Kevin Rudd Prime Minister of Australia Date of Birth: 21.09.1957 Country: Australia

1. Kevin Rudd: Australia's 26th Prime Minister
2. Early Life and Education
3. Diplomatic and Political Career
4. Member of Parliament
5. Prime Minister of Australia

Kevin Rudd: Australia's 26th Prime Minister

Kevin Rudd, an Australian politician, served as the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from December 3, 2007, to June 24, 2010. He was the federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).

Early Life and Education

Rudd was born on September 21, 1957, in Nambour, Queensland. From a young age, he participated in equestrian sports and target shooting. At age 15, he joined the ALP.

During his university studies, Rudd specialized in Chinese history and the Mandarin dialect. He conducted research on Chinese democracy activist Wei Jingsheng under the supervision of Belgian-Australian sinologist Pierre Ryckmans. Financial difficulties forced Rudd to work as a cleaner to support his education.

Diplomatic and Political Career

Rudd's public service began in Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs. He spent much of the 1980s abroad, serving as Australia's ambassador to Sweden and China. Upon returning to Australia, he became staff director for Wayne Goss, the ALP leader. After the ALP's election victory, he served as chief of staff to the premier and then director-general of the cabinet department, making him Australia's highest-ranking bureaucrat.

Member of Parliament

After the Goss government's defeat, Rudd worked as a senior China adviser for KPMG Australia. In 2001, he entered the shadow cabinet as foreign affairs spokesperson. His outspoken views on the Iraq War solidified his reputation as a principled and tough-talking politician.

Prime Minister of Australia

Rudd became the Leader of the Opposition in 2006. Under his leadership, the ALP won the 2007 federal election, ending the 11-year reign of the Liberal-National coalition. As Prime Minister, Rudd implemented environmental and education policies, withdrew Australian troops from Iraq, and apologized to Indigenous Australians for the "Stolen Generations" removal policy.