Australia’s two former Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have joined forces (well kind-of) to discuss how the Government needs to change course and adopt new carbon reduction targets. They also discussed the firm grip Rupert Murdoch has on Australian media, and why a Royal Commission is necessary.
Shortly after Biden’s victory this morning, Rudd and Turnbull went on political talk show Insiders, and spoke to David Speers in a boss AF double interview.
Biden’s victory looms as a game-changer on climate, where Morrison has foolishly put all his eggs in the Trump basket. I call on Morrison to stop hiding in the Trump corner, change course and adopt new 2050 and 2030 carbon reduction targets. With @TurnbullMalcolm on @InsidersABC. pic.twitter.com/OieHyxsbvY
— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd) November 8, 2020
In the special US election episode, Rudd said that now Joe Biden is in power, it is time for the Scott Morrison Government to act on climate change.
Biden has a very ambitious plan for the climate, and in his victory speech this morning he identifies climate change as one of his top priorities as president.
Turnbull also agreed that now Biden is in, Morrison no longer needs to appease the conservative Trump Government.
“Morrison’s concern is that the combination of the right wing of the Liberal party and the National party, and the rightwing media, mostly owned by Murdoch, will go after him as they went after me, if he is seen to do anything that suggests he is taking climate change seriously or too seriously,” he said.
“So he is basically walking on eggshells. Now, Trump has lost. Murdoch’s man in the White House has been defeated and the Americans are going to be taking a leading position, globally, on climate action once again. Biden has flagged that this is going to be part of America’s international trade agenda, as well as the Europeans. Now, we have the opportunity in Australia to be a clean energy superpower.”
Not only did the ex-PMs agree on aiming for better carbon reduction targets, they also agreed on the Royal Commission into the Murdoch press monopoly in Australia. HUGE.
As previously mentioned, Kevin Rudd recently launched a petition calling for a Royal Commission into Murdoch media, and how it has become a “cancer” on “democracy”.
Kevin Rudd’s News Corp crusade ended with 500K+ names on the petition. HUGE, HUGE, NEWS.
Half-a-million Australians have spoken. They’ve smashed the records to make their voice heard: Australia needs a #MurdochRoyalCommission to protect the lifeblood of our democracy.
I am grateful and overwhelmed.
This fight is far from over. Get updates: https://t.co/21Nkve0o0h pic.twitter.com/igmDxKbUMc
— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd) November 4, 2020
Turnbull who claimed that he is “not normally a fan of royal commissions”, believed that this one is actually necessary. He noted that the polarisation of our media has created “siloed echo chamber[s]” that reinforce prejudices.
The interview ends in the most wholesome way, with Speers telling the politicians “years ago, I would have doubted there would be so much agreement between the two of you…But I appreciate you coming together.”
My heart is so full right now.
