• Advertise
  • About us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
Friday, April 23, 2021
Australian Times News
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
Australian Times News
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Gone but not forgotten; Rudd legacy leaves divisions in parliament

Kevin Rudd keeps a low profile on his last day in Parliament.

Australian Times by Australian Times
14-11-2013 08:17
in News
Kevin Rudd Former Member of Parliament

Kevin Rudd Former Member of Parliament

AS Kevin Rudd’s time in federal parliament comes to a close, friends and opponents remain divided over his legacy, with the former Labor prime minister winning some of the strongest praise from the coalition.

Mr Rudd, 56, is retiring from politics to give back some time to his family after 15 years in parliament, including a gruelling three years when he was part of a brutal leadership feud with Julia Gillard.

He kept a low profile on his final day in parliament on Thursday, in his office talking to supporters and responding to well-wishers.

Ms Gillard used social media to wish Mr Rudd well in his retirement.

“Best wishes to Kevin, Therese & their family as they embark on the next stage of their lives,” Ms Gillard said on Twitter.

But another internal ALP foe, former leader Mark Latham, refused to mellow.

AlsoRead...

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Former NZ Govt spooks should be stopped from private spying, says party

23 April 2021
Photo by Tania Malréchauffé on Unsplash

New US climate pledge: Cut emissions 50% this decade, but can Biden make it happen?

23 April 2021

“Quite truthfully, he was a bastard. He was such a vicious, egotistic, ambitious person … he destabilised every leader under whom he served,” Mr Latham told Fairfax Radio in Sydney.

“In the long sweep of Labor history it’s hard to find a character who was more destructive inside the caucus, fuelled by his own personal ambition.”

Treasurer Joe Hockey, who became friends with Mr Rudd when the two walked the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, led the tributes.

“He is a formidable political opponent,” Mr Hockey said, adding Mr Rudd had a great intellect and deserved praise for his “magnificent” 2008 apology to indigenous Australians for past injustices.

He said Mr Rudd’s great weakness was losing support from his own team and from voters, over key policies such as the price on carbon.

“You have to take your team with you. You have to work with your team,” Mr Hockey told ABC radio.

“His weakness is that when he made a decision, he thought the decision would just be implemented. The emissions trading scheme is a classic case in point. He stopped prosecuting the argument.

“Because he was winning the political battle in parliament, he didn’t realise he was losing the community on the ETS.”

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne also praised Mr Rudd for his efforts to champion reconciliation.

“I think his apology in this parliament will be the thing for which he was most remembered,” Senator Milne said.

Mr Rudd’s resignation will force a by-election in his Brisbane seat of Griffith, likely to be held around February, in the first electoral test for new opposition leader Bill Shorten.

The Queensland LNP has started seeking donations to fund the by-election, hopeful of victory after high-profile candidate Bill Glasson won a 5.5 percent swing on September 7, putting the seat within reach for the coalition.

Mr Rudd’s daughter Jessica was quick to rule out a tilt at her father’s seat following reports she could be parachuted in to cash in on Rudd support in Griffith.

She was “flattered” to be considered, but wanted to remain in Beijing with her husband and baby daughter. Her father had also said he wants a democratic ballot to select the candidate.

Mr Rudd will remain active in international relations and set up a foundation to help promote indigenous reconciliation.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott ruled out a diplomatic job for Rudd.

“Do I think that Kevin Rudd can usefully contribute to our public life in the future? Yes I do,” Mr Abbott told Fairfax Radio.

But does he think Mr Rudd should be given a diplomatic job? “No I don’t.”

Tags: ALPAustralian governmentAustralian parliamentCoalitionformer prime ministergovernmentGriffithJoe HockeyJohn HowardJulia GillardKevin RuddLabor PartyLiberal partnational apologyNews in AustraliapoliticsPrime MinisterTherese ReinTony Abbott
DMCA.com Protection Status

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER

Terms and Conditions

Don't Miss

Former NZ Govt spooks should be stopped from private spying, says party

by Mike Simpson
23 April 2021
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
at

New Zealand’s Green Party says it’s unacceptable that an ex-intelligence services agent should be used to spy on environmentalists.

Read more

New US climate pledge: Cut emissions 50% this decade, but can Biden make it happen?

by The Conversation
23 April 2021
Photo by Tania Malréchauffé on Unsplash
News

President Joe Biden announced an ambitious new national climate target at an online summit of world leaders on April 22,...

Read more

‘Self-driving’ cars are still a long way off. Here are three reasons why

by The Conversation
23 April 2021
Photo by Bram Van Oost on Unsplash
News

Most automated driving solutions available on the market today require human intervention. This puts them at level 1 (driver assistance,...

Read more

UK Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index, Friday 23 April 2021

by UK Weather
23 April 2021
weather
UK Weather

Be prepared for any weather with our daily forecast in the UK.

Read more

Too many Aussie businesses still reluctant to hire older workers

by Mike Simpson
23 April 2021
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos is 57 - would you hire him? Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
News

Almost half of organisations surveyed said they were not keen to hire workers over a certain age, according to joint...

Read more

Morrison government quashes Victoria’s Belt and Road deal with China

by Michelle Grattan
23 April 2021
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash
News

The Morrison government has cancelled the Belt and Road agreements Victoria has with China.

Read more

Free Horoscope for today, 23 April 2021

by Horoscopes
23 April 2021
Free Daily Horoscope - Astrology
Horoscopes

Keep your karma positive with these daily free horoscope readings!

Read more
Load More

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status

  • About us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • T&Cs, Privacy and GDPR
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Lifestyle
    • Recipes
    • Video
    • Lotto Results
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Sport
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status