The top twelve Kevin Rudd moments from his time in politics
HE was Kevin from Queensland, here to help us all. After his shock resignation from politics last night we give you the dirty dozen memorable Kevin Rudd moments.
HE was Kevin from Queensland, here to help us all. After his shock resignation from politics last night we give you the dirty dozen memorable Kevin Rudd moments.
Emotional Kevin Rudd resigns from federal parliament
My name's Kevin, I'm from Queensland and I'm here to help.
His classic line from the Kevin 07 election campaign where he swept to power over Australia's second longest serving PM John Howard, who lost his safe Liberal seat of Bennelong in the process.
The Earwax incident
In the lead up to the 2007 election, someone dug up footage that showed Mr Rudd in Parliament eating his own earwax.
No matter how many times you watch the video, it's still gross.
This f***ing language
He speaks fluent Mandarin, but even Kevin Rudd struggled with the language while trying to record a video message.
In February 2012 an expletive-laden video was uploaded to YouTube showing Mr Rudd getting mighty angry at himself.
"You can tell these d***heads in the embassy to just give me simple sentences. I've said this before," Mr Rudd says.
"Tell that bloody interpreter. This f***ing language just complicates it so much, you know. How can anyone do this."
Those ratf***kers
Turns out the former PM was quite fond of swearing. At the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009 the then PM allegedly described the Chinese as "ratf***kers".
The angry tirade reportedly came after tense negotiations with the Chinese, who are one of Australia's most important trading partners, over a binding agreement on reducing carbon emissions.
Mr Rudd reportedly remarked to a group of journalists and aides during the December 2009 summit that: "Those Chinese f**kers are trying to rat-f**k us."
Saluting Dubya
Left standing alone during a NATO summit in Bucharest, Mr Rudd spotted then US President George W Bush across the room and saluted him.
Mr Rudd insisted the salute was a "joke" and he was just giving a friendly hello, but the gesture brought back memories of Mr Bush describing former PM John Howard as his "deputy sheriff".
Fair shake of the sauce bottle
One of his favourite Australianisms, Mr Rudd liked to trot this line out when he was talking about the fairness of a situation.
Gotta zip
Another favourite Ruddism, Mr Rudd used this line to sign off from all manner of things including press conferences and public speeches.
Last night 'gotta zip' was entered into official parliamentary records when Mr Rudd signed off for the final time.
"And so, having said all that, 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.
Programmatic specificity
When he wasn't dishing out the Australianism, Mr Rudd was bamboozling Australians and the rest of the world with his bureaucratic speak. The PM confused German translators with this gem during a five-day European tour.
While addressing German press and Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Rudd said it was unlikely any progress would emerge from the Major Economies Forum (MEF) "by way of detailed programmatic specificity".
Yes, we're still unsure of exactly what he meant too.
Not a fan of airline food
All that talking can make a man pretty hungry, so when Mr Rudd's 'special meal' went missing on his VIP plane you can imagine how angry he got.
In 2009 he was forced to apologise to an RAAF cabin attendant after he berated her over the missing meal. The incident happened during the VIP flight to Canberra following the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby.
In June 2008 Mr Rudd is said to have become "extremely irritated" when the only food on offer was fresh, gourmet sandwiches - rather than a hot meal.
Hairdryer tantrum
It wasn't only poor food options that could send the former PM into a frenzy.
Never one to shy away from a photo opportunity, Mr Rudd reportedly "threw a wobbly" in Afghanistan in 2009 when a hairdryer could not be located before a photo opportunity.
While the PM rejected the claims as "laughable" we all know how he loves to flick those blond locks across his brow.
The apology
Despite the blow-ups and the foul language, Mr Rudd will also be remembered as the Prime Minister who said sorry for the right reasons.
Following his election win in 2007 one of his first acts as Prime Minister was an apology to Aboriginal Australians over the stolen generation.
The emotional address in parliament, during which he apologised for their "profound grief, suffering and loss" earned him a standing ovation and was a big step in Australia's reconciliation process.
"We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians," the apology read.
The 2013 election defeat
We know Mr Rudd likes to talk, and his 22 minute election night concession speech was a fine example of this.
Ousted by his party during his first term before finally wresting back the leadership just months before the federal election only to go on to be roundly defeated by Tony Abbott, Mr Rudd again relinquished the leadership.
"We are all proud to be Australian ... I telephoned Tony Abbott to concede defeat."
"The Australian people deserves a fresh start to our leadership.
"I will not be recontesting the leadership of the Australian Labor Party."
"I thank you, one and all."