The Prime Minister and his Loyal Deputy (2006-2009)

After months of leadership speculation, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, the two most ambitious Labor politicians of their generation, challenged Kim Beazley and Jenny Macklin for the leadership of the Labor Party. The Christian from Queensland's Right and the atheist from Victoria's Left were Labor's new leadership team. Less than a year later, Labor was swept to victory at the 2007 Federal Election. Rudd and Gillard marketed themselves as an inseparable team, laughing off any suggestion of tension. They navigated the Global Financial Crisis that dominated the early period in Government but the cracks were starting to show. Only now is Gillard prepared to talk about the bitter disagreements behind the scenes…