Aussie PM K Rudd spends every Friday overseas ....
Figures show that until September 12, Mr Rudd had been in office for 294 days, of which 50 - or almost one in five - were abroad.
He has spent more time overseas than Foreign Minister Smith.
Perhaps K Rudd thinks he's the Foreign Minister ...
Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:
No place like home, Libs tell Rudd
20 September 2008
Kevin Rudd has spent more time overseas than his Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, and is about to add to his total when he leaves for New York on Monday.
Figures show that until September 12, Mr Rudd had been in office for 294 days, of which 50 - or almost one in five - were abroad.
In comparison Mr Smith, who will accompany Mr Rudd to New York, has spent 44 nights abroad.
The former prime minister, John Howard, spent 18 nights overseas in his first year of office.
Mr Rudd is coming under fire from the Opposition for choosing to miss Parliament next week to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly.
...
See - K Rudd - I've got Friday on my mind.
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 7:20 AM
2 Comments:
SMH:
PM's verbal piggy bank running on empty
September 23, 2008
It's worse than we thought, this global financial crisis. At 2.14pm yesterday, Kevin Rudd ran out of euphemisms for "money".
Things looked OK for his first question time answer, which was, of course, about the crisis.
The PM blathered skilfully and at length about "loose change", "fiscal buffers", "mortgage-related assets", "increased liquidity", "collateral", "stocks", "aggregate exchange settlement balances" and assorted other expressions that mean, loosely, moolah.
But soon it was apparent he was nearing the bottom of the barrel: "$5 billion worth of further issuance in 2008-09."
And then - clunk - there it was. Speaking about the United States Federal Reserve bail-out, he talked about the Fed's decision to rescue US institutions with "$700 billion worth of … um … US … errrrr … money."
This will be the last question time conducted by the Prime Minister for a bit - he's off to New York, possibly to get in touch with his jargon dealer on Wall Street.
Malcolm Turnbull, who is encouraging the perception that Rudd is a feckless globetrotter, mentions the New York trip whenever he can, and yesterday asked sweetly whether the PM had time to meet him "prior to his departure overseas - AGAIN?"
This is a time-honoured Opposition tack, but for Turnbull - still bearing the glow of an Italian holiday - it is not entirely risk-free.
"From merchant banker to merchant of Venice," commented the manager of Government business, Anthony Albanese.
Ranged behind Turnbull were smiling members of his brand new front bench; behind them glowered the ranks of the discarded, the dispossessed and the terminally hopeless.
Chris Pearce, a Victorian MP promoted to the front bench, wore a brilliant smile and about $30 worth of hair gel in his smartly scraped-back hair.
Christopher Pyne, the South Australian moderate and Costello man who lived a life of horrific oppression under John Howard, was so excited by his promotion to education that he could hardly keep still.
"There have been eight questions and eight responses," growled the Speaker as half-time neared.
"The member for Sturt has interjected through the eight responses. I appreciate he might be excited but he will contain his excitement."
But not all were so blessed.
Bronwyn Bishop, for instance, has been relegated to the back bench, and she did not look at all pleased as she stared down at Turnbull from her new, non-prestige seat. Dressed in a jacket with a jungly teal and brown design, she looked like a small but malevolent armchair.
Supporters of the late Brendan Nelson have been punished with varying degrees of banishment.
Bruce Billson, a Victorian MP who backed Nelson, found himself in the compelling new portfolio of "sustainable development and cities".
"Of course, you'll remember that Bruce chaired the house environment committee's work on sustainable cities," Turnbull said - tactfully, if inaccurately - as he announced the change to a mystified press conference.
10:27 AM, September 23, 2008
News.com.au
Rudd gives key senator a miss for Missy
September 23, 2008
INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon understands why Kevin Rudd prefers to keep him waiting in Canberra when the Prime Minister has the chance to meet singer Missy Higgins in New York.
The key balance of power senator, whose vote the Labor Government needs to pass legislation against Coalition opposition in the Senate, says he has yet to have a meeting with Mr Rudd.
"If I had a choice between meeting Missy Higgins or me, I'd rather meet Missy Higgins," Senator Xenophon said in Canberra today.
The federal Opposition wasn't so tongue-in-cheek, criticising Mr Rudd's itinerary for his trip to the US while Parliament continues to sit back home.
Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce said it was likely Mr Rudd would spend more time with Ms Higgins than discussing the global financial crisis with US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.
11:55 AM, September 23, 2008
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