Actually Jack, while I acknowldege that Rudd may have some aspects of his personality that could be problematic, I think he was/is an excellent diplomat.
I believe there was virtually no chance that he would have attained the position in the UN he sought. Turnbull had nothing to lose by nominating him other than to appear mean, petty and unstatesman like. He is clearly under the thrall of the ultra conservatives in his party. The ghost of Tony Abbott and the right wing ratbags still looms large in Australian government.
