Pauline Hanson defends Malcolm Turnbull over Trump speech

Pauline Hanson says those criticising the PM for poking fun at Donald Trump are “killing Australia’s larrikin spirit”.

US president Donald Trump, left, and Malcolm Turnbull.

Pauline Hanson has defended Malcolm Turnbull over his speech that mocked Donald Trump, saying those criticising the PM were “killing Australia’s larrikin spirit”.

Mr Turnbull’s judgment has been questioned after details of his Midwinter Ball speech, which imitated the US President, were made public.

The ball is an off-the-record-event, but video of the speech was released by Channel Nine political editor Laurie oakes.

Senator Hanson defended the Prime Minister and took a shot at Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in a series of tweets.

Those politicians & press having a go at Turnbull for cracking a joke are the same wankers killing Australia's larrikin spirit -PH #auspol

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) June 16, 2017

I notice no one leaked Shorten's speech. Listening to it once was bad enough so if you have a copy do us all a favour & sit on it-PH #auspol

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) June 16, 2017

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd also piped up today, referencing drama Mr Turnbull found himself embroiled in at the Midwinter Ball in 2009.

On that occasion the then opposition leader was reported to have threatened a member of Prime Minister Rudd’s staff over the “Utegate” affair.

I see Turnbull is having fun at the Mid Winter Ball again. #FBF Last time he had so much fun at the Ball was Utegate https://t.co/Au3hkjrPq9

— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) June 16, 2017

Labor demands apology

Labor leader Bill Shorten is demanding Finance Minister Mathias Cormann apologise after he suggested the Opposition Leader’s office might be behind leaked video of Mr Turnbull parodying Mr Trump.

Channel Nine published video and audio of a speech where Mr Turnbull made fun of himself and parodied the US president and ­his links with a “Russian guy”.

Mr Turnbull had believed his parody would not be made public under the Chatham House rules that applied to the event. However, veteran Nine Network political journalist Laurie Oakes, who did not attend the ball, yesterday released the potentially damaging video after it was leaked to him.

Mr Cormann said today Mr Shorten should clarify whether his office was involved.

“Bill Shorten ... will have to clarify today whether it is true that his office was behind leaking those secret recordings and if so why they thought it was a good idea to do so,” he said.

Mr Shorten then responded, calling the comments “disgraceful”.

“This is completely wrong. Senator Cormann should apologise for this disgraceful lie,” a spokesman for Mr Shorten said.

Laurie Oakes, who reported on the tapes, said the leak did not come from either the opposition leader or the Prime Minister.

“Cormann allegation that Midwinter Ball material came from Shorten to damage Turnbull is rubbish,” he tweeted.

“Ditto suggestion it came from PM to show he’s not obsequious re President, as might have appeared at NY meeting.”

Turnbull plays down speech

Mr Turnbull has again hosed down the impact of his leaked speech making fun of Mr Trump’s obsession with “fake news” and troubles with Russian influence on television this morning.

He said people should have a sense of humour and recognise the “affectionate” way it was delivered.

“I think everyone’s got a sense of humour. The Mid Winter Ball it’s a great occasion, it’s meant to be off the record but we send each other up, we send ourselves up.”

“My speech was in that tradition, very affectionate, very lighthearted, very Australian,” he told Channel Seven.

Mr Turnbull conceded his Trump impersonation had got “mixed reviews”.

“I’ve had mixed reviews but it entertained everyone in the room ti helped them raise a lot of money for charity, it was a good night, we had a good laugh.”

“Everyone says politicians are too serious, too scripted. You gotta lighten up right? It’s Australia!”

He said Mr Shorten would definitely not want his own speech leaked.

“The deal is everyone lets their hair down And I’m sure Bill Shorten wouldn’t want his speech broadcast, he said some you know. Everybody is relaxed.”

He joked that he would not be invited to join the Saturday night Live cast.

“It’s good to know there’s something else to do after politics. Mind you...I don’t think it demonstrates I’m up for Saturday Night Live.”

Pyne: no fall-out

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has insisted there will be no fall out

Mr Pyne said it was a compliment to the Prime Minister that the speech was leaked as it was so funny, and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s speech was not leaked as it was “a stinker”.

“I don’t think it will worry him or anyone else at all. The truth is the reason Bill Shorten’s speech wasn’t leaked was because it was such a stinker.” he said on Nine’s The Today Show.

“On the other hand Malcolm’s was very funny. The whole point of the Mid Winter ball speeches is to be funny.”

“It’s great that the Australian public have got to see a side of Malcolm that I see on a regular basis which is he’s really a very fun and funny guy and I don’t think anybody is going to take this too seriously at all.”

US Ambassador to Australia Joe Hockey said there had been no reaction from the White House.

“I haven’t been hauled into the White House and sent back to Australia,” he joked.

“I think people see it in context and that’s exactly what the US embassy said in their statement.”

Final touches to the @Midwinter_Ball speech. pic.twitter.com/1Uqjz5KJiy

— The PMO (@thepmo) June 14, 2017

Senator Mathias Cormann also brushed the incident aside.

“It was a very funny speech ... it was very affectionate,” Senator Cormann told Sky this morning.

“The President has a great sense of humour and I’m sure he understands the context in which this speech took place.”

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said the leak was a breach of ethics.

“It’s unfortunate it has leaked. I think it will dampen the potential for people to go along and have a laugh at themselves at every one and both Malcolm and Bill did that. There are ethics here. I think they’ve been breached by whoever taped Malcolm’s speech.”

“I don’t think it should have happened. I don’t want to see the spirit of larrikinism that is part of the definition of being an Aussie disappears.”

In his humorous speech, Mr Turnbull made fun of poor opinion polls for him and Mr Trump and referred to the President’s political troubles with Russia.

“The Donald and I, we are winning and winning in the polls,” Mr Turnbull exclaimed in a prepared speech to the more than 600-strong audience at the dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House.

“We are winning like we have never won before! We are, not the fake polls, not the fake polls, they’re the ones we’re not winning in. We’re winning in the real ones. The online polls, they are so easy to win! I have this Russian guy, believe me it’s true.”

Mr Turnbull went on 3AW radio to express “dis­appointment” it had leaked and described the speech as “affectionately lighthearted”.

Mr Turnbull said he had been the butt of his own jokes and it was not aimed at Mr Trump.

“The butt of my jokes was myself,” he said.

US’s charge d’affaires to Australia, James Carouso, who had been at the event, was said to be “unperturbed”.

A US embassy statement said: “We understand that last night’s event is equivalent to our White House Correspondents’ Dinner. We take this with the good ­humour that was intended.”