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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Kevin Rudd: Abbott doesn't have the 'ticker' to debate me on policy | Kevin Rudd: Abbott doesn't have the 'ticker' to debate me on policy |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Kevin Rudd has questioned whether Tony Abbott - the former boxer - has the "ticker" to debate him - the "glasses-wearing kid in the library" - on key policy areas. | Kevin Rudd has questioned whether Tony Abbott - the former boxer - has the "ticker" to debate him - the "glasses-wearing kid in the library" - on key policy areas. |
| Rudd nominated Abbott's chosen issues of "debt and deficit", asylum policy and carbon policy as the first subjects for debate, saying in each area Abbott's policies "rest on a house of cards". | Rudd nominated Abbott's chosen issues of "debt and deficit", asylum policy and carbon policy as the first subjects for debate, saying in each area Abbott's policies "rest on a house of cards". |
| "I think it's time he demonstrated to the country he had a bit of ticker on this, I mean he's the boxing blue, I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library, come on, let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance...or whether they are just slogans." | "I think it's time he demonstrated to the country he had a bit of ticker on this, I mean he's the boxing blue, I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library, come on, let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance...or whether they are just slogans." |
| Rudd's challenge harks back to former prime minister John Howard, who once alleged former Labor leader Kim Beazley "didn't have the ticker" to be prime minister. | Rudd's challenge harks back to former prime minister John Howard, who once alleged former Labor leader Kim Beazley "didn't have the ticker" to be prime minister. |
| But Rudd did not explain how he intended to change Labor's asylum policy, nor did he provide evidence for claims by the government that many asylum seekers arriving by boat were in fact "economic refugees". | But Rudd did not explain how he intended to change Labor's asylum policy, nor did he provide evidence for claims by the government that many asylum seekers arriving by boat were in fact "economic refugees". |
| "We have deep concerns about what is coming out of Iran at the moment...but the bottom line is it is not all about seeking freedom from persecution," he said on the ABC's 7.30 report. | "We have deep concerns about what is coming out of Iran at the moment...but the bottom line is it is not all about seeking freedom from persecution," he said on the ABC's 7.30 report. |
| When pressed about how he could know whether asylum seekers were genuine or not given that none have been processed since last year and 90% were found to be genuine when processing was occurring, Rudd said: "one of the advantages of being prime minister is you have advice from a whole bunch of officials...who are dealing with these folks on the ground and looking at the intelligence...I am simply responding to the advice from officials." | When pressed about how he could know whether asylum seekers were genuine or not given that none have been processed since last year and 90% were found to be genuine when processing was occurring, Rudd said: "one of the advantages of being prime minister is you have advice from a whole bunch of officials...who are dealing with these folks on the ground and looking at the intelligence...I am simply responding to the advice from officials." |
| He said he was "open to adjustments" in asylum seeker policy, which would balance Australia's international obligations with the need to "maintain an orderly migration policy". | He said he was "open to adjustments" in asylum seeker policy, which would balance Australia's international obligations with the need to "maintain an orderly migration policy". |
| The Australian Human Rights Commission president, Prof Gillian Triggs, has said that if "blanket" and untested assumptions about asylum seekers informed Australian policy it would contravene international law. | |
| Rudd began the tactic of trying to put the focus on the Coalition's policy agenda by demanding a debate with Abbott almost as soon as he was returned to the prime ministership, and in the interview he upped the ante on his challenge. | Rudd began the tactic of trying to put the focus on the Coalition's policy agenda by demanding a debate with Abbott almost as soon as he was returned to the prime ministership, and in the interview he upped the ante on his challenge. |
| "He [Abbott] has campaigned continuously on debt and deficit and the fact that the sky will fall in, he has campaigned continuously on asylum policy and campaigned continuously on the carbon price...it's time we had a properly moderated debate...on his chosen subjects," Rudd said. | "He [Abbott] has campaigned continuously on debt and deficit and the fact that the sky will fall in, he has campaigned continuously on asylum policy and campaigned continuously on the carbon price...it's time we had a properly moderated debate...on his chosen subjects," Rudd said. |
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