Kevin Rudd has compared media mogul Rupert Murdoch and former prime minister Tony Abbott to a cancer on Australian democracy.
The former Labor PM accused News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch of contributing to the ‘orgy of political violence’ that led to Malcolm Turnbull’s ousting.
Rudd also pilloried Tony Abbott as a toxic influence on the national political landscape who doesn’t care about policy at all.
Kevin Rudd (pictured) has compared Tony Abbott and media mogul Rupert Murdoch to cancer
The extraordinary spray was made in an opinion piece published in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday in the wake of last week’s Liberal leadership crisis in Canberra.
Mr Rudd said Mr Murdoch’s powers far exceeded the scope of his news organisation.
He said Mr Murdoch ‘operates as a political party, acting in pursuit of clearly defined commercial interests, in addition to his far-right ideological world view’.
Mr Rudd added that politicians needed to toe the line on what Murdoch wanted or he would ‘kill you politically’.
Mr Rudd also called for a Royal Commission into Murdoch’s involvement in the political landscape.
‘It’s time for a Royal Commission into the abuse of near monopoly by Murdoch media in Australian politics and policy,’ he said on Twitter on Monday.
‘Including Murdoch and Abbott killing the NBN (FTTP) to protect Murdoch’s commercial interest in Foxtel from real competition from Netflix and others.’
Mr Rudd also had some choice words for the former Liberal PM.
‘Abbott has never cared about policy. He has only cared about politics and winning at any cost. I cannot remember a single positive policy initiative that Abbott has championed and then implemented,’ Mr Rudd said.
‘The entire energies of this giant wrecking ball of Australian policies has been focused on destroying his opponents within the Labor party and the Liberal party’.
Mr Abbott’s ‘unique negativity, toxicity and hatred’ could not be underestimated, the ex-Labor leader continued.
Mr Abbott’s ‘unique negativity, toxicity and hatred’ could not be underestimated, the ex-Labor leader continued
Rudd said Mr Murdoch (pictured) ‘operates as a political party, acting in pursuit of clearly defined commercial interests, in addition to his far-right ideological world view’
Mr Rudd was ejected by Julia Gillard (pictured) and Mr Abbott by Malcolm Turnbull
Both Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott were ousted as prime minister by their parties before they had finished their first terms. Mr Rudd was ejected by Julia Gillard and Mr Abbott by Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Abbott was last week accused of being a ‘wrecker’ by fellow Liberal MPs for laying the groundwork for the sudden and successful move by the party’s conservative wing against Mr Turnbull.
Mr Abbott had backed fellow conservative Peter Dutton, who lost his chance at the top job when he was overtaken by Scott Morrison, who was sworn in as prime minister on Friday.
Mr Abbott is due to make a speech in Sydney on Monday on population and immigration.