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Colour portrait photograph of Kevin Rudd supplied by Prime Minister and Cabinet.

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  5. Kevin Rudd: after office

Kevin Rudd: after office

Kevin Rudd was the Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010, and in 2013.

The abrupt termination of Kevin Michael Rudd’s prime ministership on 24 June 2010, with a federal election due within 9 months, created a risk for the Labor government. When losing party leadership, he retained the seat of Griffith. He served the final months of the 42nd Parliament on the backbenches.

At the federal election in August 2010, Rudd comfortably retained his Queensland seat for the Labor Party. As widely predicted, he was rewarded with the Foreign Affairs portfolio by the new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

In his first 4 months as Foreign Minister, he made official visits to 20 countries, including Pakistan, United States, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Brazil, Chile, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, Belgium and Italy. The ‘Kevin 07’ tag of the election campaign that won him office soon became ‘Kevin 747’ as both the intense pace of his overseas travels and his prominence in international affairs accelerated.

Rudd resigned as Minister for Foreign Affairs on 22 February 2012 and moved to the backbench.

He was sworn in as Prime Minister for a second time on 27 June 2013.

In this section: Kevin Rudd

  • Fast facts
  • Timeline
  • Before office
  • Elections
  • During office
  • After office
  • Partner
  • Key people
  • Records

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Portrait of John Howard.

John Howard

1996–2007

Colour portrait of Julia Gillard supplied by Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Julia Gillard

2010–2013

Colour portrait photograph of Tont Abbott supplied by Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Tony Abbott

2013–2015

Old Parliament House, Canberra

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