Kevin Rudd is back in the headlines after President Trump doubled down on his criticism of the US Ambassador from his meeting earlier in the week.
When quizzed by an Australian journalist as he left the White House on Friday night (Saturday afternoon in Australia) Trump said: “I think he said a long time ago something bad. You know, when they say bad about me, I don’t forget.”
It contradicts reports the US President had forgiven the former Prime Minister.
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Rudd has received support from many back in Australia.
Former Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison tells 7NEWS that Rudd is doing well.
“Whether he stays as Ambassador is a matter for the Prime Minister, but I’ve been supportive of Kevin in that role,” Morrison said.
“I’ve seen the job that he’s done in that role, particularly in the Congress and how he gets on with members of Congress this week on other issues. And, you know, he certainly gets around and that’s the job of an Ambassador.
“But what really matters is the alliance and what matters is getting things done.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia’s Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd. Credit: LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGEAUKUS future
Scott Morrison was the spearhead of the AUKUS submarine deal and is thankful that President Trump endorsed the defence pact during his meeting with Anthony Albanese.
“The news from the United States is welcome, but it’s not surprising,” Morrison said.
“I’ve never been in any doubt about President Trump’s support for AUKUS, but I’m pleased that we’re now past that and we can now focus on the how, not the if.
“I think it’s a very welcome development. And now the focus gets on to implementation, where frankly, it should always have been.”
Submarine Tsar
The original architect of the submarine pact is backing calls for the Albanese Government to appoint an AUKUS Tsar.
The former Prime Minister says the public servant would need powers similar to Operation Sovereign Borders — the boat stopping authority he created in 2013 which had a say over departments, and budgets.
“What that did is it enabled us to work right across government to get the outcome.” Morrison said.
“Now, AUKUS needs the same thing. That’s certainly how we were driving it. To access budgets and to be able to ensure that money can be moved and that processes are quickened.
“A Tsar is meaningless unless it carries the full authority of the Prime Minister to get the job done and the rest of government understands that.”
East Coast Submarine Base
Three options have been floated for an East Coast submarine base including Brisbane, Wollongong and Newcastle.
Scott Morrison prefers the latter and wants Labor to make a call before the next election.
“I always thought that the Hunter option was probably the best,” Morrison said.
“It may not be a better harbour than say the Illawarra, but I think the way it hugs in more broadly to defence infrastructure in the Hunter is a bonus.
“It has the ability to build out the industrial based side of it and the university can bring in the smart people and other things you need to support an operation like that. I think it’s a much neater fit in the Hunter.
“They’ve got to make a decision this term. It’ll take about a decade once you make a decision to see anything actually exist there.”