TRANSCRIPT
28 February 2025
2GB - Sydney Now with Clinton Maynard
E&OE
Topics: Kevin Rudd's $44,000 Composition
Clinton Maynard
So this story just breaking in the past half an hour or so, courtesy of the Daily Telegraph, that Australian taxpayers have forked out $44,000 for a composer to come up with a song called Unbreakable that was used at the one-year anniversary party to recognise Kevin Rudd being our ambassador in Washington. That's Unbreakable, very good tune. I'm not sure it's worth $44,000. The Opposition's waste spokesperson is James Stevens. James, good use of money, do you reckon?
James Stevens
I don't think so Clinton, you know, Kevin Rudd's lucky, isn't he? He's got $44,000 for an Ode to Kevin. But there are not many Australian families that are sitting around thinking about spending money on frivolous actions like that. Quite the opposite. So, I think this whole thing is really appalling, and there was another $26,000 spent on all of the food and wining and dining people at this event. They had a party to celebrate the anniversary of the party that they had held the year before. I think it's just ridiculous.
Clinton Maynard
Tell me how it works in government. I'm assuming that there is a strict protocol that has to be followed within the bureaucracy. That would mean that there would be cheques and balances with that sort of expenditure.
James Stevens
Well, yes. In this case, we've uncovered documents from the department where they've approved all of Kevin's activities in this regard. So there are questions beyond what Kevin Rudd is getting up to over in Washington. But there's a real pattern here with Kevin Rudd. We see time and again that he's living high on the hog over there in Washington DC and we're all paying for it. I just wonder what the priorities of Kevin are because there are some real challenges with our relationship with the United States at the moment, and there are some things that our ambassador could be more focused on. But for Kevin, it's parties, compositions, his book tours, all sorts of things. But you don't hear a lot about Kevin focusing on the interests of Australia over there in Washington.
Clinton Maynard
Good on you, James. Thanks for joining us.
James Stevens
Thank you.
Clinton Maynard
James Stevens, the Waste Watch spokesperson for the Federal Coalition. Good spending? What do you reckon?