parliament/12863982 |author=Snape, Jack |date=10 October 2020 |work=ABC News |location=Australia |access-date=11 November 2020}} Peta Credlin, a Sky News commentator gave an on air apology in February 2021 to Rudd as part of a confidential legal settlement regarding defamation over comments she made in 2020 about him and his petition.{{cite news|last=Meade|first=Amanda|title=Peta Credlin forced to apologise to Kevin Rudd over false data harvesting claims|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/01/peta-credlin-forced-to-apologise-to-kevin-rudd-over-false-data-harvesting-claims|work=The Guardian|date=1 February 2021|access-date=9 February 2021}}

In 2017, Rudd began studying for a doctorate on Xi Jinping at Jesus College, Oxford.{{Cite news |url=http://cherwell.org/2017/10/16/new-jesus-fresher-ex-australian-pm-kevin-rudd/ |title=New Jesus fresher: Ex-Australian PM Kevin Rudd |last=Dry |first=Will |date=16 October 2017 |work=Cherwell |access-date=17 October 2017}} In 2022, Rudd was conferred with a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. In his thesis, titled "China's new Marxist nationalism: defining Xi Jinping's ideological worldview",{{cite web |last1=Rudd |first1=Kevin |title=China's new Marxist nationalism: defining Xi Jinping's ideological worldview |url=https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:6c63d843-6a36-486d-b6be-fe4f66a08058 |website=Oxford University Research Archive |publisher=Oxford University |access-date=28 November 2022}} Rudd argues that Xi has adopted a more Marxist political and economic approach to government and that will have negative consequences for economic growth and China as a whole.{{cite news |last1=Galloway |first1=Anthony |title=Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/kevin-is-now-dr-rudd-after-penning-420-page-study-of-xi-jinping-20220908-p5bgit.html |access-date=11 September 2022 |publisher=Nine Newspapers |date=11 September 2022}}

File:Australian_Prime_Minister_Anthony_Albanese_visits_Arlington_National_Cemetery_where_he_placed_a_wreath_at_the_Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_on_October_23,_2023_43_(cropped).jpg in March 2023]]

In late 2022, there were calls for Rudd to be appointed as the next Australian Ambassador to the United States.{{cite news |author=Knott, Matthew |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/clout-access-gravitas-push-for-kevin-rudd-to-be-named-us-ambassador-20221020-p5brfk.html?list_name=E2446F7A-1897-44FC-8EB8-B365900170E3&promote_channel=edmail&mbnr=MjAyODEwMzM&instance=2022-10-24-06-40-AEDT&jobid=29424598 |title='Clout, access, gravitas': Push for Kevin Rudd to be named US ambassador |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 October 2022 |accessdate=24 October 2022 }} On 20 December 2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong announced that Rudd would be appointed as the 23rd Ambassador of Australia to the United States in early 2023, succeeding Arthur Sinodinos.{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Jake |date=20 December 2022 |title=Former prime minister Kevin Rudd posted to Washington as Australia's new US ambassador |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-20/kevin-rudd-appointed-washington-us-ambassador/101791798 |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=20 December 2022}} Rudd assumed the position on 20 March 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-21/former-ambassador-to-us-arthur-sinodinos-on-trump-and-aukus/102122774|title=Arthur Sinodinos finishes as ambassador to the US as it reckons with the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency|work=ABC News|first=Jade|last=Macmillan|date=21 March 2023|accessdate=22 March 2023}}

In March 2024, Rudd was criticised by former US president Donald Trump, who labelled him "nasty" and indicated that he would be removed as US ambassador should Trump win the 2024 presidential election. Rudd had previously been highly critical of Trump during his first presidency.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/20/donald-trump-calls-kevin-rudd-nasty-and-says-he-wont-be-there-long-as-australias-ambassador-to-us|title=Donald Trump calls Kevin Rudd 'nasty' and says he 'won't be there long' as Australia's ambassador to US|work=Guardian Australia|first=Josh|last=Butler|date=20 March 2024|accessdate=5 May 2024}} Penny Wong later clarified that Rudd would stay on as ambassador even in the result of Trump winning the election.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/australia-defends-its-us-ambassador-kevin-rudd-after-trump-attack-2024-03-20/|title=Australia defends its US ambassador, Kevin Rudd, after Trump attack|work=Reuters|date=20 March 2024|accessdate=5 May 2024}}

In the role, Rudd has been a vocal advocate for AUKUS security partnership, urging American decision makers to implement its promise of technology sharing.{{Cite web |date=12 October 2023 |title=Rudd slams 'crazy' US red tape slowing AUKUS |url=https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/rudd-slams-crazy-us-red-tape-slowing-aukus-20231013-p5ebxk |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}} While it was hoped he might defuse tension between the United States and China in the role, Rudd has become a blunt critic of China's expansionism.{{Cite web |last=Nielsen |first=Annelise |date=22 November 2023 |title=Kevin Rudd's shifting sentiment towards China could bolster AUKUS pact |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/insights-and-analysis/kevin-rudds-shifting-sentiment-towards-china-for-its-outragious-behaviour-at-sea-could-bolster-critical-aukus-pact/news-story/28424720181ecce84030b3e44d912d77 |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=skynews |language=en}}

File:Kevin Rudd, book launch, Bulimba State School, 25 October 2017.jpg, October 2017|267x267px]]

Rudd has authored several books. While prime minister, he co-authored a children's book with entertainer Rhys Muldoon, Jasper & Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle, which was published in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/04/australia-pm-children-book-pets|title=Australia's PM writes children's book about his pets|work=The Guardian|first=Alison|last=Flood|date=4 January 2010|accessdate=5 May 2024}} In October 2017, Rudd launched the first volume of his autobiography, entitled Not for the Faint-hearted: A Personal Reflection on Life, Politics and Purpose, which chronicles his life until becoming prime minister in 2007.{{Cite news|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/madonna-20171024-p4ywm3.html|title=Public frenemies: Kevin Rudd's ruthless review of his Labor mates|last=King|first=Madonna|date=24 October 2017|work=Brisbane Times|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026005226/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/madonna-20171024-p4ywm3.html|archive-date=26 October 2017|url-status=live}} The following year, he published the second volume of his autobiography, The PM Years, which covers his prime ministership, the events leading to his removal, and his subsequent return to the position in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/opinion/former-pm-kevin-rudds-hit-list-hits-home-20181022-h16ycy|title=Former PM Kevin Rudd's hit list hits home|work=Australian Financial Review|first=Jennifer|last=Hewett|date=23 October 2018|accessdate=5 May 2024|url-access=subscription}}

In March 2021, Rudd published The Case for Courage as part of Monash University Publishing's In the National Interest series. The book details Rupert Murdoch's domination of the Australian media landscape and poses ideas for how the Labor Party can ensure longevity in office.{{cite web|url=https://publishing.monash.edu/product/the-case-for-courage/|title=The Case for Courage - Kevin Rudd|date=March 2021 |publisher=Monash University Publishing|accessdate=5 May 2024}} His next book, The Avoidable War, focuses on the bilateral relationship between the United States and China and how the two nations can avoid conflict.{{Cite news |last=Crabtree |first=James |author-link=James Crabtree |date=2 May 2022 |title=The Avoidable War — averting a conflict between the US and China |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/07f0a694-76b1-4012-92a7-8660f46f574b |access-date=21 February 2023}}

File:Kevin Rudd and Thérèse Rein.jpg in February 2018|left|264x264px]]

In 1981, Rudd married Thérèse Rein whom he had met at a gathering of the Australian Student Christian Movement during his university years. Both were residents at Burgmann College during their first year of university.{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/rudd/spouse.aspx |title=Thérèse Rein |publisher=National Archives of Australia |access-date=17 November 2012 |archive-date=28 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728142916/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/rudd/spouse.aspx |url-status=dead }} Rudd and Rein have three children.{{cite web |url=http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/lizhayes/261529/team-rudd |title=Team Rudd |first=Liz |last=Hayes |work=Sixty Minutes |date=15 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410062934/http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/lizhayes/261529/team-rudd |archive-date=10 April 2012}}{{cite news |title=Rudd walks daughter down the aisle |work=The Age |date=5 May 2007 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/05/05/1177788454802.html |agency=Australian Associated Press |access-date=25 November 2007 |location=Melbourne}}; {{cite news |first=Barney |last=Zwartz |title=ALP's new man puts his faith on display |work=The Age |date=9 December 2006 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/rudd-puts-his-faith-on-display/2006/12/08/1165081151409.html |access-date=9 December 2006 |location=Melbourne}}; {{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/12/02/1164777852646.html?page=fullpage |title=Kevin Rudd |author=Egan, E. |work=The Age |date=3 December 2006 |access-date=26 October 2007 |location=Melbourne}} Rudd is a supporter of the Brisbane Lions.{{cite web|first=Adam|last=McNicol|title=Dogs celebrate fan Gillard's ascension to PM|url=http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=96902|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120035025/http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=96902|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 January 2012|publisher=afl.com.au|date=24 June 2010|access-date=25 June 2010}}

Rudd and his family attend the Anglican church of St John the Baptist in Bulimba in his electorate. Although raised a Roman Catholic, Rudd was actively involved in the Evangelical Union while studying at the Australian National University,Tom Stayner. "Our man in the Lodge." Woroni. 28 February – 12 March 2008. and he began attending Anglican services in the 1980s with his wife. In December 2009, Rudd attended a Catholic Mass to commemorate the canonisation of Mary MacKillop at which he received Holy Communion. Rudd's actions provoked criticism and debate among both political and religious circles.{{cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/mary-mackillop-likely-to-become-saint-20091214-kquq.html|title=Mary MacKillop "likely" to become saint|first=Peter|last=Veness|date=14 December 2009|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/rudd-exploiting-mackillop-sainthood-abbott/story-e6frf7kf-1225810289916|title=Rudd 'exploiting MacKillop sainthood': Abbott|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=14 December 2009|work=Herald Sun}} A report by The Australian quoted that Rudd embraced Anglicanism but at the same time did not formally renounce his Catholic faith.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/rudds-decision-to-take-holy-communion-at-catholic-mass-causes-debate/story-e6frg6nf-1225810746387|title=Rudd's decision to take holy communion at Catholic mass causes debate|first=Samantha|last=Maiden|work=The Australian|date=16 December 2009}}

Rudd was a mainstay of the parliamentary prayer group in Parliament House, Canberra.{{cite news

| title = Abbott attacks Rudd on religion in politics

|work= The Age

| date= 27 January 2007

| url =http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/abbott-attacks-rudd-on-religion-in-politics/2007/01/27/1169788728527.html

| access-date =26 November 2007

| location=Melbourne}}

He has been vocal about his Christianity and has given a number of prominent interviews to the Australian religious press on the topic.{{cite web

| first=Helen

| last=Woodall

| title = Kevin Rudd talks about his faith

| publisher = The Melbourne Anglican

|date=November 2003

| url =http://www.media.anglican.com.au/tma/2003/11/rudd.html

| access-date =4 December 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060925184517/http://www.media.anglican.com.au/tma/2003/11/rudd.html |archive-date = 25 September 2006}}; {{cite news

| first=Carmel

| last=Egan

| title = Kevin Rudd

|work= The Age

| date= 3 December 2006

| url =http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudd/2006/12/02/1164777852646.html

| access-date =4 December 2006

| location=Melbourne}}

Rudd has defended church representatives engaging with policy debates, particularly with respect to WorkChoices legislation, climate change, global poverty, therapeutic cloning, and asylum seekers.{{Cite news

| last=Rudd

| first=Kevin

| title = Faith in Politics

| newspaper = The Monthly

| pages = 22–30

|date=October 2006

}}; {{cite web

|title=Christianity and Politics

|first=Kevin

|last=Rudd

|url=http://www.kevinrudd.com/_dbase_upl/051026%20New%20College%20Lecture.pdf

|date=26 October 2005

|page=9

}}{{Dead link|date=September 2010 |bot=H3llBot }} ; {{cite web

|title=Anglican leader joins IR debate

|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200507/s1411059.htm

|date=11 July 2005

|access-date=4 December 2006

|publisher=ABC News

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070619104339/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200507/s1411059.htm

|archive-date=19 June 2007}} In 2003, he described himself as "an old-fashioned Christian socialist".{{cite news

|last1=Edwards

|first1=Verity

|last2=Maiden

|first2=Samantha

|title=Rudd backtracks on socialist label

|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20930265-2702,00.html

|date=15 December 2006

|access-date=19 January 2023

|work=The Australian

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906083040/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20930265-2702,00.html

|archive-date=6 September 2007}}{{cite web|last=Crabb|first=Annabel|date=3 September 2013|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-04/crabb-religion-and-politics/4933224|title=Call yourself a Christian: private faith, public politics|publisher=ABC|access-date=19 January 2023}} In a 2006 essay in The Monthly, he argued:

A [truly] Christian perspective on contemporary policy debates may not prevail. It must nonetheless be argued. And once heard, it must be weighed, together with other arguments from different philosophical traditions, in a fully contestable secular polity. A Christian perspective, informed by a social gospel or Christian socialist tradition, should not be rejected contemptuously by secular politicians as if these views are an unwelcome intrusion into the political sphere. If the churches are barred from participating in the great debates about the values that ultimately underpin our society, our economy and our polity, then we have reached a very strange place indeed.

He cites Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a personal inspiration in this regard.{{cite web

| title = Tony Jones speaks to Kevin Rudd

| url =http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1753915.htm

| date= 2 October 2006

| access-date =4 December 2006

| publisher = Lateline }}

When in Canberra, Rudd and Rein worshipped at St John the Baptist Church, Reid, where they were married. Rudd often did a "door stop" interview for the media when leaving the church yard.[http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/kevin-rudds-politics-of-piety-put-on-parade/story-e6frerff-1225813655079 Kevin Rudd's politics of piety put on parade], Dennis Atkins, The Courier-Mail, 26 December 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2010.

In 1993, Rudd underwent a cardiac valve transplant operation (Ross procedure), receiving a cadaveric aortic valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease.{{cite web |url=http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2011/kr_mr_110720b.html |title=Aortic valve replacement |first=Kevin |last=Rudd |date=20 July 2011 |publisher=Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs}} In 2011, Rudd underwent a second cardiac valve transplant operation,{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kevin-rudd-to-have-heart-surgery/story-fn59niix-1226098354226 |title=Kevin Rudd to have heart surgery |first1=Ben |last1=Packham |first2=Joe |last2=Kelly |work=The Australian |date=20 July 2011 |access-date=12 June 2013}} making a full recovery from the surgery.{{cite web |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/kevin-rudd-bounces-back-from-heart-surgery-with-new-home-and-maybe-new-grandchildren/story-e6freoof-1226109367700 |title=Kevin Rudd bounces back from heart surgery with new home, and maybe new grandchildren |first=Michael |last=Madigan |work=The Courier-Mail |date=6 August 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/rudds-second-heart-valve-replacement-riskier/story-e6frg6nf-1226098607967 |title=Rudd's second heart valve replacement riskier |first=Sue |last=Dunlevy |work=The Australian |date=21 July 2011}}

{{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?518360-1/after-words-kevin-rudd After Words interview with Rudd on The Avoidable War, April 10, 2022], C-SPAN}}

• {{cite book|last=Rudd|first=Kevin | title=Building on ASEAN's Success: Towards an Asia Pacific Community |location=Singapore |publisher=ISEAS Publishing |year=2009 | isbn=978-9812308719}}Contains the text of the ""29th Singapore Lecture"" delivered by Kevin Rudd, then Prime Minister of Australia, on 12 August 2008.
• {{cite book|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|title=Not for the Faint-hearted: A Personal Reflection on Life, Politics and Purpose|location=Sydney|publisher=Pan Macmillan Australia|year=2017|isbn=9781743534830}}
• {{cite book|last1=Rudd|first1=Kevin|title=The PM Years |location=Sydney|publisher=Pan Macmillan Australia|year=2018|isbn=9781760556686}}
• {{Cite book|last=Rudd|first=Kevin|title=The Case for Courage |publisher=Monash University Publishing|year=2021|isbn=9781922464156|location=Melbourne}}
• {{cite book|last1=Rudd|first1=Kevin|title=The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China | publisher=PublicAffairs|year=2022|isbn=978-1541701298}}
• {{cite book|last1=Rudd|first1=Kevin|title=On Xi Jinping: How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World| publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2024|isbn=978-0197766033}}

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

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |author-link=Annabel Crabb |author=Crabb, Annabel |title=Rise of the Ruddbot:Observations from the Gallery |location=Melbourne |publisher=Black Inc. |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-86395-483-9}}
• {{cite book |author-link=Peter Hartcher |author=Hartcher, Peter |title=To the Bitter End : The Dramatic Story of the Fall of John Howard and the Rise of Kevin Rudd |location=Crows Nest, NSW |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-74175-623-4 }}
• Paul Kelly, Triumph and Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation, Melbourne University Press, 2014. {{ISBN|9780522862102}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20140914112013/https://www.mup.com.au/items/149038 Triumph and Demise]
• {{cite book |author-link=Robert Macklin |author=Macklin, Robert |title=Kevin Rudd : The Biography |location=Camberwell, Vic. |publisher=Penguin Books Australia |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-670-07135-7 }}
• {{cite book |author-link=David Marr (journalist) |author=Marr, David |title=Power Trip : The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd |location=Melbourne |publisher=Black Inc. |year=2010 |series=Quarterly Essay |number=38 |isbn=978-1-86395-477-8 }}
• {{cite book |author-link=Nicholas Stuart |author=Stuart, Nicholas |title=Kevin Rudd : An Unauthorised Political Biography |location=Melbourne |publisher=Scribe |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-921215-58-2 }}
• {{cite book |author=Weller, Patrick |title=Kevin Rudd: Twice Prime Minister |location=Carlton, Vic. |publisher=Melbourne University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-522-85748-1 }}

{{Sister project links|author=yes}}

• {{Official website|http://www.kevinrudd.com/}}
• {{OpenAustralia}}
• {{TED speaker}}
• {{C-SPAN|1026530}}

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