MALCOLM Turnbull has blocked Kevin Rudd’s bid to run the United Nations, saying he is not suitable for the role.
The Prime Minister made the “captain’s call” in Sydney today after his Cabinet could not reach a decision yesterday.
Without the backing of the Turnbull Government Mr Rudd cannot run for Secretary-General of the UN.
Mr Turnbull spoke to Mr Rudd shortly before midday to break the news. The decision goes against the recommendation of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Mr Turnbull said the “threshold question” was whether Mr Rudd was suitable for the job.
“This decision has nothing to do with Mr Rudd’s party. Nothing at all. This is a judgement about Mr Rudd’s suitability for that particular role,” he said.
“Do I, as Prime Minister, believe that Mr Rudd is well-suited for that role? My considered judgment is that he is not.”
Earlier, Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said it would be “extraordinary” to block the bid of a fellow Australian.
“There is no one who could argue that it is anything other than in our national interest to have an Aussie doing this job,” she said.
“I think Kevin Rudd is the best choice. He’s an Australian in an international contest. I would always back the Aussie.”
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese this morning likened Mr Rudd’s bid to the upcoming Olympics.
“We are at the Olympics in a couple of weeks — guess what, we back the Australian,” he told the Nine Network.
“He is a former diplomat and it is petty that this is an issue.”
Prior to the PM’s statement, Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said it was a second order issue for the government but he would accept whatever the prime minister decided to do.
Mr Pyne also gleefully pointed to past criticism of Mr Rudd by Labor MPs.
“For the Labor Party to be lecturing the government is hypocritical,” Mr Pyne said.
“They said he was a narcissistic psychopath which is pretty rough.”
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop argued in favour of supporting Mr Rudd, saying he was qualified as a former prime minister, foreign minister and diplomat.
A recent Essential poll found 45 per cent of Australians supported former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark for the UN job. Support for Mr Rudd was at 21 per cent and a third saying they didn’t know.
A decision not to back Kevin Rudd’s nomination to lead the UN would show the right wing of the Coalition has the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on a short leash, Labor has claimed.
Mr Turnbull has previously insisted Mr Rudd’s UN nomination was not high on the agenda, but agreed with Alan Jones on 2GB radio that a nomination was a sign of indirect support.
Before the PM’s announcement, Veteran Liberal Eric Abetz was hoping Cabinet would not back Mr Rudd, citing past Labor assessments of the former leader as a “narcissist, a micromanager, an impulsive control freak and a psychopath”.
“Any cursory glance at Mr Rudd’s temperament and capacity would show that Mr Rudd is poorly qualified for this role,” Senator Abetz said in a statement.
“If Australia were to seek to inflict Kevin Rudd onto the United Nations, it would be a mistake.” Cabinet minister Sussan Ley said she had no personal opinion on whether or not to back Mr Rudd but insisted there would be “vigorous” discussion.
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Turnbull blocks Rudd’s UN Secretary-General bid (Read 3677 times)
