Kevin Rudd: Malcolm Turnbull's new McCarthyism on China

McCarthyism - Wikipedia: 

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term refers to U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy and has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from 1947 to 1956 and characterized by heightened political repression as well as a campaign spreading fear of Communist influence on American institutions and of espionage by Soviet agents.

Malcolm Turnbull’s new McCarthyism on China

• KEVIN RUDD The Australian
• 12:00AM February 24, 2018
• https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/malcolm-turnbulls-new-mccarthyism-on-china/news-story/8fd371077779d6e04647c8bb4eabad2f?
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Last December, Malcolm Turnbull proclaimed that the “Australian people had stood up” — “Aodaliya renmin zhanqilaile” — against the Chinese. This was a parody of a statement attributed to Mao Zedong on the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China, after a century of foreign occupation, that “the Chinese people had stood up”.

Apart from Turnbull’s dubious comparison between China’s communist revolution in 1949 and Australia’s national circumstances in 2017, another small problem with Turnbull’s analogy is that there is no evidence that Mao said it. But then again, Malcolm has never been strong on detail. Remember the Godwin Grech affair?

One of the demands of prime ministerial office is policy consistency. But this is the same Turnbull who, when last leader of the Liberal Party, refused in 2009 to pass my legislation to ban all foreign donations to political parties. Had Turnbull done the right thing back then, much of the recent controversy on Chinese campaign donations could have been avoided.

This is the same Turnbull who as leader accused me of anti-Chinese sabre-rattling after the release of the 2009 defence white paper, which announced the doubling of the Australian submarine fleet and increasing the surface fleet by one-third to respond to China’s changing military posture. Turnbull was also a member of the cabinet that would later approve the sale of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese state-owned corporation on a 99-year lease where Andrew Robb would later become a “high-level economic consultant”.

Then there is the most infamous example of Turnbull’s political hypocrisy on China when our government refused permission for Chinese firm Huawei to participate in the rollout of the National Broadband Network on national security grounds. China did not like it. Nor did Turnbull. Indeed, when he became communications minister, he actively sought to have the government overturn our decision. It should also be noted that Alexander Downer was a paid member of the Huawei board.

Turnbull as a businessman some years back, as he has readily admitted, had mining investments in China. I assume that meant securing regulatory approval from the Chinese communist authorities to do so. Well, good luck to him. That’s what businesses do. I hope he made a profit.

So what has caused Turnbull to backflip on China? China’s strategy hasn’t changed. It has been consistent throughout. China has never pretended to share our democratic values, human rights or independent judiciary. As prime minister I challenged human rights abuses in Tibet. I also defended the legal rights of Rio Tinto employee Stern Hu when he was put on trial for corruption.

China has consistently sought to expand its foreign investment interests in Australia, as in other countries, particularly in the mining industry. Our government approved most of these. But some we didn’t, like Chinese state-owned enterprise Chinalco’s application to buy Rio Tinto, a decision for which we were regularly attacked in the Chinese media.

China also has long opposed US alliances in the region. Notwithstanding this, our government supported the US “pivot to Asia”, including the deployment of additional marines in Darwin. Yet, despite all this, our government was able to maintain a balanced relationship with China, as had previous Australian governments, recognising where our values differed while prosecuting our common interests, which are vast, and never frightened to say no.

Turnbull’s about-face on China, from apologist to McCarthyist, derives from the weakness of his domestic political position — not least because in the public’s view he stands for nothing and has now been behind in 27 consecutive opinion polls. I went below 50 per cent in one. Turnbull saw the Dastyari affair — involving appalling political and policy judgment by an opposition backbencher, but arguably no greater than Liberal Party backbenchers accepting international travel and hospitality from Huawei — as a simple political opportunity to look hairy-chested, to paint Labor as a pack of fifth columnists for the Chinese Communist Party, and through his jihad against “agents of influence” smear the 1.2 million strong Australian-Chinese community and their loyalty to Australia. I presume the next step is for us all to be hauled before a new house committee on un-Australian activities, to further perpetuate the memory of senator Joe McCarthy. Why not a new Petrov royal commission, just for good measure?

China has long sought to increase its influence in Australia and around the world. Other foreign powers do this in Australia too. The question is not one of whether China is seeking to do so here. The real question is to what extent is it increasing; to what extent is it manageable while maintaining a normal, healthy, bal­anced bilateral relationship still capable of advancing the vast array of common interests we share, which I believe we can; and to what extent are our existing laws, regulations and powers up to the task. These are the real public policy questions we face. They are of a more sober nature than shrill statements from Turnbull calling on the Australian masses to “rise up” against the Chinese hordes.

Turnbull’s responsibility is threefold: to substantiate, with data and evidence, not just innuendo, his charge that Australia is somehow under a new major threat from China from within; second, to establish why Australia’s existing laws are not sufficient to deal with it; third, to identify what will be the wider conse­quences for our civil liberties of his new proposed legislation.

ASIO and the Australian Federal Police already have extraordinary powers. Their resources have been enhanced by successive governments. The laws they enforce are robust, except for Turnbull’s gutlessness on foreign don­a­tions reform. Our media laws, competition authorities and investment regulators are there to protect the national interest and prevent the concentration of med­ia power, including in the Australian Chinese-language press. Our vice-chancellors already have powers to uphold academic freedom on our campuses. How many attempts have been made to intimidate students and lecturers? What has been the nature of those threats? What extra powers precisely are needed? If there is a problem, then our agencies should already be taking substantive, operational action as a matter of course, rather than the Prime Minister turning it into a political sound and light show. On sensitive matters of national security, states can just do things. They don’t have to talk about it in the media. But that depends on whether you are prosecuting a serious national security concern or just rank politics.

When China soon becomes the largest economy, it will be the first time since George III this position will be held by a non-democratic, non-Western, non-English-speaking state. China has the second largest military budget in the world. It is run by a one-party state with no intention of democratising. It also has a different concept of the future of the regional and global order. Welcome to the reality that has stared Australia in the face for the past decade, back when Malcolm was China’s cheerleader-in-chief. Every other democracy is facing the same challenge. And opportunity. We’re not exactly Robinson Crusoe.

What this requires is a systematic, comprehensive, whole-of-government national China strategy. Our government approved and implemented such a strategy through cabinet. It provided a balanced framework for maximising the opportunities and managing the challenges in the China relationship. China has a strategy for dealing with us. That’s why we developed one for dealing with them. By contrast, Turnbull has lurched from one extreme to the other, from apologist to confrontationist. There is, indeed, a middle path for dealing with the Middle Kingdom. If Turnbull was actually interested, I’d happily arrange to let him read it. But then again, proper approval for the confidential release of cabinet documents seems to be optional these days in Canberra.

The Liberals historically see foreign policy as little more than the continuation of domestic politics, often the politics of race, by other means. John Howard was a master of it, Pauline Hanson his partner, and Tony Abbott his failed apprentice. We thought Turnbull would be better. Alas not. The China relationship warrants a sophisticated strategy, rather than the juvenile incanta­tion of Chinese revolutionary slogans, whose principal objective was to trigger a sharp reaction from Beijing — all to reinforce Turnbull’s “toughness” in “standing up for Australia”, the hoariest old political chestnut of all, and in Malcolm’s imaginings lifting him in the polls. But the price we have paid has been long-term damage to Australian interests in one of our two most important strategic relationships. Australia deserves better than the rank amateurism we have seen on the Australia-China relationship under Chairman Malcolm’s new McCarthyism.

Kevin Rudd is a former foreign minister and prime minister of Australia. He also served on the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security. He has never been engaged by a foreign government or state-owned corporation.

156 Comments in below

陸克文特稿：Malcolm Turnbull對華政策的新麥卡錫主義

陸克文  The Australian  Feb 26, 2018

去年12月，Malcolm Turnbull宣稱“澳大利亞人民站起來了” 來回擊中方，據稱這是模仿毛澤東在宣布中國被外國占領了一個世紀之後，終於獲得獨立解放時發布的“中國人民站起來了”的聲明。

去年12月，Malcolm Turnbull宣稱“澳大利亞人民站起來了” 來回擊中方，據稱這是模仿毛澤東在宣布中國被外國占領了一個世紀之後，終於獲得獨立解放時發布的“中國人民站起來了”的聲明。

除了Turnbull將1949年中國共產主義革命與2017年澳大利亞的國情進行另人質疑的比較之外，Turnbull這一措詞模仿的另一個問題是，沒有證據表明毛澤東是這樣說的。但是再一次，Malcolm從來經不住細節考驗，還記得Godwin Grech事件嗎？（Godwin Grech是澳大利亞前財政部官員因OzCar事件被Malcolm Turnbull指控。）

對總理辦公室的其中一項要求是政策一致性。但是，就是現在的Turnbull，在2009年作為自由黨的最後一位領導人否決了我提出的禁止一切外國政治捐款的法案。如果Turnbull當時做了正確的事情，那麽近期有關中國對政黨捐款的爭議可能已經避免了。

同樣是Turnbull，在2009年國防白皮書發布後，作為自由黨領導人指責我為反華炫耀武力，該白皮書宣布澳大利亞潛艇艦隊數量翻番，水麵艦隊數量增加三分之一以應對中國不斷變化的軍事態勢。當時的Turnbull也是內閣成員，後來批準將達爾文港（Port of Darwin）出售給一家中國國有企業，租期99年，Andrew Robb後來成為了“高級經濟顧問”。

Turnbull對華政治的虛偽最臭名昭著的例子就是政府以國家安全為由拒絕中國的華為公司參與國家寬帶網絡鋪設。中國不喜歡這個決定，Turnbull也不喜歡。實際上，當時他任通信部長，並積極說服政府推翻這一決定。還應該注意的是，Alexander Downer是華為董事會的付費會員。

正如Turnbull自己承認的，他幾年前就作為一名商人開始在中國進行礦業投資，我猜這意味著這要獲得中共當局的監管批準，那麽，祝他好運，這就是企業的運作方式，我希望他賺取利潤。

那麽是什麽導致了Turnbull對華政策的倒退呢？中國的戰略沒有改變，它貫穿始終。中國從未假裝分享我們的民主價值觀、人權或司法獨立。作為總理，我挑戰在西藏發生的侵犯人權的行為，我也捍衛了力拓員工Stern Hu在腐敗審判時的合法權益。

中國一直在尋求擴大其在澳大利亞的投資，特別是采礦業，正如他們在其他國家所做的一樣。我們的政府批準了其中大部分投資項目，有些項目也被否決，如中國國有企業中鋁公司申請收購力拓，這是我們在中國媒體經常遭到抨擊的一個決定。

中國也長期反對該地區的美國聯盟。盡管如此，我國政府支持美國“重返亞洲”的政策，包括美國在達爾文部署更多的海軍陸戰隊。然而，盡管如此，我們的政府仍然能夠與中國保持平衡的關係，就像以前的澳大利亞政府一樣，承認我們的價值觀存在差異，同時提出我們廣泛的共同利益，從不害怕說不。

Turnbull對中國態度的大轉變，從辯護者到麥卡錫主義，源於他在國內政治的弱勢地位–不僅僅因為在公眾看來，他毫無主張，而且其支持率已經連續27次在民意調查中處於落後。我曾在一次民意調查中支持率低於50％。Turnbull看到了Dastyari事件，此事件是有關一位反對派後排議員的政治和政策判斷的問題，但可以說這問題遠沒有自由黨後排議員接受華為公司提供的國際旅行和接待的問題大。

Turnbull政府通過把工黨描繪成裏通中共的一夥，並通過他的反對“外國勢力影響”的”聖戰“來誣蔑120萬澳大利亞華人和他們對澳大利亞的忠誠，以此作為他的政治機會，這看起來似乎很強大。我猜下一步就是把所有參加非澳大利亞活動的人抓到一個新設立的內務委員會（接受審判），以進一步提醒人民對美國參議員喬· 麥卡錫（Joe McCarthy）的記憶。為什麽不幹脆設一個新的彼得羅夫皇家調查委員會(Petrov royal commission，指的是冷戰時期發生在澳大利亞的蘇聯間諜事件）？

中國一直試圖增加其在澳大利亞和世界各地的影響力，其他外國勢力在澳大利亞也這樣做。問題不在於中國是否試圖在澳大利亞這樣做，真正的問題是這樣的做法在多大程度上增加了; 以及在保持正常、健康、平衡的雙邊關係的同時，我們可以多大程度上保持對這些做法的可控性，將其控製在正常尺度並仍然有益於雙方共同廣泛的利益，我相信我們可以做到; 以及我們現有的法律、法規和權力在多大程度上可以完成這項任務。這些是我們麵臨的真正的公共政策問題，他們比Turnbull呼籲澳大利亞人民”站起來“反抗中國的尖銳言論要清醒得多。

Turnbull的責任有三個：用數據和證據來證明他所指控的澳大利亞在某種程度上已處於來自中國的新的重大威脅之下，而不僅僅是含沙射影; 其次，明確為什麽澳大利亞現行法律不足以應對這一威脅; 第三，明確擬議中的新立法對我們公民的自由會產生何種更廣泛的影響。

ASIO和澳大利亞聯邦警察已經擁有非同尋常的權力，而且他們的資源得到了曆屆政府的加強，他們執行的法律是強有力的，Turnbull政府擬議的外國捐贈法案的怯懦除外。我們的媒體法、競爭管理機構和投資監管機構都在保護國家利益，防止媒體權利過於集中，包括澳大利亞的華文媒體；我們的校長已經擁有權利維護我們校園的學術自由。究竟有多少次恐嚇學生和講師的企圖？這些恐嚇的本質是什麽？真的還需要什麽額外的權力嗎？如果出現問題，那麽我們的機構應該已經采取實質性的行動，而不是讓總理把它變成一場政治秀。在敏感的國家安全問題上，各州可以做些事情，他們不必在媒體上談論這些事情，不過這取決於你是要對一個嚴重的國家安全問題進行起訴，還是僅僅為了獲得更高的政治地位。

中國很快將成為世界最大的經濟體，這將是自喬治三世以來第一次由一個非民主的、非西方的、非英語的國家獲得這一地位。中國擁有世界第二大軍費預算，該國由一黨運作國家，並不打算民主化，它對區域和全球秩序的未來也有不同的概念。歡迎回到過去十年澳大利亞一直麵對的現實，那時Malcolm是中國的拉拉隊長。其他任何民主國家都麵臨同樣的挑戰和機會。我們不完全是魯濱遜漂流記。

這一現實需要一個係統的、全麵的、全國性的中國戰略。我國政府通過內閣批準並實施了這樣的戰略。它為中國關係中的機遇最大化和管理挑戰提供了一個平衡的框架。中國有與我們打交道的戰略。這就是為什麽我們也要製定一個與他們打交道的戰略的原因。而Turnbull 卻從一個極端走向另一個極端，從辯護者變成對抗者。事實上，存在著一條處理與中國關係的中間路線，如果Turnbull 真的感興趣，我很樂意安排讓他閱讀一些文件。但是，最近在堪培拉，妥善處理內閣機密文件似乎變成了不必要的（意指最近發生的政府機密文件泄露事件）。

曆史上，自由黨人一直認為外交政策隻不過是國內政治，通常是國內政治競爭以不同方式的延續，John Howard就是這方麵的大師，Pauline Hanson以及他失敗的學徒Tony Abbott都是John Howard的同伴。我們以為Turnbull會好些，唉，不是。中國關係需要一個複雜的戰略，而不隻是一個中國革命標語的幼稚模仿，這樣的模仿其主要目標隻能引發北京的尖銳反應，所有這些又加強了Turnbull “為澳大利亞站起來”的“堅強” ，這是澳大利亞最老套的政治，Malcolm以為以此可以提高其在民眾的支持率。但我們付出的代價是澳大利亞利益在最重要的戰略關係之一中遭受到長期損害。

156 COMMENTS 

Avatar for Matthew
Matthew 1 DAY AGO
Please leave us alone Kevin

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Paul 2 DAYS AGO
McCarthy was actually good, you know, fighting commies.perhaps spirs were not hiding under the beds but high in the ranks.

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Bruce 2 DAYS AGO
Pi.s off Kevin. We have had enough of you. 

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Stephen 2 DAYS AGO
always take the money no matter the cost

FLAGSHARE1BrianLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Geoffrey
Geoffrey 2 DAYS AGO
Nothing, absolutely nothing that comes from Krudd has value. He was a complete failure as a leader of teams, totally self focused, and a malevolent member of a team. His international performance as an international statesman was cringeworthy.

For all his faults MT handles himself ably and humbly. He stood up to Potus over refugees to the USA.

Krudd caved in meekly and without principle over climate change....

FLAGSHARE5MichaelMikeBrianRobertLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Rick A.
Rick A. 2 DAYS AGO
K.Rudd - the narcissists narcissist.

FLAGSHARE5MichaelMikeBrianRobertLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Warren L
Warren L 2 DAYS AGO
Abbott gets almost 2000 comments for his article yesterday.

KRudd gets less than 150 today.

Says a lot really.

FLAGSHARE3MikeRobertStefanLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Ben
Ben 2 DAYS AGO
Click bait

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Martin 2 DAYS AGO
I was wondering where the secretary-general was hiding.

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Avatar for Darryl
Darryl 2 DAYS AGO
Rank amateurism.  He should know.

FLAGSHARE3MichaelMikeBrianLIKEREPLY
Avatar for John
John 2 DAYS AGO
Maybe if Mal did a videoed world wide televised rant of himself doing a dump on the Chinese that might help.

FLAGSHARE3MikeRobertJohnLIKEREPLY
Avatar for A
A 2 DAYS AGO
Who cares. Go away.

FLAGSHARE3MikeBrianStefanLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Jamie
Jamie 2 DAYS AGO
"I went below 50 per cent in one."

Not including the one that mattered. Nor the polls of your fellow travellers in your own party room.

FLAGSHARE1BrianLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Geoff
Geoff 2 DAYS AGO
When I consider the words rank amateurism I think of one thing ... PINK BATTS.

Unfortunately Rudd never had to account for the people he killed. 

FLAGSHARE5MichaelMikeBrianRobertLIKEREPLY
Avatar for David
David 2 DAYS AGO
"One of the demands of prime ministerial office is policy consistency'.   A nice touch of irony from KRudd.  

 

Kevin recently spoke about Turnbull waging a "jihad" against Chinese in Australia.  Get stuck into a community you rely on to get a vital by-election?  Yeah, right Kev.  Still I suppose you can't know everything about Australia when you actually live in New York.  

FLAGSHARE7MichaelMikeBrianRobertLIKEREPLY
Avatar for gbe
gbe 2 DAYS AGO
Wasn't Malcolm also going to negotiate the U.S joining the TPP while in the USA last week.

That obviously didn't go to plan just another small hiccup for the great negotiator. 

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Avatar for John
John 2 DAYS AGO
No that wasn't the plan. Dream up another.

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James 2 DAYS AGO
A good commentary. But willfully resented by the readership of this "balanced" new organization. Not !

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Avatar for Brad
Brad 2 DAYS AGO
@James Just read the final paragraph again. In your mind this constitutes 'good commentary ' ??

Gee, I wonder what it takes to be described as bitter, partisan mud-slinging.

FLAGSHARE4MikeBrianJohnAlanLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Shaun
Shaun 2 DAYS AGO
I stopped reading after this has-been failed PM invoked the “Godwin Grech affair”.

FLAGSHARE5MikeJohnMarcAlanLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Bindi
Bindi 2 DAYS AGO
What a bitter, bitter rant. Mr Rudd obviously carries an enormous grudge against the current PM because of his rejection of his interest in the UN Chairman role.

While Mr Rudd is so twisted and bent out of shape, can this newspaper not give him a forum. The article is several paragraphs of invective, imagination and bile. Very unpleasant and very unnecessary.

FLAGSHARE11MikeMichaelJohnJamieLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Catherine
Catherine 2 DAYS AGO
Funny I was thinking how Ruddesque Turnbull sounded in his scathing sermon to Barnaby. Same sting in the homily, same sanctimonious waffle squeezed through pursed lips, same disingenuous emotions and manipulation politics, same deference of opinions to his mollycoddling wife, and . . . . same inevitable self destruction followed by an avalanche of recriminations and revelations of incompetence from colleagues. How could we be so unlucky - twice 

FLAGSHARE8MikeMichaelBarbaraMarcLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Alan
Alan 2 DAYS AGO
I don't think our PM will do much that requires any spine. He consistently proves that he has none.

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graham 2 DAYS AGO
Can the Australian please check in their local supermarket in the pesticides aisle, "Kevin Baits', put them liberally around the office, we would like to hear no more from this pest.

FLAGSHARE7MikeAlanSteveTrevorLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Rob 379
Rob 379 2 DAYS AGO
@graham Not nice. But, OK, it's pretty funny.

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Avatar for Peter
Peter 2 DAYS AGO
Yesterday's man - is Kevin Rudd still newsworthy? I mean, I subscribe to this paper and they recycle him?

FLAGSHARE12MikeMichaelJohnMarcLIKEREPLY
Avatar for William
William 2 DAYS AGO
@Peter I ignore,totally ,Anything from RUDD!....................But the OZ  IS BALANCED  -  Unlike the ABC,Fairfax Guardian Getup  et al   -  Demonstrably !

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Avatar for Peter
Peter 2 DAYS AGO
Balance is when you have a chip on both shoulders, but, that aside, I agree that this paper is the best of the lot, and why I subscribe.

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Avatar for Michael
Michael 2 DAYS AGO
Calling the Chinese something to do with Rats is always calculated to impress an inscrutable nation, Kevin.

 

How about you go away, please, as you're irrelevant (thankfully)?

FLAGSHARE12StefanGuyTrevorGeorgeLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Andy
Andy 2 DAYS AGO
Rudd is devoid of any credibility. An ego driven megalomaniac yet to come to terms with his shortfalls, and too eager to point out everyone else’s.

FLAGSHARE15MikeMichaelJohnMarcLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Michael
Michael 2 DAYS AGO
You really have to wonder about this guy.  While he was our only PM to talk Chinese to the Chinese, we was the most disliked and mistrusted of our our PMs by the Chinese.

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Sandra 2 DAYS AGO
@Michael Because he was rude about them, as I recall.

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Jane 2 DAYS AGO
You have to ask where the journalists in this country have been hiding when an ex PM has to write an article questioning the current PMs changing stance on China. And yes, we all remember utegate.

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Avatar for Rob 379
Rob 379 2 DAYS AGO
@Jane This ex PM is laughable. What did he call the Chinese? I'm sure you know. Mr Rudd gave us confusion, debt and dreadful relations with China. Utegate? Clearly you show desperation and total ignorance of the way Kevin held Australia back.

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Brad 2 DAYS AGO
@Jane I think its ex ex PM.

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John 2 DAYS AGO
Some things just won't flush.

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Trevor 2 DAYS AGO
@John He's definitely a floater.

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steve 2 DAYS AGO
Just when it's safe to go out again up pops Kevin Rudd.

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Norm 2 DAYS AGO
Its a toss up really, The US v China a very delicate balancing act for our pollies who at best seem out of their depth. Once you cut through the twaddle in this article Mr Rudd wants to welcome the dragon with open arms...reminds you of the old saw about that long spoon and dining with the devil.

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Jeremy 2 DAYS AGO
What an extraordinary pile of convoluted nonsense..... Reminds me very much of detailed programmatic specificity. 

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Avatar for Mike
Mike 2 DAYS AGO
The sheer irony of it, Rudd who called the Chinese RF's and then making the statement "The China relationship warrants a sophisticated strategy, rather than the juvenile incantation ----"  You couldn't make it up. 

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Les 2 DAYS AGO
@Mike Sam D paid agent probably agrees.

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Peter 2 DAYS AGO
If you suffer from insomnia, just listen to some Kevin Rudd.

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Mal 2 DAYS AGO
Based on his history - the opposite path to anything KRudd recommends would be the safer option

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Phil 2 DAYS AGO
Rudd would know a lot about rank amateurism – we saw it all in the Rudd, Gillard, Rudd days. 

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Gregory 2 DAYS AGO
Hard to know what is worse, seeing the name of Bob Carr or that of Kevin Rudd in the paper. Both duds. Both left too much wreckage and only minuscule good in their wakes.

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Avatar for Mike
Mike 2 DAYS AGO
The Chinese Communist Party are thugs and bullies. They've just become more brazen about it recently, which is why Turnbull has changed his position. I would love to see Trump recognise Taiwan. And invite the Dalai Lama to address congress.

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Osland Pastures 2 DAYS AGO
James. How the left must be laughing, Kevin may not engaged for good reason. PM a China lover, Xi Putin laughing there way around the world.

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Richard 2 DAYS AGO
Rudd was responsible for a dreadful deterioration in the Australia China relationship, endlessly lecturing China to their disdain.  How on earth does this man have the gall to lecture anyone on Australia Chinese relations?

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Alexis 2 DAYS AGO
@Richard Because he is hopelessly and endlessly delusional.

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Ross 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin Rudd is the ultimate expert to lecture us on “Policy Consistency”. After all, everyone of his introduced policies consistently failed. His amateuristic attempts at being PM are still impacting on us to this day. Won’t this ego maniac ever go away?

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Avatar for Aaron
Aaron 2 DAYS AGO
Ahhhh, Kevin, still furious about Maclolm blocking your obsessive tilt at the UN Secretary General's position??

Perhaps he should have followed your flawless lead on Chinese relations and called them "Rat f......" as well....your hypocrisy is breathtaking, but not unexpected!!

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Dennis 2 DAYS AGO
Australia deserved better than the rank amateurism of Kevin Rudd’s government. But please bring him back so we can sack him again!

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Avatar for Rob 379
Rob 379 2 DAYS AGO
"They don’t have to talk about it in the media. But that depends on whether you are prosecuting a serious national security concern or just rank politics".

Is this what Kevin's article is about? Kevin always chose "rank politics" before Australia's national interests. Particularly where it advantaged his objective to be in charge of the UN. Perhaps this is the motivation behind Kevin's attack on the PM.

FLAGSHARE5WilliamAlanBarbaraOsland PasturesLIKEREPLY
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RusT 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin who? 

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Josef 2 DAYS AGO
Good article, Kevin.  Who in Canberra these days is interested in producing anything thoughtful, for the long-term interest of this country?

They are all interested in getting points in polls. And busy with scandals. Dual citizenship, ministers sleeping with their staff, etc.

The China threat  as identified by ASIO  is the influence on our politicians via donations to political parties, trips to China and similar. It does not need a new set of laws. Turnbull  creates storm in a teacup to get some points.

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Alan 2 DAYS AGO
@Josef  Having been utterly rejected by the Australian populace, after having presided over the worst 'government' Australia has ever had (yes, ever worse than Whitlam, McMahon and Fraser) and nearly destroying the economy and relations with several other countries, this clown has the gall to posture and lecture another government! It is obvious that Krudd has no self-awareness and no idea. GO AWAY KEVIN.

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Greta 2 DAYS AGO
Read the comments here Kev and know thine worth. You did more damage to this country than you will ever know. 

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Calvin 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin 007 is Turnbull's secret weapon. Every time Kevin opens his mouth or taps on the keyboard, Turnbull's dismal approval ratings skyrocket. No one wants to hear from failed-PM Rudd. He has no credibility, no authority and no relevance. After Gillard, Kevin is famous only for being such a profound failure and the nation's second-worst PM. The more he grumbles and whinges about Turnbull, the better Turnbull looks. 

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Paul 2 DAYS AGO
Just go away 07.

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Jeremy 2 DAYS AGO
I am no Turnbull fan, but being lectured by this self serving, narcissistic and useless ex PM who couldn't even get a simple pink bats installation right is really a bit much. 

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Avatar for James
James 2 DAYS AGO
Why is this self obsessed ex politician been given the space to try and tell us how wonderful his knowledge and skill in dealing with all matters Chinese is and how we should take his word as gospel?

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Michael 2 DAYS AGO
@James because he speaks Chinese. And lived in Beijing. Which apparently, in Kev’s mind, makes him an expert on China. And the World. And maybe, even the Universe.

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Avatar for Mandy
Mandy 2 DAYS AGO
RGR’s Book Of Incompetence includes chapters on Open-Slather People Smuggling and Self-Selecting Immigration, the NBN, the Home Insulation Program, the BER, Treachery & the Revolving Prime Minister’s Door, Debt and Deficit as Far as the Eye Can See, the MRRT, and Socialism Masquerading as Environmentalism. And so on.  And so on, through to the unhappy ending that has many of the culprits living comfortably ensconced in taxpayer-funded retirement and many of the culprits presenting themselves, with a straight face, as the so-called alternative government.  Yep, RGR and Shorten’s Labor, The Greatest Incompetents of Our Time.

PS :  As Abbott said in a debate some years ago of Rudd, “Does this guy ever shut up?”

PPS :  No fan of Gillard, obviously, but she is regarded as having made better inroads into the relationship with the Chinese than the mandarin speaking Rudd!

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Denis 2 DAYS AGO
@Mandy  Just one more thing that Abbott got right :)

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Mark 2 DAYS AGO
Il agree with KRudd on the point of Mal, he is a fool.

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Rob 379 2 DAYS AGO
@Mark Of course you do. Is there anything (anything at all) to substantiate your opinion - other than malevolence?

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Warren L 2 DAYS AGO
The KRudd. A return does of irrelevance syndrome has struck him once again.

If only there was an antidote for this recurring illness.

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Diogenis 2 DAYS AGO
If it was an animal it would be put down.

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William 2 DAYS AGO
It is sad that this paper does not remark, say, on the giant freight trains now going straight-through from Beijing to London - and many terminals in between - and how this is changing the face of Europe - Asian trade as also China's influence in a way not seen since Genghis Khan and his descendants set up the Mongol Empire that morphed in modern China. Nor does this paper any longer look to support those "informed Australian" for whom it says it publishes nor think we can cope with the detail of China (or any other major economy's) internal trade and development, let alone foreign policy. We can have five or six articles a day covering the Barney Joyce circus (or whomever is the naughty boy or girl of the moment) but providing real news and commentary seems to be matters which The Oz has decided no longer are within its ambit. #

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James 2 DAYS AGO
@William I agree the paper needs to give us more info on items such as your ‘freight trains’ thru to Europe!

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Josef 2 DAYS AGO
@William

mushrooms grow best in darkness. And it seems that most are happy with their daily rations. 

 

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Avatar for James
James 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin, Can you please send us a cheque for the NBN. It is possibly the biggest waste of money that produced nothing this nation has ever seen.

I have no idea why anyone would publish anything you wrote.

Please leave us alone. Our children and grand children will all suffer the financial burden that you created for this once great country.

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Josef 2 DAYS AGO
@James

agree, we could have double the number of U-boats

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Timothy 2 DAYS AGO
What a stupid article. Calling Mr Turnbull McCarthyist is about as low as a politician can get. It's a smeer dressed up as analysis. And Mr Rudd calling someone else incompetent is just too funny for words!

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Avatar for Bert
Bert 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin, don’t you dare tell us what we don’t deserve in a leader. There have been few if any as toxic as you. Let me tell you this, sunshine. We did nothing to deserve you.

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Avatar for William
William 2 DAYS AGO
@Bert I imagine some other angry person could write the same but substituting any other PM's name (save Alfred Deakin, of course). Such comments tell us about the writer, not about the target of their venom. It is best to be sanguine when reading commentary from politicians to whom you have taken a dislike. It is better for your blood pressure and for your family / house and work mates who, no doubt, have heard the rant before (many times). #

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Alan 2 DAYS AGO
@William @Bert  Please tell me how Bert is wrong. After all, the Labor Party turfed him out as leader then the Australian voters turfed him out after he white-anted and backstabbed his way back in. Or perhaps they were wrong and Krudd was right.

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William 2 DAYS AGO
A thoughtful and temperate article. I have no idea whether some of Mr Rudd's analysis and remarks are on the ball or not but note that none of those braying below argue against any of his commentary, just against the man. I imagine that is for two reasons: [1] they have little or no scholarship when it comes to what China is up to and how Australia and the western world, generally, should respond and [2] they have decided [for reasons they are unlikely to be able to articulate] that Mr Rudd is a person that they can kick. I suppose the latter at least means they are not attacking someone else. What a sad and negative life they must live. #

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Gary 2 DAYS AGO
Lol. The Great Man speaks.

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John 2 DAYS AGO
At least Turnbull doesn't insult the Chinese with crude expressions.

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Kay 2 DAYS AGO
Why are we still hearing from this failed and embittered man?  Go back to your New York mansion!  We don't want to hear from you - or read your nasty nonsense!

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Avatar for James
James 2 DAYS AGO
"China’s strategy hasn’t changed. It has been consistent throughout."

Really - you think there has been no significant change from Hu Jintao (2002 - 2012) to Xi Jinping (2012 -), either in foreign affairs posture, military posture, or philosophical values regarding freedom of the invidual?

That's an extraordinary analysis. I don't think a single China expert in the world would agree with you. 

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christopher 2 DAYS AGO
That’s a laughable error, well pointed out!

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Josef 2 DAYS AGO
@James

nothing to worry us down here. They will keep buying dirt from us. Freedom of individual is for their "individuals" to sort out.

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Graham 2 DAYS AGO
Sorry, too easy a target. I leave this article to my betters below. 

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Avatar for John
John 2 DAYS AGO
What a joke our government has been since the halcyon Howard years

It's been a revolving door of PM's- most of them shockers

You'd think Rudd & Gillard would set the bar about as low as you could get

.......and then along come Mal, the great communicator

Poor Australia

 

True Blue

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Avatar for Malcolm
Malcolm 2 DAYS AGO
Gee Kevin.

Why don't you set up your own party and run for PM again? .You certainly have the money to do it care of your wife milking the British and Australian taxpayers in setting up and running useless job creation schemes.

Go ON....we all need a bit of light entertainment.

 

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Avatar for Brad
Brad 2 DAYS AGO
Oh dear, still sore at the UN thingy.

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David 2 DAYS AGO
I'm Kevin and I'm here to yelp.  Loudly, and as often as I can find a platform for doing so.

 

 

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Brad 2 DAYS AGO
@David Excellent!

It was Reagan who said "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

I often wondered in what sense did Rudd use his famous phrase - was it because he thought he would prove to be better than Reagan (its quite possible Rudd is that deluded)?Or self-deprecation  ( less likely in a man with his ego) ?.

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Craig 2 DAYS AGO
KRUDD the dudd.

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Peter 2 DAYS AGO
Back to the shadows with you Rudd.

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Nigel 2 DAYS AGO
Rats to you Kevin...

FLAGSHARE8WilliamAlanCaroleAaronLIKEREPLY
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Andrew 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin who?

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Jacinta 2 DAYS AGO
You might’ve been doing a good job guarding the front door, Kevin, but you left the back door wide open and let 50,000 flies in.

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Avatar for Malcolm
Malcolm 2 DAYS AGO
OMG...its the unctuous and highly narcissistic know it all Kevin, the first PM sacked for sheer incompetence by his own party... ...yet again...speaking down to all of us mere  “rat copulators”

And this newspaper prints this stuff..????

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Avatar for neil
neil 2 DAYS AGO
Why is this idiot being given space on any subject. This is the child who ranted abuse against the Chinese when he could not get his way at the Copenhagen climate conference all those years ago.......Please disappear Kevin 07"...your time is well past!

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Avatar for Norman
Norman 2 DAYS AGO
Was there ever a more telling example of the missed opportunity to put down the UN?

Cuddles would have had them running for trees.

Don, Norm's son.

 

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walter 2 DAYS AGO
There is absolutely no difference between Rudd and Turnbull, both wannabe Labor leaders.

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Avatar for John
John 2 DAYS AGO
Why is this failed and bitter man published here? I dislike MT myself but this is surely the bitter spite of an egotist who hates Turnbull for not backing his hopeless bid for UN leadership. Get lost, Kevin.

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Avatar for Bert
Bert 2 DAYS AGO
@John it serves as a reminder to think before you vote, to ignore “catchy” slogans like “Kevin 07” (catchy like the plague), and most of all to remind us that Rudd became the PM a second time because of an odious person named Shorten.

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Avatar for Con
Con 2 DAYS AGO
My advice to Kev is,go away and sit under a tree

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Alan 2 DAYS AGO
@Con  Or a statue with plenty of pigeons on it.

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Peter 2 DAYS AGO
I think the Chinese have perfected McCarthyism. Has Mr Rudd forgotten that it is a totalitarian communist state?

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Stella 2 DAYS AGO
Sorry but I saw the authors name, and tbh it is hard to take this piece seriously.

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Kevin 2 DAYS AGO
????????Rudd just go away. Are you not satisfied with the gross damage you have done to this nation. Go away. Your opinion is about as valued as your pink batt achievements.

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Avatar for Andrew
Andrew 2 DAYS AGO
The "McCarthyist" tag is typical Rudd exaggeration. Are supporter's of China now subject to a McCarthy style witch hunt? Have the booming Chinese propaganda arm of China, the Confucius Institutes, been driven out of our Universities? Have Australia's corporate giants withdrawn sponsorship? No and no is the answer. 

Chinese influence in Australia is stronger than ever. Witness the difficulty that Clive Hamilton, has had in finding a publisher for his book, "Silent Invasion: How China Is Turning Australia into a Puppet State". If it was McCarthyism it would be the opposite situation. It would be those wanting to defend China that could not find a publisher. Typical Rudd hyperbole. 

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Avatar for Pattyn
Pattyn 2 DAYS AGO
Sorry kevin its too hard to take anything you say seriously. You were a great knowledgeable man in your own eyes. 

A large proportion of Australians think otherwise. 

We are all still suffering from your time in office and the madness of your policys and spending habits. Here are a few off the top of my head:

Open borders for boats from indonesia, big Australia, $900 cheques, pink bats, school hall overspending

FLAGSHARE18AlandonAnneMarilynLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Ian
Ian 2 DAYS AGO
Not even the Labor Party listens to this narcissistic bloke anymore. Only the Greens, Pauline and Nick offer such silly policy ideas but only Kev got to implement them - and we are still paying for them......actually Julia did also did't she and Bill is trying to. Maybe time to stop bagging Mal and focus on the concerns......

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Sherman 2 DAYS AGO
Speaking of undue Chinese influence, can someone explain why I can now read this newspaper in Chinese with a single mouse click in the top right of my computer screen.

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Avatar for Samuel
Samuel 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin keep the good fight going I like you have a total dislike for the liberal party using race to score political points but it disturbing when they use it I always said that the libs use the political propaganda Of "fear smear and untruths which instils fear and brings out hatred out  society and they should be condemned because of it history tells  us 

1. Howard used the Asian migration lies 

2.Howard used the tamps lies 

3. Abbot used the muslin lies 

4. Turnbull have used the chines lies 

just to win political point and turn our country from a tolerant society which was the beacon for the rest of world and the libs always try to turn our country to be less tolerant 

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Avatar for Peter
Peter 2 DAYS AGO
@Samuel And Labor doesn't tell lies?  Paradoxically, Labor's survival depends on maintaining class divisions, class envy, victimhood and a culture of dependency. The last thing they want would be a society in which everyone aspired to be middle class and was self supporting. They would go out of business. 

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Steven 2 DAYS AGO
@Peter @Samuel How can everyone become middle class?

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Kay 2 DAYS AGO
@Steven @Peter @Samuel  Peter didn't say they would.  I think the word "aspire" is crucial.  Did you miss that?

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Steve 2 DAYS AGO
Or just using a different euphemism than “rat copulators”?

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Jonathan 2 DAYS AGO
Another Kevin O7 stuff up which rates a mention is the way he has saddled up the Labor party with a set of rules governing the choice of their leader which makes it virtually impossible to rid themselves of their current dud choice.

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Avatar for Dianne
Dianne 2 DAYS AGO
Kevin, kevin, please go away. You keep sticking your nose in. Please realise that you started the mess that this country has become. Until you and your poor choice Gillard come clean and confess, we don’t want to see you, hear you or read you. Go away please and quielty waste the lifetime pension you dont deserve - not 1c of it.

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John 2 DAYS AGO
@Dianne And take Peter Beattie with you.

Both mistake ridden but now giving blots of advice.

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John 2 DAYS AGO
Book a seat for Hewson as well

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Joy 2 DAYS AGO
Bit disturbing,  former Qld politicians Kevin and Clive have themselves in the media in the same week.

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Jonathan 2 DAYS AGO
Oh shut up Kevin, go crawl under a log where you belong!!

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Terry 2 DAYS AGO
Is this person still around? Still being a china sympathiser I see.  A failure as a PM, enough said.

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Robert 2 DAYS AGO
Go away Kevin, just go away.

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Craig 3 DAYS AGO
This article is a reminder about the silliness of voting for Kev07. Self serving egotistical hypocrite... the third worst Australian PM behind Whitlam and Gillard

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Diogenis 2 DAYS AGO
Keating did the worst danage.

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Christopher 3 DAYS AGO
Butt out Kevin. You were a hopeless PM - only surpassed as our worst ever by Julia Gillard. You have nothing to contribute in telling any other PM what they should do. You had the golden opportunity and blew it. Big time. So butt out.

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Mike from Tomago 3 DAYS AGO
I was just reflecting on Rudd's political career successes. Not many to boast about - a trait he shares with our current PM.

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j 3 DAYS AGO
Rudd is still the arrogant irritant he always was. We occasionally need to give him a platform as a form of innoculation against his waffle.

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Murf Oscar 3 DAYS AGO
The only thing new here is Rudd feigning modesty in referencing "our" government actions, not "my" government actions.

Still the same bad loser suffering chronic relevance deprivation. 

 

 

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Avatar for Mark
Mark 3 DAYS AGO
 I presume the next step is for us all to be hauled before a new house committee on un-Australian activities, to further perpetuate the memory of senator Joe McCarthy. Why not a new Petrov royal commission, just for good measure?

 

No us Kev....just you.   And no need for the RC.  I would be happy to just see your return ticket cancelled

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dexxter 3 DAYS AGO
Rudd+Carr+Dastyari=staunch China defenders. Common denominator = Failed Labor politicians. Hopeless lot.

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liberty 3 DAYS AGO
 The Liberals historically see foreign policy as little more than the continuation of domestic politics, often the politics of race, by other means. John Howard was a master of it, Pauline Hanson his partner, and Tony Abbott his failed apprentice. ......and there it is. For once Kevin O'Lemon was beginning to make sense. But he could not resist the puerile politically correct Marxist smearing. It was fitting that Julia, a master of Saul Alinsky's dark arts - Rules for Radicals - was a better character assassin even than Kevin and took him down. They truly deserved each other. . 

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Joy 2 DAYS AGO
@liberty Shorten the assassin took them both down. 

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John C 3 DAYS AGO
Kevin, you must know by now that Malcolm is pure populist marshmellow. 

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Martin 3 DAYS AGO
Just go away

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Mark 3 DAYS AGO
@Martin Please

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ross 3 DAYS AGO
@Mark @Martin  Now .

FLAGSHARE7WilliamAnneKayJohnLIKEREPLY
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christopher 3 DAYS AGO
You got below 50% once Mr Rudd but even your party couldn’t stand you and gave you the boot. Glad your “popularity” figures give you succour from an all icing and no cake Government! You did rip through the inherited budget surplus though. Credit where credit’s due!

FLAGSHARE17donJustineKayFaunceLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Tony
Tony 3 DAYS AGO
Go away Kevin Rudd. We resoundingly voted you out and it was for very good reasons.

Every time you open your mouth, it only serves to remind us why.

FLAGSHARE30TIMOTHYWilliamMarilynRhondaLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Suzanne
Suzanne 3 DAYS AGO
Then it would be equally fair for us to tell Tony to just go away.

FLAGSHARE1LibbyLIKEREPLY
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Rick A. 3 DAYS AGO
When was Tony resoundingly voted out by the electorate (as opposed to being knifed by Malcolm and his mates)?

FLAGSHARE19ArnoldWilliamNormanMarilynLIKEREPLY
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Jason S 3 DAYS AGO
@Suzanne Tony has very valid points to make and is being wasted on the backbench. Kevin is just suffering attention deficit disorder. 

FLAGSHARE15ArnoldWilliamErzsebetMarilynLIKEREPLY
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Craig 3 DAYS AGO
@Suzanne why?

FLAGSHARE3KayBarbaraIreneLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Michael
Michael 3 DAYS AGO
In 1985 did an honours year in International Relations at Qld Uni. My HKG Chinese supervisor said to me "In your lifetime China will awake and it will not all be positive and much will be negative". Prescient words. 

FLAGSHARE6WilliamAnneKayLAWRENCELIKEREPLY
Avatar for trevor
trevor 3 DAYS AGO
"Chairman Malcolm's McCarthyism" WOW...Big words from a little man who should not be allowed to comment on anything worldwide let alone Australia...After having destroyed the Australian economy and decimated the immigration system he has the gall to criticise the current Government...Stone the Crows...

FLAGSHARE25WilliamRhondadonTonyLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Keith
Keith 3 DAYS AGO
Kevin Rudd one of the most unpleasant public figures in my lifetime. Why is he given any publicity?

FLAGSHARE39SteveTIMOTHYWilliamMichaelLIKEREPLY
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Greg 3 DAYS AGO
Just go away Kevin. I am sick of hearing from you. The only good thing Malcolm has done is stop your narcissistic personality being inflicted upon the UN.  

FLAGSHARE29TIMOTHYWilliamRhondaTerrydLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Momo
Momo 3 DAYS AGO
Kevin Rudd carping on rank amateurism in relation to Turnbull and China.

Kevin07 should know - after all he is a professional rank amateur...

FLAGSHARE18WilliamdonTonyJustineLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Robert
Robert 3 DAYS AGO
Wasn’t this the guy who called them rat procreators or words of a similar meaning ?

FLAGSHARE36TIMOTHYWilliamMichaelRhondaLIKEREPLY
Avatar for John
John 3 DAYS AGO
There is little doubt that china has become far more bellicose, bullying and demanding over the past five years. We need to deny their ambitions in australia way more forcefully. I have to say that i dont think that allowing the chinese to own so many mining resources is good nor any other assets. Reciprocity is non existent. Rudd is self serving now that he has discovered china' s true strategy. They believe in control not just hegemony. A one party state with ambitions to rule us all.

The west needs to step back from letting the chinese communists buy us up. Trade is fine but ownership?

We also need to ramp up defence. Not just with expensive subs. The indians and the israelis dont stuff around and neither should we.

FLAGSHARE31TIMOTHYErzsebetRhondaJLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Bob_M
Bob_M 3 DAYS AGO
@John  You have absolutely nailed it.  Having dealt with the Chinese over the last 10 years  and seeing how they behave they are no friends of the West. A colleague of mine has for a number of years run an Australian produce export company to China and one by one his Australian sources have been purchased by the Chinese and they have simply stopped him buying the product. In short they are discriminating against Australians in Australian in favour of Chinese. This cant go on any longer. Do we really think Turnbull and Bishop notice nor care?

FLAGSHARE31WilliamMarilynJRusTLIKEREPLY
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Diogenis 3 DAYS AGO
Pink bats in the belfry.

FLAGSHARE23GeorgeWilliamRhondadonLIKEREPLY
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Peter 3 DAYS AGO
I thought I had sprayed weedkiller on that ...

FLAGSHARE22RhondadonjohnJustineLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Michael
Michael 3 DAYS AGO
Can't he just go away? Why does the Australian give this incompetent narcissistic person a platform? Seeing even his name on an article is less pleasant than having a tooth pulled without anaesthetic.

FLAGSHARE31TIMOTHYWilliamRhondaRusTLIKEREPLY
Avatar for Tom
Tom 3 DAYS AGO
To editor, if I want to read what this deluded and unhinged individual defending his own piss poor legacy writes, I’ll buy the Socialist Morning Herald. The only legacy this bloke has is dead pink bats installers and asylum seekers for which he should be prosecuted.