Kevin Rudd emerged after a period of prolonged instability and internal strife within the federal ALP to establish himself as a popular leader who could unify his party and mount a real challenge to John Howard. The early reaction to his leadership, from both voters and his political adversaries, suggests that he is widely regarded as Labor's best hope in a decade of ending the Howard ascendancy. Kevin Rudd: a political biography explores the events that have made this ambitious, self-reliant man, and the influences that have shaped his vision for the future of Australia. It asks key questions: can Rudd inspire self-belief in Labor and persuade the electorate that, this time, they can indeed be trusted? What would a Labor government under an intelligent conservative leader look like or stand for? Based on extensive interviews with the main participants Canberra journalist Nicholas Stuart traces Rudd's life from his childhood on a Queensland dairy farm and the family's struggle after the tragic death of his father to the present. He examines in detail Rudd's university years, his diplomatic service in Copenhagen and Beijing, his political apprenticeship as Wayne Goss's chief of staff and later head of the Cabinet Office, his entry into federal politics and witnessing of the disintegration of successive Labor leaders, his rapprochement with Julia Gillard, and his ultimate emergence as Labor leader. Kevin Rudd: a political biography is a comprehensive examination of the making of this key player in Australian political life. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of Australia.