[1] Gude was born in Geelong to Archibald Gilby, small business owner, and Mavis Murfett.
Gude was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as Member for Geelong East in March 1976.
He held various shadow ministries in opposition and in 1991 he was elected deputy Liberal leader when Kennett made his leadership comeback.
On 12 October 1995 he spoke under privilege in parliament about Julia Gillard's connection to the AWU affair.
Gude alleged that Gillard's Senate candidature "may not be the only reason she is no longer working for Slater & Gordon" and that she may have indirectly received a financial benefit through the association, and may therefore have been a recipient of fraudulently obtained funds.