Rudd confirms he's in for leadership race

Kevin Rudd has finally confirmed he will take on Julia Gillard at a party room leadership vote on Monday as he tries to make a comeback as prime minister.

Mr Rudd said the Labor party was "heading for the rocks at the next election''.

"That's why I'm here today because I believe that to do the best for Australia and Labor things have to change,'' he said in Brisbane on Friday.

"It is no secret that our government has a lot of work to do if it is to regain the confidence of the Australian people.

"Rightly or wrongly Julia has lost the trust of the Australian people and starting on Monday I want to start restoring that trust.

"That's why I have decided to contest the leadership of the Australian Labor Party.''

Mr Rudd emphasised the achievements of his government between 2007 and 2010.

"I want to finish the job the Australian people elected me to do when I was elected by them to become prime minister,'' he said.

"I believe that with the right Labor team we can meet the challenges of another global crisis and see off the threat of an Abbott government.''

Mr Rudd said he had been elected to govern for all Australians and that's what he did.

He spoke about how his government protected jobs through the global financial crisis, increased pensions, increased the childcare rebate, introduced paid maternity leave and abolished Work Choices.

- AAP