156
edits
Changes
Foreign Minister
Among Rudd's first acts as Prime Minister was to ratify the [[Kyoto Protocol]], something Howard had refused to do for economic reasons. Additionally, Rudd made a formal parliamentary apology to the "[[Australian Aborigines#Stolen Generation|Stolen Generation]]", a large group of [[indigenous Australians]] who were forcibly removed from their community in the first half of the 20th century. While there is continued dispute among historians over whether the "Stolen Generation" existed, the Opposition gave its support to the apology. Polls taken since the election show the ALP holding a commanding lead in the polls under Rudd's leadership, with Rudd leading opposition leader Brendan Nelson by 70% to 9% in the "preferred Prime Minister" rating (leading the press to dub Nelson as "Mr. Nine Percent").<ref name="ninepercent">[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/mr-9-nelsons-parlous-poll-position/2008/02/19/1203190750515.html Mr. 9% - Brendan Nelson's parlous poll position] Fairfax Digital, 19 February 2008, accessed 2 March 2008</ref> Rudd reduced a Royal Australian Air Force air hostess to tears in April 2009 when he verbally abused her after losing his temper over an in-flight meal.<ref name="hostess">[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/rudd-serves-up-air-rage-apology/story-0-1225698279332 Kevin Rudd loses temper over in-flight meal], Herald Sun, 2 April 2009, accessed 8 November 2009.</ref>
Among Rudd's first acts as Prime Minister was to ratify the [[Kyoto Protocol]], something Howard had refused to do for economic reasons. Additionally, Rudd made a formal parliamentary apology to the "[[Australian Aborigines#Stolen Generation|Stolen Generation]]", a large group of [[indigenous Australians]] who were forcibly removed from their community in the first half of the 20th century. While there is continued dispute among historians over whether the "Stolen Generation" existed, the Opposition gave its support to the apology. Polls taken since the election show the ALP holding a commanding lead in the polls under Rudd's leadership, with Rudd leading opposition leader Brendan Nelson by 70% to 9% in the "preferred Prime Minister" rating (leading the press to dub Nelson as "Mr. Nine Percent").<ref name="ninepercent">[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/mr-9-nelsons-parlous-poll-position/2008/02/19/1203190750515.html Mr. 9% - Brendan Nelson's parlous poll position] Fairfax Digital, 19 February 2008, accessed 2 March 2008</ref> Rudd reduced a Royal Australian Air Force air hostess to tears in April 2009 when he verbally abused her after losing his temper over an in-flight meal.<ref name="hostess">[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/rudd-serves-up-air-rage-apology/story-0-1225698279332 Kevin Rudd loses temper over in-flight meal], Herald Sun, 2 April 2009, accessed 8 November 2009.</ref>
==Foreign Minister of Australia==
Rudd was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia on 14 September 2010. He resigned from that position on 22 February 2012 in a speech at about 1.30am local time, 22 February 2012, in [[The Willard Hotel]] in [[Washington DC]], stating that negative statements by colleagues including the [[Prime Minister of Australia]], [[Julia Gillard]], were a deciding factor in his resignation. The timing in Washington corresponded to late afternoon in eastern Australia, just before the evening TV news.
==Personal life==
==Personal life==