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| Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett says Kevin Rudd is 'discredited' | Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett says Kevin Rudd is 'discredited' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Kevin Rudd has brushed aside criticism from Fairfax chairman and Reserve Bank board member Roger Corbett, who said on Tuesday that the prime minister had been "discredited by his own conduct". | Kevin Rudd has brushed aside criticism from Fairfax chairman and Reserve Bank board member Roger Corbett, who said on Tuesday that the prime minister had been "discredited by his own conduct". |
| Speaking to the ABC's Lateline, Corbett, who is one of Australia's most prominent business people and is a member of the Liberal party, repeated allegations that Rudd had been active in destabilising the government at 2010 election, arguing that Labor would have been better off under Julia Gillard at the 2013 federal election. | |
| "In my view Kevin Rudd is a leader that has been really discredited by his own conduct. His colleagues sacked him because they judged him to be incapable as PM. He, it's alleged, was active against the government during the elections – maybe true, may not be," said Corbett. | "In my view Kevin Rudd is a leader that has been really discredited by his own conduct. His colleagues sacked him because they judged him to be incapable as PM. He, it's alleged, was active against the government during the elections – maybe true, may not be," said Corbett. |
| "Here's a man that really has done the Labor party enormous damage, destabilised it, and is now wishing to present himself to the Australian people as a PM and as the incoming PM. I don't think the Australian people will cop that, to be quite honest, and I think that's very sad for the Labor party. | "Here's a man that really has done the Labor party enormous damage, destabilised it, and is now wishing to present himself to the Australian people as a PM and as the incoming PM. I don't think the Australian people will cop that, to be quite honest, and I think that's very sad for the Labor party. |
| "I think if they come undone in these elections it would have been much better that they'd come undone with Julia Gillard leading them than Kevin Rudd." | "I think if they come undone in these elections it would have been much better that they'd come undone with Julia Gillard leading them than Kevin Rudd." |
| Rudd responded on Wednesday morning by saying that Corbett was "talking up his own business" interests. | Rudd responded on Wednesday morning by saying that Corbett was "talking up his own business" interests. |
| "I respect Mr Corbett talking up his own business book and his business interests," he told ABC Radio Melbourne. | "I respect Mr Corbett talking up his own business book and his business interests," he told ABC Radio Melbourne. |
| "That's a matter for him. Mr [Rupert] Murdoch does the same," he added, "But guess what: Australian voters make up their own minds." | "That's a matter for him. Mr [Rupert] Murdoch does the same," he added, "But guess what: Australian voters make up their own minds." |
| Corbett used the interview to come out in support of an Abbott government: "I think he [Abbott] will probably be a pretty good PM because he's a very sincere, nice type of human being and I think he will be very dedicated, focused in the job and we certainly need in the economic times we're about to go into some really clear and good leadership." | Corbett used the interview to come out in support of an Abbott government: "I think he [Abbott] will probably be a pretty good PM because he's a very sincere, nice type of human being and I think he will be very dedicated, focused in the job and we certainly need in the economic times we're about to go into some really clear and good leadership." |
| Corbett also criticised the bias of News Corp Australia's papers. Asked his opinion of the Rupert Murdoch owned group, which has produced a number of heavily pro-Coalition frontpages in recent weeks, Corbett said: "To be as strongly biased as News have been in the last few months, I do think does great damage to the credibility of the press." | Corbett also criticised the bias of News Corp Australia's papers. Asked his opinion of the Rupert Murdoch owned group, which has produced a number of heavily pro-Coalition frontpages in recent weeks, Corbett said: "To be as strongly biased as News have been in the last few months, I do think does great damage to the credibility of the press." |
| Corbett's comments also drew criticism from the Greens leader, Christine Milne, who said the timing of the remarks was inappropriate. | Corbett's comments also drew criticism from the Greens leader, Christine Milne, who said the timing of the remarks was inappropriate. |
| "If business leaders have a view that they intend to express, they should express it at the time, not wait until they think there's a certainty in terms of who they think is going to be in government," she said. | "If business leaders have a view that they intend to express, they should express it at the time, not wait until they think there's a certainty in terms of who they think is going to be in government," she said. |
| "[Because] they then, by their remarks, guarantee themselves access, that's exactly what goes on through the corporate sector." | "[Because] they then, by their remarks, guarantee themselves access, that's exactly what goes on through the corporate sector." |
| Labor senator Doug Cameron called on Corbett to quit the board of the Reserve Bank. | |
| "I just think trading on your position as a reserve bank board member, trading on your position as the chair of Fairfax and not disclosing that you're a paid-up member of the Liberal Party is outrageous," he told ABC News 24. "I'm calling on Roger Corbett to do the right thing and resign as a member of the Reserve Bank board." |