Australia's Labor party leader Kevin Rudd conceded defeat at national elections on Saturday (September 7), offering his congratulations to conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott who won a landslide victory, ending six years of turbulent Labor rule.<br/> <br />Labor members cheered as Rudd entered the party's post-election event, leaving the outgoing prime minister pleasantly surprised.<br/> <br />"Geez, I thought we lost," Rudd said to the crowd.<br/> <br />In his speech Rudd said he had sent his well-wishes to the incoming prime minister Tony Abbott.<br/> <br />Rudd also announced that he would stand down as the national Labor party leader.<br/> <br />Rudd, dumped by his party in mid 2010, returned as prime minister in late June in a bold bid to overturn a prolonged slump in opinion polls under Julia Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister.
