Former prime minister Kevin Rudd quits federal politics with emotional speech to Parliament

Updated

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd announced his retirement from politics in an emotional speech to Parliament on Wednesday night, adding "it really is time for me to zip".

Mr Rudd, who has served as the Member for Griffith since 1998, says he will leave Parliament at the end of this week.

"This has been the product of much soul-searching for us as a family over the last few months," he said, fighting back tears.

Kevin Rudd Born September 21, 1957

Elected as MP for Griffith in 1998

Elected opposition leader in December, 2006

Elected prime minister in December, 2007

Ousted by Julia Gillard in June 2010

Foreign minister from September 2010 to February 2012

Sworn in as PM again on June 27, 2013

Defeated in federal election on September 7, 2013

Announces his retirement from Parliament on November 13, 2013

"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."

Mr Rudd, who served in the top job between 2007 and 2010, and then again this year, went on to wish Tony Abbott luck, saying the office of Prime Minister was the "hardest job in the land".

"I wish Tony, his wife Margie and their family all the best for the rigours of high office that inevitably lie ahead," he said.

On his side of politics he singled out Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, as well as key supporters Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen.

"Having served as Leader of the Opposition myself, this is never a position for the faint-hearted. There are always long dark nights of the soul but believe it or not, morning does come, often sooner than you think," he said.

"Bill brings great strength to the position. I have every confidence he will lead Labor's return to the Treasury benches.

"I wish to thank Albo as his extraordinary service as deputy prime minister and leader of the house. Albo is the most formidable parliamentarian in this place, as is recognised on both sides of the chamber."

When speaking of his future Mr Rudd said he was planning to establish a "national apology foundation", highlighting his apology to Indigenous Australians, which he said was a signature achievement of his time as prime minister.

He also spoke of his desire to remain active in the international community.

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. Kevin Rudd

"I am passionately Australian and passionately a citizen of the world. I intend to be active in the international community in areas where I can make a genuine contribution to peace and stability, global economic governance and sustainable development, including climate change," he said.

And despite the emotion of the situation, Mr Rudd ended the speech with his signature sign-off.

"On this final occasion in the Parliament, and as is now officially recorded in the classics for occasions such as this, it really is time for me to zip," he said.

Rudd a 'big figure' in Australian public life: Abbott

Mr Abbott paid tribute Mr Rudd, saying his retirement is a significant event in the history of the Parliament.

"To lose someone who has been one of the big figures in this Parliament and one of the big figures in the life, the public life of our country over the best part of two decades," he said.

"As a political opponent, but as someone who has known the Member for Griffith quite well for a long time, I salute him and I wish him and his family all the best for the future, and I express my confidence that one way or another he will continue to serve our country."

Mr Abbott also paid tribute to Mr Rudd's apology to Indigenous Australians, calling it "something to crown an amazing public life".

"Much as I admire and appreciate and put on a huge pedestal his immediate predecessor (John Howard), in this respect at least, he had lacked the imagination to grasp that opportunity and the member for Griffith, Kevin, he had the decency to see that here was something that needed to be done," he said.

"He did it with courage, with decency, compassion and that alone is an extraordinary achievement."

As a political opponent, but as someone who has known the Member for Griffith quite well for a long time, I salute him and I wish him and his family all the best for the future. Tony Abbott

Tributes flowed from both sides of Parliament, with former opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull saying Mr Rudd was toughest person he had ever encountered in politics.

"The member for Griffith was kind enough to refer to me as his friend and I am touched by that, Kevin, I really am. After you lost.. initially I was very worried about you because I'd known how low I had sunk in a much less difficult loss of leadership," he said,

"[But] as I got to know you I realised what an extraordinarily tough individual you are. Your determination is unequalled by anyone I've worked with in politics. I don't know anyone that is just so filled with energy, and determination, and a preparedness to overcome any setback, and that is a triumph of the human spirit."

Shorten speaks of Rudd's enduring popularity

Treasurer Joe Hockey also took the opportunity to wish his old Sunrise sparring partner well, saying Mr Rudd's granddaughter "could be well satisfied that her life is better for his contribution to our nation".

Mr Shorten pointed to Mr Rudd's stewardship of the Australian economy as a key achievement of the former prime minister, and spoke of his enduring popularity with the Australian people.

"I do not believe that we will see his like again in the Australian Parliament," he said.

"Even his harshest critics, of which there are some, would say that he does have a special relationship with the Australian people,"

But he also referenced the bitter feud that cost both Mr Rudd and former prime minister Julia Gillard their positions.

"This is a tumultuous era in Labor and, with the Member for Griffith's resignation tonight, part of it comes to a close," he said.

"He has been the leader of the Labor Party in difficult circumstances for the Labor Party.

We emerged after a significant election loss with a party that is more united, stronger, and more cohesive than it would have been if that reform was not put in place under Kevin Rudd's leadership. Anthony Albanese

"He has been part of tumultuous debates within our party in the last number of years, But I do think that most fair-minded people will recognise that when he returned to the task of PM in those weeks before the last election... his contribution helped mean that the quality of Australian democracy was improved."

Mr Rudd's former deputy Anthony Albanese, however, paid tribute to the decision to return to leadership.

"He could have retired having led Labor to victory in 2007.... no-one could have questioned what the outcomes might have been in 2010, and retired as an undefeated prime minister from the Australian electorate," he said.

"[But] he chose to put the party that he loves first before his own interests and the interests of his family and I thank him for that, because Labor is competitive."

And he said Mr Rudd's reform of the Labor leadership process had revitalised and democratised the party.

"We emerged after a significant election loss with a party that is more united, stronger, and more cohesive than it would have been if that reform was not put in place under Kevin Rudd's leadership," he said.

Ms Gillard also tweeted, wishing Mr Rudd well for the future:

Best wishes to Kevin, Therese & their family as they embark on the next stage of their lives. JG — Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) November 13, 2013

Ms Gillard and Mr Rudd were embroiled in a bitter fight for the leadership of the Labor party after Mr Rudd lost his prime ministership to Ms Gillard in 2010, only to win back party support shortly before the 2013 federal election.

Mr Rudd has asked for privacy for his family in the coming days.

Topics: federal-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, australia

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