Kevin Rudd: Australia’s ‘New Prime Minister’

Mr Kevin Rudd, whose Labor Party swept to victory in Australian elections, said his government would start work immediately on an education revolution, rebuilding the hospital system, address the ‘great challenges of climate change and water, building ‘a 21st century infrastructure for a 21st century economy’.

Australia’s new prime minister-designate, Rudd praised his predecessor John Howard for his contribution to public life, whose Coalition government remained in power for more than a decade. More here…

(Photo above is of Kevin Rudd (L) and John Howard courtesy the BBC.) The BBC site has Australian poll pictures.

Click here for the facts regarding Australian elections 2007.

Who is Kevin Rudd? “Born in September 1957 in the coastal hinterland north of Brisbane, Kevin Michael Rudd lost his father – a farmer – at the age of 11. Apparently facing eviction from the farm and with nowhere else to go, his mother, Margaret, was forced to sleep overnight in a car with two of her four young children…”

For Rudd’s complete profile please click here…

The Guardian has this to say about Australia’s new prime minister: “Australia’s new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has been described as an antipodean close relative of Tony Blair, sharing the former British leader’s fervent Christian beliefs as well as the unwavering conviction that he has the personal vision to take his country forward. Like Blair, he will not be a traditional Labor prime minister and seems likely to run a government that is almost as conservative as his predecessor’s, distancing himself from the unions and the more radical members of the party.

“The 50-year-old is married to Therese Rein a self-made millionaire and working mother of three who owns a recruitment business. She will be the first Australian prime minister’s wife to keep working while her husband is in office.”

The Telegraph has an irreverent profile of Rudd: “Nibbling one’s ear wax and spending a boozy night in a strip joint could be expected, in normal circumstances, to spell disaster for a politician.” More here…