FED:PM waxes lyrical about KRudd

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2010
FED:PM waxes lyrical about KRudd

CANBERRA, Aug 5 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has praised Kevin Rudd as a man
of "enormous capability", after her predecessor urged voters to stick with Labor.

A philosophical Mr Rudd, in his first media interview since losing the Labor leadership
in June, said he could not sit idly by and watch the coalition win government by default.

He urged the electorate not to let what happened to him stop them from voting Labor.

"What's at first level importance, absolute first level importance, is the future direction
of our country," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday night.

Ms Gillard praised the former prime minister as being a man of "enormous capability"

who had written an "amazing page" in the nation's history by delivering an apology to
the Stolen Generation.

Mr Rudd vowed to campaign for the re-election of the Gillard government.

"I welcome that," Ms Gillard told ABC Radio on Thursday.

The prime minister repeated earlier pledges to offer Mr Rudd a frontbench position
in an area where he has "enthusiasm and passion", if Labor was re-elected on August 21.

She agreed with Mr Rudd that Labor's attention should be to deny Opposition Leader
Tony Abbott a chance to be the next prime minister.

"Our focus is on that all important choice on election day," Ms Gillard said.

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KEYWORD: POLL10 RUDD GILLARD

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