KEVIN RUDD

Party

Rudd's 'Kevin '07' campaign is considered a modern textbook example of how to win an election, and the Labor Party applauded him for this victory after almost twelve years in opposition. After the 2007 victory, parliamentarians and staff soon began to feel the strain of the volume of initiatives being attempted by the Rudd government, manifested in many late nights and last minute changes.

Rudd and his deputy, Julia Gillard, were known for a time as the 'dream team', but this relationship could not be sustained in light of the experience of office and a spiralling downward trajectory with the electorate. Having been defeated by Gillard in the party room, Rudd remained in parliament during the Gillard prime ministership and was widely considered to be a destablising force.

By 2013, the Labor Party's position was dire, and several of those who had voted against Rudd in the 2010 leadership spill now voted for him to be reinstated, most notably Bill Shorten, who would succeed Rudd as the leader of the Labor Party after the election. 

Partnerships

While a student in Canberra during the 1980s, Rudd earned some extra money by cleaning houses, one of which belonged to political commentator Laurie Oakes. A respected and prominent journalist, Oakes became directly involved in the discussions about the leadership tensions in the Labor Party in July 2010, including putting to Gillard at the National Press Club detailed questions about the events leading up to the leadership change.

Many years earlier, Oakes had similarly engaged in scrutiny of the leadership tussle between Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. When Rudd announced his retirement from politics, Oakes recalled a meeting the pair had at Kirribilli House in which Rudd had reflected on his own performance. Oakes reminded readers that Rudd's apology to Indigenous Australians and handling of the Global Financial Crisis would ensure him a place 'in the history books.' 

People

Kevin Rudd was the first Australian prime minister to use emerging social media technologies for communication. During the 2007 election campaign Rudd quickly built a large following by adopting new approaches, including posting 'selfies' to engage audiences. This continued through to the lead up to 2013 election, where he posted images from his daily life, even morning shaving mishaps. Social media enabled Rudd to expand his network and engage in public discussions that were increasingly played out in the digital world.  

Publications

Christine Jackman, Inside Kevin07: the people, the plan, the prize, Melbourne University Publishing, Carlton, 2008

Laurie Oakes, 'Great expectations go unmet for Kevin Rudd,' The Advertiser, 15 November 2013

Catriona Pollard, 'Election showcases power of social media,' The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 August 2013

Kevin Rudd, Speech at 50th anniversary of Yirrkala bark petitions, Yirrkala, 10 July 2013

Lenore Taylor, 'Coalition digital campaign slick but Rudd selfies more engaging,' The Guardian, 11 September 2013

Robert Macklin, Kevin Rudd: the biography, Penguin, 2007

The Sydney Morning Herald, 'K Rudd's cruddy job - cleaning loos,' 31 July 2009

Patrick Weller, Kevin Rudd: Twice Prime Minister, Melbourne University Press, 2014