Kevin Rudd on The Project: Diplomatic Row over COVID-19

[video width="848" height="480" mp4="https://kevinrudd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/project.mp4"][/video]E&OE TRANSCRIPTTELEVISION INTERVIEWTHE PROJECT, NETWORK 1029 APRIL 2020Topics: Diplomatic row over coronavirus, Turnbull’s memoirCARRIE BICKMORE: To share his thoughts on the war of words between China and Australia, we’re talking with former Prime Minister and President of the Asia Society Policy Institute, Kevin Rudd. Welcome to the show again, Kevin. What do you think - should we be taking these boycott threats seriously?KEVIN RUDD: Well look, as a matter of general principle, I don’t think it’s acceptable for any foreign ambassador to issue public threats against their host country, in this case Australia. You know, for the record, I can’t remember any Australian diplomat in Beijing ever issuing public threats against the Chinese government. That’s why we have got this thing called diplomacy.On the substance of the so-called ‘threats’ - look, the history here is a mixed one. Some countries against which China has issued threats in the past have seen those materialised and others not, so, it will very much be a wait-and-see process, I think.RACHEL CORBETT: Kevin, China obviously has an issue with the idea of asking for an investigation, but is there anything wrong with doing that at a time like this, when we’re in the middle of an unprecedented pandemic?RUDD: Well that’s the reality. I mean the reality is that this pandemic has resulted in three million infections around the world and triggered what looks like being the single biggest global recession that we’ve seen since the Second World War. These are not trivial events; these are huge events. And I think the international community has an interest in getting to the bottom of it so, intrinsically, we would support this sort of investigation.WALEED ALY: Weird things are happening, Kevin. I have never seen anything that I can recall like Greg Hunt’s press conference today. I don’t know if you saw this, but the Chinese Consul-General for Victoria just kind of turned up in the middle of it and intervened. I think we have some vision here.*FOOTAGE PLAYS*ZHOU LONG: China very much appreciates, and is thankful to the compassion, support and sympathy of the Australian people toward the Chinese people – you know, the fight against the virus. And vice versa, we are also doing everything possible to help Australia.*FOOTAGE ENDS*ALY: I don’t think it was expected - that intervention. What was going on exactly?RUDD: You’ve got the Consul-General there, it seems, trying to say positive things about Australia and we’ve had a much sharper exchange coming out of Canberra yesterday. I think the bottom line is: put megaphones away and use private lines of communication to solve very complex, very difficult and very hard questions. I think that’s the best way for all parties in to the future.ALY: So does that explain what we saw today between Greg Hunt and Peter Dutton, because they were respectively asked about the source of the virus, and they had very different – even though they’re in the same government – they had very different things to say. Have a listen.*FOOTAGE PLAYS*FOOTAGE OF PETER DUTTON: Well, I think we need to accept the facts – where else did it start, if it wasn’t in Wuhan?GREG HUNT RECORDING: Can I respond to that? That’s not the government’s position.*FOOTAGE ENDS*ALY: Is Greg Hunt sort of being, in some way, pulled in, in order to preserve a relationship with China here? What’s going on there?RUDD: Peter Dutton has a track record of free-wheeling all over the place. In fact, I think Peter Dutton should get back to owning some responsibility for the Ruby Princess fiasco. But leaving that to one side, the reason why an investigation of one form or another needs to occur is to establish these facts - that is - where did the virus break out and how? What did the WHO then do about it? What did all the governments in the world then do about it in terms of early actions? These are the questions we’ve got to get to the bottom of, rather than, frankly, Australian government ministers shooting from the hip. And from what you’ve just shown me in terms of the difference between Hunt and Dutton on this question, it’s a prime example.PETER HELLIAR: Kevin before we let you go, obviously you are keeping busy, but we are all in lockdown obviously, we have a little bit more time on our hands. Have you flicked through Malcolm Turnbull’s new book – I’m sure you have - and how does it compare with yours?RUDD: Well, I went to the ‘R’ references first and, surprise surprise, I get the odd mention - and on top of that - though not all flattering and positive. But I’m shocked by that. One thing I agree with old Malcolm on though, is he really rips into, frankly, the media monopoly we have in Australia through the Murdoch media empire. Seventy percent of Australian print controlled by Murdoch and in my state of Queensland, fourteen of the fifteen papers owned by Murdoch. And I think that really just is a bad fact about Australian democracy and the extent to which we’re getting balanced news each day. So, that’s where I agree with Malcolm - the rest of it - he had a few unkind and uncharitable things to say about myself and, on those, I’ll let the facts speak for themselves.BICKMORE: Alright, good to chat again Kevin.RUDD: Great to be on the program, thank you.