Fed: Rudd says Howard giving too many diplomatic jobs to pollies

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2004
Fed: Rudd says Howard giving too many diplomatic jobs to pollies

The federal opposition says the government is making an excessive number of political
appointments to international posts.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman KEVIN RUDD says in the past eight years, the Howard
government has announced 19 political appointments to diplomatic posts around the world.

He says there were only 10 such appointments in 13 years under the former Labor government.

Mr RUDD says Labor isn't opposed in principle to making political appointments to Australian
diplomatic posts where they can be of use to Australia's long-term national interests.

But he says the government of Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD is making so many such appointments,
they're starting to behave like kids in a lolly shop.

His comments come after Mr HOWARD reportedly gave Liberal MP BOB CHARLES the post of
Australia's consul-general in Chicago.

AAP RTV jus/wjf

KEYWORD: CHARLES OPPOSITION (BRISBANE)

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.