Kevin Rudd now could now achieve what no Australian has done before - become prime minister of the same government twice.
Three prime ministers have occupied the position more than once, but never at the helm of the same government.
Electoral historian Malcolm Mackerras said this was the unprecedented outcome he expected to flow from the fateful decision of Labor to force him, a sitting prime minister, from office in 2010. In the early volatile days of federation, Alfred Deakin led three different Protectionist governments and Andrew Fisher three different Labor administrations.
Robert Menzies led the United Australia Party from 1939 to 1941, then the Liberal Party he founded, from 1949 to 1966.
In 1969 William McMahon unsuccessfully challenged Liberal prime minister John Gorton immediately after a lacklustre election for the Coalition.
Two years later McMahon struck again and after a tied vote, Gorton stepped down.
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