Kevin Rudd is Australia's 26th Prime Minister.

Kevin Rudd has been the Federal Member for Griffith since being first elected in 1998. In 2001 Kevin was appointed to Federal Labor's Shadow Cabinet and on December 4 2006, he defeated Kim Beazley to become Federal Labor Leader and Leader of the Opposition.

Before entering Federal Parliament, Kevin worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1981 in the Australian Embassies in both Stockholm and Beijing, before working with the Queensland Labor party from 1988 - 1995.

New PM outlines agenda - Audio feature from Asia Pacific program 26/11/07
Presenter - Graeme Dobell
Speaker - Australian Labor leader, Kevin Rudd

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Julia was born in Wales, migrating to Australia with her family in 1966. In 1982, she was elected as national education vice president of the Australian Union of Students, and in 1983 became national president of the AUS. She began work as a solicitor with the law firm Slater and Gordon and became a partner in 1990. In May 1996, Julia was appointed chief of staff of the Victorian Opposition leader, John Brumby.

She was elected to Federal Parliament in 1998, and after her re-election in 2004, Julia was re-instated as Shadow Minister for Health and on December 4, 2006, she was elected unopposed to the position of Deputy Federal Labor Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Labor's election victory means she is the first woman to serve as deputy prime-minister.

First female Deputy PM to tackle industrial relations - Audio feature from Connect Asia 26/11/2007
Presenter - Gillian Bradford.
Speaker - Julia Gillard

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Stephen was special adviser to former Prime Minister Paul Keating and was elected as the Member for Perth in 1993. During his first term he was chair of the Caucus Industry Committee and the Parliamentary Committee on Corporation and Securities. He has been a member of the shadow ministerial team since the 1996 election as Shadow Minister for Trade, Shadow Minister for Resources and Energy and Shadow Minister for Communications.

He was Shadow Health Minister until 18 June 2003. Stephen was reinstated to the Shadow Ministry as the Shadow Minister for Immigration on 8 December 2003. As foreign minister, he will be assisted by Parliamentary Secretaries Duncan Kerr and Bob McMullan.

New govt appoints Pacific secretary - Audio feature from Pacific Beat 29/11/2007
Presenter - Graeme Dobell.
Speaker - Kevin Rudd

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Senator Chris Evans was elected to Federal Parliament in 1993, and served as chair of the Joint Native Title Committee, and was appointed as the Opposition Whip in the Senate following the 1996 Election. He joined the shadow ministry after the 1998 Election as the Shadow Minister for Family Services and the Aged.

Following the 2001 election he was appointed to a number of ministries, including defence, social security, indigenous affairs, family and community services and development, resources and energy. In October 2004 Chris was elected as the Federal Labor Leader in the Senate.

Simon was elected President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 1985, and worked a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Board of Qantas, the Board of the AIDC and the Transport Industry Advisory Council. Following his election to Federal Parliament in 1990, Simon was appointed Minister for Science and Technology, as well as working with the Prices Surveillance Authority, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and serving as Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, and later as employment minister.

In October 1998, he was elected Deputy Opposition Leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer, and following the 2001 federal election was elected unopposed as Leader of the Opposition on 22 November 2001, resigning in December 2003 to be replaced by Kevin Rudd.

Penny was born in Sabah, Malaysia. She moved to Australia when she was eight and settled in the Adelaide Hills. She won a scholarship to Scotch College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Law Degree (Hons) from the University of Adelaide. Penny began working for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union when she was still studying and stayed with the union after she was admitted to the Bar.

Before entering parliament, Penny was a barrister and solicitor in Adelaide and also worked as an adviser to the Carr Government in New South Wales, and in October 2004, Penny was appointed Shadow Minister for Employment and Workforce Participation, and Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility. Penny is the first Asian-born woman to enter federal parliament and the first Asia-born and first openly gay member of the Federal Ministry.