turnbull blasts rudd blather

Spot on.

September 23, 2008

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd talks blather and his treasurer is "robotic", according to Malcolm Turnbull.

The new Opposition leader made the comments when describing question time in parliament on ABC radio today.

"Have you ever had a straight answer out of Kevin Rudd?" he asked.

"I mean, question time is excruciating, it's just blather, words and words and you get to the end of a seven-minute answer - sometimes I sit there and I can't take a note because I can't see what point he's making."

Treasurer Wayne Swan was not much better, according to Mr Turnbull.

"As for the treasurer, he is clearly robotic.

"He has clearly got a cheat sheet in front of him that says he has got to accuse the Opposition of vandalising the Budget.

"Then he has got to accuse us of not supporting the Government in its economic management.

"If all else fails, he goes red in the face and accuses me of being economically irresponsible."

Mr Turnbull said it was impossible for the Opposition to have a sensible economic discussion with the Labor Government.

"We have reached out to them. I have sought to engage them on big economic issues and they will not respond other than with abuse," he said.

The Government had sought a bipartisan approach on indigenous issues and the republic but not on the burning issue of the day - the global financial crisis - Mr Turnbull said.

"These are very challenging times and any responsible leader in my view would welcome the opportunity to sit down and talk about these issues constructively with the Opposition.

"Governments around the world are doing precisely that. Bipartisanship is the order of the day in Washington but, I am afraid to say, it isn't in Canberra."

Mr Turnbull said if he were prime minister he would stay at home managing the economy, not travelling to New York.
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