New leader for ALP

The Australian Federal Labour Party has a new leader.

Kevin Rudd was elected with a 49-39 vote defeating Kim Beazley at a Labour caucus meeting of elected MPs in Canberra. Julia Gillard was elected unopposed as Deputy Leader.

Mr Rudd is from the town of Nambour in Queensland, the son of a poor dairy farmer. He has been in Federal Parliament for eight years.

A graduate of ANU in Chinese language and history, he is married to Therese since 1981 and has three children. He served as a diplomat in Beijing between 1984-86 and speaks fluent Mandarin. He was the Foreign Affairs spokesman for the opposition.