Australia decides not to nominate Rudd

Radio NZ reports:

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he will not be nominating Kevin Rudd to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations.

Speaking in Sydney today, Mr Turnbull said he had decided the former prime minister was not suitable for the role.

He said the federal government would not be nominating anyone for the role.

“When the Australian government nominates a person for a job, particularly an international job like this, the threshold question is, ‘do we believe the person, the nominee, the would-be nominee is well suited for that position?'” he asked.

“My judgement is that Mr Rudd is not, and I’ve explained to him the reasons why.”

Very unusual for a Government not to support a former Prime Minister, but Rudd’s dysfunctional leadership style was well known and hence less surprising that he wasn’t nominated.