|
April 17, 2025
Thursday 17 April 2025
Josh Martin
The West Australian
The prospect of US Ambassador Kevin Rudd keeping that position is looking increasingly shaky if the Coalition wins the May 3 federal election, with Peter Dutton launching a fresh attack on the former prime minister during Wednesday night’s second leaders’ debate.
In response to a question about whether he trusts President Trump, Dutton said: “Ambassador Rudd can’t get into the West Wing for a meeting.”
Australia along with most other nations is facing ten percent tariffs on goods going into the United States, and no country is yet to score an exemption.
The Liberal leader referenced the Coalition’s ability to get tariff exemptions during Trump’s first presidency, comparing the success of then Ambassador Joe Hockey to Kevin Rudd now.
“We were able leverage relationships,” Dutton said during the ABC debate.
“We have an ambassador now who can’t get a phone call, we had an ambassador who played golf with the President.”
After the debate journalists pressed Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson on whether Rudd would remain in the role if the Liberals and Nationals form government.
Senator Paterson left the prospect wide open saying, “If Mr Rudd can succeed as ambassador in Washington that is a good thing, if he can’t well we will have to deal with that”.
“If he is not able to get the access that we need, then that’s a problem for Australia and that’s a problem for the prime minister,” Paterson said.
“He was the prime minister’s pick, in fact, Penny Wong initially opposed the suggestion of sending Mr Rudd to Washington D.D.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Peter Dutton’s claims about Kevin Rudd are “lies which are bordering on the pathological”.
“We should take what Peter Dutton says with a grain of salt,” Dr Chalmers said.
“Peter Dutton has shown that his temperamental flaws would prevent him from managing our international relationships effectively.
“I think what we have seen from Peter Dutton in the last couple of days should be disqualifying.”
Peter Dutton claims a government led by him would be able to secure an exemption from Donald Trump’s tariffs relatively quickly.
But he admitted during the debate that he “doesn’t know” Trump, and also criticized the U.S. President’s conduct towards Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Running into the election campaign the Coalition saw international relations and defence as a strength, but are now playing defence on the policy area.