Editing History of Australia (section)

===Labor governments: 2007–2013===
{{Main articles|Rudd government (2007–2010)|Gillard government|Rudd government (2013)}}
[[File:Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.JPG|thumb|[[Kevin Rudd]] and [[Julia Gillard]] in 2006. Gillard went on to become Australia's first female Prime Minister.]]

The [[Rudd government (2007–2010)|Rudd government]] moved quickly to ratify the Kyoto protocols, dismantle the previous government's Work Choices industrial relations reforms, and issue an apology to Aboriginal Australians for past policies, particularly the [[Stolen Generations|removal of Aboriginal children from their families]].<ref name="NAA-2021b">{{Cite web|title=Australia's Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd: During Office|url=https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/kevin-rudd/during-office|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414071427/https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/kevin-rudd/during-office|archive-date=14 April 2021|access-date=14 April 2021|website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref> The government was soon confronted by the [[2008 financial crisis]] and the [[Great Recession]], responding with a series of economic stimulus measures worth A$75 billion. Although economic growth slowed in 2008, Australia was one of the few advanced economies in the world to avoid recession.<ref>Goot, Murray (2013). pp 188–89</ref>

The Rudd government proposed an [[Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme|emissions trading scheme]] (ETS) to address climate change, but the legislation was twice rejected in the Senate. After the failed December 2009 [[2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference|UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen]], the government decided to postpone its ETS until 2013, a decision which saw Labor lose some electoral support to the Greens.<ref>Goot, Murray (2003). pp 202–03</ref> The government's proposed a [[Resource Super Profits Tax|Resources Super Profits Tax]] adversely affected Labor's support in the resource-rich states of Queensland and Western Australia.<ref>Grattan, Michelle (2016) "Kevin Michael Rudd." In ''Australian Prime Ministers.'' p 484</ref>

[[File:Australian SOTG wait for extraction 2011.jpg|thumb|left|Australian special forces wait for extraction during the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]]]

The government changed its predecessor's asylum seeker policy by closing the Nauru processing centre, abolished temporary protection visas and improving the legal rights and processing time for applicants for asylum. However, unauthorised arrivals by boat increased sharply from 2009 and the number in mandatory detention stretched capacity. The new leader of the opposition, [[Tony Abbott|Tony Abbot]], promised that a coalition government would "stop the boats."<ref>Goot, Murray (2013). pp 204–5</ref><ref name="Grattan-2016a">Grattan, Michelle (2016). "Kevin Michael Rudd." p 483-8</ref>

In June 2010, with the government behind the opposition in polls and Rudd's popularity falling, the Labor caucus replaced Rudd with [[Julia Gillard]] as leader: Australia's first female prime minister.<ref name="Grattan-2016a" /> The new leader was able to negotiate concessions on a new mining tax with large mining companies but failed to reach agreement with East Timor on a proposed migration processing centre there.<ref>Wallace, Chris (2016)  "Julia Eileen Gillard". In Grattan (ed) Australian Prime Ministers. p 498.</ref>

Following the [[2010 Australian federal election|August 2010 federal election]], Gillard formed a minority Labor government with the support of the [[Australian Greens]] and three independents.<ref name="NAA-2021a">{{Cite web|title=Australia's Prime Ministers, Julia Gillard: During Office|url=https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/julia-gillard/during-office|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414071428/https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers/julia-gillard/during-office|archive-date=14 April 2021|access-date=14 April 2021|website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref> The Gillard government passed enabling legislation for a [[National Broadband Network]], a [[Carbon tax in Australia|carbon pricing scheme]], a mining tax, a [[National Disability Insurance Scheme]], and school funding reforms.<ref name="NAA-2021a" /> The government negotiated an agreement with Malaysia to process some asylum seekers there but the plan was struck down by the High Court. In response, the government reopened offshore processing centres on Manus Island and Nauru.<ref>Goot, Murray (2013) pp 204–05</ref>

Following mounting leadership speculation and poor polling for the government, Rudd defeated Gillard in a leadership ballot in June 2013 and returned as prime minister, promising to replace the carbon tax with an emissions trading scheme and to ensure that people arriving without authority by boat would not be settled in Australia.<ref>Grattan, Michelle (2013). "Kevin Michael Rudd". In Australian Prime Ministers. p 488.</ref> The opposition, promising to "stop the boats," abolish the carbon tax and mining tax, and reduce the Budget deficit and government debt, won the [[2013 Australian federal election|September 2013 election]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Grattan|first=Michelle|title=Australian Prime Ministers|year=2016|pages=512–13|chapter=Anthony John Abbott}}</ref>