Trump just called to say he hates this deal
Coal Coal Coal! Turnbull, he likes it! Shorten, he likes it! Well, Shorten likes it but ...
Malcolm and Donald sitting in a tree A-R-G-U-I-N-G. Washington Post, yesterday:
President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win ... Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it.
At one point Trump informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day — including Russian President Vladimir Putin — and that “This was the worst call by far.”
Not happy, Mal. Donald Trump on Twitter, yesterday:
Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!
Turnbull shrugs. 2GB, yesterday:
Well that’s his tweet.
Malcolm’s had worse calls says ourCaroline Overington. The Australian website, yesterday:
Nobody would have spoken to Turnbull like that since ... well, since the good old days of Kerry Packer ...
Ross Cameron is not so sure. Sky News, yesterday:
Malcolm Turnbull has come stone motherless last as the worst conversation the incoming President of the United States has had. I think Malcolm is finished.
Happier days. Donald Trump on Twitter, October 25, 2015:
“@LandmanMarius: @realDonaldTrump AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS DONALD TRUMP. Please immigrate to Australia and make Aussie great as well.” Cute!
Never gonna give Don up. The PM in Melbourne, yesterday:
I can assure you the relationship is very strong.
And Simon Benson reports. The Australian, yesterday:
The Turnbull government is planning to help fund the construction of new clean-coal-fired power stations in an extraordinary measure to intervene in the looming energy security and pricing crisis.
Turnbull loves coal stations. The National Press Club, Wednesday:
They cannot simply be replaced by gas, because it’s too expensive, or by wind or solar because they are intermittent … as the world’s largest coal exporter, we have a vested interest in showing that we can provide both lower emissions and reliable base load power .
Labor finance spokesman Jim Chalmers not as keen. RN Breakfast, yesterday:
... the rest of the world is investing in renewables and Malcolm Turnbull’s talking now about more coal-fired power stations.
But Bill Shorten supports coal. Brisbane, January 25, 2017:
We are a nation which will always use fossil fuels as part of our energy mix, but ...
But ... Shorten in Melbourne, October 26, 2016:
Coal has a future in Australia. But …
But ... Shorten in Brisbane, June 1, 2016:
I accept and I support the fact that coal will be part of our energy mix going forward, absolutely. But …
He likes big buts and he cannot lie. Shorten in Melbourne, October 27, 2015:
I don’t believe there should be a moratorium on coal in this country, but …