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Tony Abbott 'embarrassing' Australia, says Tanya Plibersek Tony Abbott 'embarrassing' Australia, says Tanya Plibersek
(about 20 hours later)
Labor has slammed Tony Abbott, declaring him embarrassing for cancelling meetings with the world's top finance officials during his visit to the United States.Labor has slammed Tony Abbott, declaring him embarrassing for cancelling meetings with the world's top finance officials during his visit to the United States.
Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek said the prime minister had made a succession of missteps during his travels overseas, the latest in the US.Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek said the prime minister had made a succession of missteps during his travels overseas, the latest in the US.
"Australians have to worry that he'll be embarrassing us on the world stage," she told reporters in Sydney. "Australians have to worry that he'll be embarrassing us on the world stage," she told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.
It follows a report from political columnist Laurie Oakes, who said Abbott had cancelled long-planned meetings with US treasury secretary Jack Lew, International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim despite Australia hosting the G20 summit in November. Her comments follow a report from political columnist Laurie Oakes, who said Abbott had cancelled long-planned meetings with the US treasury secretary, Jack Lew, head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, and the president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, despite Australia hosting the G20 summit in November.
The prime minister's office has confirmed planned talks with Lagarde and Jim Yong Kim remain in doubt due to a busy schedule.
“The G20 is the most important meeting ever on Australian soil. The head of the IMF, World Bank and US treasury chief will be critically involved with preparations for the G20,” Plibersek said.“The G20 is the most important meeting ever on Australian soil. The head of the IMF, World Bank and US treasury chief will be critically involved with preparations for the G20,” Plibersek said.
“This shows the prime minister doesn’t understand how important the G20 is. He’s not as engaged as he should be.” “This shows the prime minister doesn’t understand how important the G20 is. He’s not as engaged as he should be. The G20 is the most important international meeting that has ever been held on Australian soil.”
Plibersek said that followed the embarrassing spectacle of Abbott "washing Australia's dirty laundry" by talking about domestic issues at the Davos conference. But the deputy prime minister Warren Truss, defended Abbott's international meeting schedule, saying it was not possible to meet everyone.
Six months down the track, the relationship with Indonesia was still not back to normal, she said. Truss said meeting schedules on overseas trips were usually fluid, and some appointments were not finalised until the last minute.
Plibersek said it was extraordinary that Abbott was not meeting the top economic officials at a time when Australia was preparing to host world leaders for the November G20 summit. "The prime minister has a very heavy schedule in several countries over a few days and he simply can't meet everyone in every town," he told ABC TV on Sunday.
"The G20 is the most important international meeting that has ever been held on Australian soil," she said. "It's not as though there's been any neglect of the World Bank or the IMF."
Plibersek said the rest of the world was moving forward on climate change action but Abbott was a "Nigel no-friends" on the world stage. Truss said the prime minister had locked in meetings with key US economic policy makers including the Reserve Bank governor, Janet Yellen, and the US Treasury secretary, Jack Lew.
Abbott met Lagarde when she visited Australia in February.