Full text of Kevin Rudd and Anthony Albanese's leadership speeches

As Australian's federal politicians face a 'formidably busy day' today, here's the full text of Kevin Rudd's leadership speech last night, and that of deputy leader Anthony Albanese.

Kevin Rudd:
Let me make some remarks before I turn to the Deputy Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. In 2007 the Australian people elected me to be their Prime Minister. That is a task that I resume today with humility, with honour and with an important sense of energy and purpose.

In recent years, politics has failed the Australian people. There has just been too much negativity all round. There’s been an erosion of trust. Negative destructive personal politics has done much to bring dishonour to our parliament but done nothing to address the urgent challenges facing our country, our communities, our families. In fact it’s been holding our country back. And all this must stop, and with all my heart that is the purpose that I intend to pursue as Prime Minister.

I want to pause to acknowledge the achievements of my predecessor, Julia Gillard. She is a woman of extraordinary intelligence, of great strength and great energy. All of you here in the National Press Gallery and across the nation would recognise those formidable attributes in her and I know them having worked with her closely for some years. Also Julia, as Prime Minister, and prior to that Deputy Prime Minister has achieved much under the difficult circumstances of minority government. And in doing so she has been helped by a group of dedicated Ministers and Members of Parliament whose contribution I also wish to acknowledge.

In Julia’s case let me say this, if it were not for Julia we would not have the Fair Work Act. If it were not for Julia, we would not have a national scheme which ensures that the literacy and numeracy performance of Australian schools is tested regularly and that interventions occur to lift those students who are doing poorly. She has been a remarkable reformer and I acknowledge those contributions again formally this evening.

Full transcript of Julia Gillard's speech at the University of Western Sydney, March 3, 2013

After acknowledging various Labor luminaries, Prime Minister Julia Gillard delivered this address at the beginning of her 'week in western Sydney':

'I want to share you with a story David Bradbury relayed to me just last week. Denis Mars is the co-founder of Meetings.io a start-up based in San Francisco which develops technology for online video conversations and conferences.

David and Denis met at a convention in Silicon Valley and because Denis is Australian they got to talking. It turned out that while Denis is finishing his graduate degree at Stanford in California, his first degree, like David’s, was from Sydney University.

He and his wife, Renee, are both from the western suburbs. In fact, Denis grew up right around the corner from David, in the next street, not so far from here in Fairfield West. Here’s a young man from these streets, who’s founding firms on the other side of the world, who’s making new ideas pay, who’s making his living building new technologies.

His is a genuine local success story we can admire. A story of aspiration and achievement. But no one person’s story is the story of this entire region, home to 1.6 million people, including 350 000 children – and the third biggest economy in Australia.

Indeed, no one community’s story is the story of this region. Penrith isn’t the same as Parramatta; Campbelltown isn’t the same as Castle Hill. But there are some things we do want for this region as a whole and for every person in Sydney’s west.

Seeking Julia Gillard's western Sydney speech

Julia Gillard yesterday delivered a five point plan for western Sydney and elaborated on her belief in opportunity as the key to improved quality of life - but as of at least 1:24am the following day a full transcript of the speech is yet to appear, anywhere.

This is perhaps surprising for an important speech given at the start of one of the most highly publicised Prime Ministerial appearances in recent time.

Oh well, perhaps everyone from the PM's office was kicking back at Rooty Hill RSL...

In the meantime, Malcolm Farnsworth's australianpolitics.com was the first to post a full recording of the speech and when it does arrive, the full transcript should be found here.

And the five point plan for western Sydney:

• Support jobs and put Aussie workers first,
• Deliver high-speed broadband to the region, 
• World-leading education for children,
• Insurance against disability, and
• Help in managing the pressures of modern family life and modern society. 

The Liberal party countered the Prime Ministers speech by listing 18 promises the Prime Minister has broken to western Sydney.

Australian political books to read while waiting for the election

With the election campaign still with seven months to run and the weather being particularly inclement, perhaps it's timely for considered voters to read some of the many books authored by our politicians.

And while this may not be considered light reading, bedtime reading or relaxing Sunday afternoon reading, it may give you a better idea of who you are voting for on September 14.

In no particular order and with a willingness to add relevant titles if we have missed any, check out this selection which may be purchased by clicking the cover image.

There's probably no better place than to start, particularly if you are new to the Australian political arena, than Australian Politics for Dummies which will explain everything from how the parties originated to why was Gough Whitlam so upset in 1975. $33.95 from Booktopia.

The Making of Julia Gillard by Jacqueline Kent is one of two biographies written abut the Prime Minister before her rise to that office. The other is Julia Gillard by Christine Wallace. Both are curiously hard to buy online in Australia, this ebook edition has been updated after Gillard became PM - $21.17 from Amazon,

Battlelines by Tony Abbott was published in late 2009 after the 2007 demise of the Howard government. In this book he presents his vision of the way forward for the Liberal Party and reflects on people such as Kevin Rudd, Malcolm Turnbull, and Julia Gillard. This ebook edition $17.99 from Amazon.

We better take a moment to consider Australia's two most recent former Prime Ministers, given they both cast long shadows on today's politics, one way or another.

John Howard, firmly in retirement, has written a best-selling autobiography, Lazarus Rising, that is sought after because of the detailed political information it provides from Howard's long career. $28.95 from Booktopia.

Kevin Rudd: The Biography was written before the 2007 election in which he became Prime Minister and was a perhaps somewhat hurried book to help introduce a relatively unknown Rudd to the Australia electorate. It still provides useful personal insight into Rudd the man. Ebook edition $21.17 from Amazon.

From one maverick to another, Bob Katter is now the leader of his own party and is taking his big cowboy hat to the nation. Like Abbott, he has presented his vision of the way things should be in the encouragingly named An Incredible Race of People. $33.95 from Booktopia.

Changing tack a bit, Speechless is from journalist and one-time Kevin Rudd speechwriter, James Button. The son of much-loved Labor man, Senator John Button, James describes in a very personal way his one year foray into 'his father's business' - Australian politics. He gives us an inside view of the events surrounding Rudd's demise and what he sees as Labor's drift away from the party his father championed. $26.40 from Booktopia.

We've run out of steam for now, there's a limit to how many political books can be embraced at one time. But please howl us down about omissions and we'll update this page from time to time. In fact, we may start our own political book store on this site...

Watch Julia Gillards interview with Christian lobby

When Julie Gillard became Prime Minister it was just four days after the national Make it Count webcast in which then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition leader Tony Abbott introduced their policies and answered eight questions from church leaders.

Ms Gillard's rise to Australia's top job was greeted with a rush by voters to discover her values and beliefs and Australian Christian Voter carried numerous stories on these topics.

Now, at a time when the election result appears to be on a knife-edge, Julia Gillard agreed to follow through with a 2005 pledge to engage with the Christian community as as part of that, did an interview with the Australian Christian Lobby, answering the same eight questions as her predecessor.

Watch the video now.


Make it Count 2010 Ms Julia Gillard Questions from Australian Christian Lobby on Vimeo.

Gillard announces mining tax breakthrough

After days of negotiations in a 'windowless room' with 'sleeves rolled up' Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a breakthrough agreement this morning for the super profits mining tax.

The new Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) will be cut to 30 per cent, down from the previously 'not-negotiable' 40, and will only apply to coal and iron ore. Oil and gas projects will come under the current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) regime.

The government compromises result in a loss of revenue of $1.5 billion which means the proposed reduction of company tax will be halved. Instead of falling to 28 per cent, it will drop to 29 per cent in 2013/14 for big companies and 2012/13 for small business.

The proposed funding of a superannuation guarantee increase will go ahead and it will rise to 12 per cent, meaning more super for working Australians. A Policy Transition Group chaired by Don Argus will assist the government and mining industry in implementation of the new arrangements.

Rudd thanks God and ACL welcomes Gillard

The Australian Christian Lobby has responded to Julia Gillard becoming Australia’s first female Prime Minister, even as Mr Rudd gives an emotional farewell speech.

'We congratulate Julia Gillard on this historic occasion,' ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said.

'However, we also want to thank Kevin Rudd for the commitment and energy he brought to issues such as homelessness, poverty, reconciliation and the importance of marriage in particular.

'Our immediate concern and prayers are for Mr Rudd, and we hope that at what must be a difficult time he can take strength in the God in whom we know he relies.'

Abbott to churches on parental leave, smaller government, families and more

Opposition leader Tony Abbott addressed thousands of Christians around Australia through the Make it Count webcast on Monday, night. In his 20 minute speech, he acknolwedged achievements of the Howard era and covered issues such school chaplains, reduction of government waste, paid parental leave, and his values as a person and politician. Read the full text of his speech:

Rudd to churches on schools, chaplains, homelessness, health and more

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd addressed thousands of Christians around Australia through the Make it Count webcast on Monday, night. In his 23 minute speech, he covered school funding, economic stimulus, homelessness and welfare strategies, employment, climate change and Millenium Goals. Read the full text of his speech:

Leaders perform well in successful webcast

Both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott performed well in their speeches and answers before a live audience of hundreds and internet audience of thousands during tonight's Make it Count webcast.

Both acknowledged the importance of the church in Australian society, committed themselves to the current definition of marriage, and supported the chaplaincy program for schools.

They were also careful to emphasis that government is not just for Christians but for people of all faiths and no faith.

Abbott gave more detail to a question on the sexualisation of children and said he supported a further review of this issue and an overhaul of the 'broken' censorship system.

Rudd said he was committed to an emissions trading scheme and was waiting for a 'dfferent' parliament after the election to pursue this. He spoke of continuing to move to fulfil the Millennium Goals and specifically mentioned Christian group, Micah Challenge, which is lobbying strongly for this.

Abbott gave an undertaking to fund school chaplains to 2014 while Rudd said funding would continue through to 2011 and he believed a review would support extended funding, but stopped short of a further commitment.

Abbott emphasised the need for real relationship between indigenous and other Australians before lasting reconciliation could occur while Rudd highlighted his government's compassionate stand on asylum seekers.

For a full transcript of both 20 minute speeches from the leaders, keep watching Australian Christian Voters. Use the Subscribe option in the right column to receive updates.

Fielding's abortion comments attract criticism

Senator Steve Fielding has been criticised for suggesting that some women may get pregnant and then have a late term abortion so they can receive taxpayer money in the form of paid parental leave.

Senator Fielding's comments came during the largely bipartisan debate about the government scheme. It became heated when the Family First senator introduced amendments dealing with abortion.

He called for a stricter definition of a mother's eligibility in the event of a late-term abortion - to ensure those women are not eligible for any paid parental leave.

The debate moved to the difference between stillborn babies and those that had been aborted.

'We don't need assurances, we need to make sure this is in the law,' Senator Fielding told parliament on Wednesday.

'There may be mums out there who want to cheat the system in an horrific way.'

Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce called the Family First senator Steve Fielding a 'minor pawn' playing politics in 'the most base way'.

Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young accused the senator of 'dirt politics'. Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield accused Senator Fielding of attempting to wage a proxy battle on abortion through unrelated legislation.

Source: Ninemsn

Moderate Liberal retires with eloquent commentary

'I once said to journalist Michael Gordon that "in life there are many things that you'd like to walk past and not notice. Lots. But sometimes you do notice and when you notice, you have to do something". Well I have noticed some things, and I have tried not to walk past.' Petro Georgiou, retiring Liberal Member for Kooyong.

Member for Kooyong, Petro Georgiou, gave his valedictory speech to parliament yesterday as he retires from federal politics.

Mr Georgiou served in politics for 35 years, 16 as the member for Kooyong and is well known as a principled politician who strongly supported multiculturalism and the humane treatment of asylum seekers.

His speech gives insightful commentary, not only on the Liberal Party, but on the direction of Parliamentary policy. Keep reading to see the full text of his speech.