The former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced he is quitting parliament.
Kevin Rudd said that his family had told him, “enough is enough”.
Kevin Rudd has served as the member representing Griffith in Queensland since 1998 – and his retirement will bring about a by-election that Labor looks likely to lose.
Rudd said that he wanted to make his decision known at the earliest opportunity, and that he will be leaving Parliament by the end of the week.
The former Prime Minister said in the House of Representatives this evening that the decision had come about after “much soul-searching for us as a family over the last few months.”
“The decision that I have made has not been taken lightly. But for me, my family is everything, always has been, always will be, which is why I will not be continuing as a member of this parliament beyond this week,” Rudd continued.
The former Prime Minister also wished the current Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, good luck with the task in front of the new government, saying, “I wish Tony, his wife Margie and their family all the best for the rigours of high office that inevitably lie ahead.”
Mr Rudd also took the time to thank his supporters during his time in parliament – and wished Bill Shorten well as Opposition Leader.
Top Comments
I don't understand why my post showing all his achievements was not posted, maybe someone doesn't want me to point out the good things this man did? Or maybe my post was too long. I'll try again and hope that fairness wins over.
For those that want to argue the (lies) of him 'destabilising' for 3 years is so important (and gillard's destruction of the party for her own selfish ends isn't)
After all the things KRudd gave us:
Kept Australia out of recession.
Set up trade centres.
Massive upgrade to school libraries.
BER.
Initiated nationwide early childhood education.
Created a national curriculum.
Apologised to the stolen generations. *There were 2 Apologies ( Mr Rudd gave to the Nation the first being to the Stolen generation Feb 13, 2008 , and the second National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Child Migrants 16th November 2009 ,of which the second National Apology seems to be forgotten about)
Appointed Quentin Bryce as the first female Governor-General of Australia.
Set up 50,000 more university places.
Put together a national health and hospitals network.
Extended Medicare.
Set up 20 regional cancer centres.
Created a National Organ Transplant Authority.
Increased pensions by the largest amount ever. (before JG kicked single mums into the streets)
Introduced paid parental leave.
Added 20,000 additional units of social housing.
Boosted the renewable energy target to 20%
Set up the Murray Basin Authority.
Got Australia into the G20.
Withdrew Australian troops from Iraq.
Removed Work Choices.
Started the roll-out of the NBN.
Ratified Kyoto
and I count NDIS and Gonski because they were both thought up and commissioned by Kevin Rudd in 2008 and April 2010 respectively, so I do not believe a person can claim credit for coming in at the tail end and pushing some paper through, these were RUDD'S polies and his legacy *not* Gillards. Phew! All of this in the *first 3 years* of RUDD'S govt. What a legacy.
And how quickly you people forget. How quickly we take things for granted and forget. And 18 months of Gillard destabilising Rudd then the next 4 years her character assassinating him and all the lies and smear take hold and that becomes more important to the public who have short memories? Than all the above this man achieved in such a short time? We should be ashamed at his treatment. How quickly we forget what he did for us, regardless of what side you're own.
Malcom Turnbull is so funny.