PM defends trip to New York

AAP - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd insists his trip to New York, during which he will meet world leaders and US regulators to discuss the global financial crisis, is in the best interests of Australia.

Mr Rudd left for New York on Monday afternoon amid ongoing criticism from opposition
MPs who say he spends too much time overseas, and should remain in Canberra to deal
with the financial crisis.
However, Mr Rudd - who will miss three parliamentary sitting days - says the trip is
crucial, because Australia is part of a global order and must act in concert with
other nations in dealing with such threats.
"Either you can go down the populist road, the opportunistic populist road, which is
what various people in politics are championing at the moment and not go, or you can
act in the national interest," Mr Rudd said on Monday.
"My judgment is that my responsibility as prime minister is to act in the national
interest, which means working through with other heads of government the best
response to this global financial crisis."
"Australia has to have a seat at the table, not just sort of hang out to one side an
expect everyone else to kind of solve it. That's not how it works."
While in New York, Mr Rudd will address the United Nations General Assembly while
also meeting world leaders to discuss a coordinated plan to address the financial
crisis.
But Mr Rudd's hectic schedule, which has so far this year seen him spend 43 days
overseas, has attracted the ire of opposition MPs and the new moniker - Kevin747.
"Kevin747 seems to be a very good little tag-line for him. It's, unfortunately,
indicative of what he's been doing in recent times," Liberal frontbencher Eric Abetz
said.
"He is the prime minister of Australia, he's not an emperor."
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said if he were prime minister, he would be
staying in Australia to deal with the financial crisis.
But Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said the trip was necessary, taking the
opportunity to have a swipe at Mr Turnbull and his own recent travel history.
Mr Albanese said Mr Turnbull had seen fit as opposition treasury spokesman to
earlier this year visit the US to discuss the financial crisis, but was now
criticising Mr Rudd for having the same intention.
He also took a swipe at Mr Turnbull who last week returned from a holiday in Italy.
"Just 10 days ago he was overseas, not meeting with global economic leaders but
sitting in St Mark's Square in Venice," Mr Albanese told parliament.
"Far be it for an Albanese to criticise someone going to Italy.
"But then, do not be such a hypocrite that you come in here and criticise the prime
minister for going to the United States to have discussions about global economic
conditions.
"What the merchant of Venice has got to understand is that, when your client is the
Australian people, there is no substitute for substance."
Mr Rudd's trip to New York comes as a fresh round of polls shows the opposition
making up ground on the government, buoyed by the elevation of Mr Turnbull to the
Liberal leadership.
A Nielsen survey cut Labor's two-party preferred lead to 52-48 and even gave the
coalition a higher primary vote.
A Newspoll was less encouraging for the coalition at 55-45, but Mr Turnbull's
preferred prime minister ratings in all three polls greatly improved on Dr Nelson's.
Mr Turnbull was given 33 per cent in Nielsen, 24 per cent in Newspoll and 25 per
cent in a survey by Essential Media Communications.