In a speech to young Labor Party members, Kevin Rudd has described the Coalition government's decision not to support his bid to become the next leader of the United Nations as proof that sometimes the best-laid plans in life will "turn to shit", and referred to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a "brick wall" to his advancement.
Footage of the speech emerged on Facebook as the storm of controversy around his bid grew, with Mr Turnbull effectively accusing Mr Rudd of verballing him, and Coalition Senator Cory Bernardi bragging that Labor frontbenchers were personally congratulating him for his part in blocking Mr Rudd's ambitions.
More News Videos
- Video duration
- 01:05
Rudd: 'Sometimes it'll turn to shit'
- Video duration
- 01:33
Rudd decision fallout
- Video duration
- 01:47
How to tame the banks
- Video duration
- 02:11
Government distances itself from census concerns
- Video duration
- 02:19
Nigel Scullion confronted over Don Dale
- Video duration
- 01:19
Interest rates stoush
- Video duration
- 01:07
$1 billion compensation bill
- Video duration
- 00:29
Personal details 'protected by law'
Rudd: 'Sometimes it'll turn to shit'
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd shares his political insights with a youth branch of the Labor Party in Queensland on Saturday.
The former Labor prime minister made the candid remarks during an informal chat to young Labor activists in Brisbane on Saturday, just one day after Mr Turnbull told him he lacked the "interpersonal skills" to be nominated for the job.
Mr Rudd told the activists how the election of Gough Whitlam piqued his interest in politics and shaped his views. He recounted writing to Mr Whitlam, telling him he would like to become a diplomat.
Mr Whitlam responded, advising Mr Rudd to study hard at university and learn a language. Mr Rudd speaks fluent Mandarin and served as a diplomat in Stockholm and in Beijing in the 1980s before serving as chief of staff to the Queensland premier Wayne Goss, and later being elected as the Labor MP for the seat of Griffith in 1996.
Some Labor insiders believe Mr Rudd's greatest ambition was not the prime ministership but the UN's top job.
Mr Rudd told the Labor members planning their own careers that hard work does not always guarantee success.
"I've got a very dark, deep secret for you: sometimes it'll turn to shit and sometimes it won't turn out perfectly," Mr Rudd said.
"I've had a modest experience of that, just a little bit, including yesterday," he said to laughter.
"Part of the collective scar tissue of life," he said, smiling.
Turnbull slams Kevin Rudd for leaking emails
'it says a lot about Mr Rudd that he would seek to release private correspondence,' says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Audio courtesy ABC Radio 774.
Mr Rudd said he had been seeking to "make a huge difference" as prime minister, foreign minister and on the international stage, until he was thwarted by a "brick wall".
"And then one of those other brick walls presented itself in the form of Malcolm Turnbull."
Mr Rudd appeared in the video, uploaded by Labor's candidate for the seat of Brisbane Pat O'Neill, smiling and laughing despite learning of Mr Turnbull's rejection less than 24 hours before.
His cheery nature was in stark contrast to the bitter retaliation he staged just hours after Mr Turnbull's phone call, leaking three letters outlining numerous occasions when he said the Liberal leader assured him the Coalition would support his bid to contest the position.
Mr Turnbull is disputing the letters' contents and says their release to the media speaks to Mr Rudd's character.
Under the United Nations requirement, anyone wanting to compete to be secretary-general must be nominated by their government.
The Australian Labor Party, despite tearing itself apart over the 2010-2013 leadership wars between Mr Rudd and his internal rival, former prime minister Julia Gillard, backed Mr Rudd's bid.
But Senator Bernardi, whose early intervention into the debate is being considered the trigger for Mr Turnbull's shock rejection of Mr Rudd, said numerous Labor frontbenchers have privately applauded him for effectively stymieing Mr Rudd's candidacy.
"I've had so many emails, I've had so many text messages and phone calls of support from Labor frontbenchers saying 'thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you - this bloke would have done enormous damage to Australia's international relations,'" the South Australian Liberal told Sky News.
"So don't worry about what they say publicly … they were appalled that we were thinking about putting Kevin Rudd forward, so they're thankful too."
Senator Bernardi said that, while the "the process could have been better", he praised Mr Turnbull for taking the "difficult decision for himself" by owning the decision personally, instead of "hiding behind cabinet solidarity".
214 comments
Comment are now closed