Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has been appointed as the next ambassador to the United States.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Mr Rudd will replace former Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos in February.
‘Doctor Rudd brings unmatched experience to the role,’ Mr Albanese said.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has been appointed as the next ambassador to the United State
‘He has served as Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, held prominent academic roles and worked extensively in the United States.
‘It is intended that he will commence his posting in early 2023.’
Mr Albanese dismissed questions by reporters about whether Mr Rudd was the right person for the job given his reputation in political circles.
‘Your colleagues have invariably described Kevin Rudd as a psychopath, a micromanager, a control freak,’ a reporter said.
‘Is this the person who your government needs to have in Washington? Are you worried about essentially having a second Foreign Minister in the United States?’
Mr Albanese responded: ‘Kevin Rudd is an outstanding appointment.’
Read Related Also: Troubled Bitcoin may plunge by 25 per cent, Wall Street giant predicts
Mr Rudd released a statement saying he was ‘honoured’ to be nominated for the position.
‘Australia currently faces its most challenging security and diplomatic environment for many decades,’ he said.
‘Our national interest continues to be served, as it has for decades past, by the deepest and most effective strategic engagement of the United States in our region.
Mr Albanese made the announcement as Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong prepares to travel to China for the first ministerial visit since 2019
‘Our alliance isn’t merely grounded in our common security and economic interests, but also across generations of friendship between our peoples and our shared values of freedom, democracy and the universality of human rights.’
Mr Albanese made the announcement as Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong prepares to travel to China for the first ministerial visit since 2019.
The trip will coincide with the 50-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, after former prime minister Gough Whitlam made the journey to China in 1972.
Senator Wong’s visit is the first time a minister has stepped foot in China since 2019, and follows years of a deteriorating relationship.
More to come
