The AMWU has paid tribute to Kevin Rudd and welcomed Julia Gillard as Australia’s first female Prime Minister.

AMWU National Secretary, Dave Oliver, said that the union looked forward to working with the Gillard Government, as we had with Rudd Government.

“Kevin Rudd should be remembered as Prime Minister who took important steps to apologise to the stolen generations, who ratified the Kyoto protocol and fought hard for a global solution to climate change, and who was a passionate advocate of Australia being ‘a country that makes things’. Most of all, his leadership during the financial crisis helped save hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs.

“Julia Gillard was always a key part of this team and she will be a very good Prime Minister,” he said.

“The record of the Labor government this term has been strong and we look forward to Labor continuing its record of putting the priorities of working people first.

“The union movement will remain united in pursuing policies with Labor that benefit workers, such as the Paid Parental Leave Scheme already delivered, and the increase to superannuation yet to come.”

Mr Oliver said that the most important thing for working people at the next election was to ensure Tony Abbott did not win the next election and put in place his extreme, anti-worker policies.

Mr Oliver said it was pleasing to see Ms Gillard not back down on the fact that mining companies had been paying less than their fair share of tax.