Rupert Murdoch says former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is ‘paranoid’ and ‘nuts’

In a new interview, Rupert Murdoch has hit out at former PM Malcolm Turnbull but given high praise to John Howard.

Rupert Murdoch has called former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull “paranoid” and “nuts” during an interview where he was asked to assess Australia’s prime ministers.

Asked about comments made by Mr Turnbull after the media mogul announced his retirement last September that “there is no individual alive who has done more to divide America than Rupert Murdoch”, Mr Murdoch said, “I think Malcolm’s nuts, and he’s paranoid”.

“He didn’t like the fact that we supported Tony Abbott versus him. That’s all.”

Separately, Mr Murdoch gave high praise to John Howard.

Rupert Murdoch has given his thoughts on Australian prime ministers. Picture: Sky News

“I think John Howard was a mature man who ran the country well, and happily and through a lot of this development as Australia,” he said in an exclusive interview with Sky News Chief Executive Officer Paul Whittaker.

The interview was conducted to mark the 60th anniversary of The Australian newspaper.

Mr Murdoch said Mr Howard, prime minister from March 1996 to November 2007, was the best leader during his lifetime.

Asked whether Mr Howard was the prime minister who had achieved “real transformation” for Australia, the media mogul said “I think so, yes”.

Rupert Murdoch has called John Howard the best leader during his lifetime. Picture: Mark Rogers/ABC

Mr Murdoch, now chairman emeritus of News Corp and Fox Corporation, also gave his thoughts on former prime ministers Robert Menzies, Malcolm Fraser and Gough Whitlam.

Despite being critical of him at times, Mr Murdoch was enthusiastic about Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, Menzies, during his leadership, particularly in the 1960s.

“(We were) more British than now and Menzies was always flying the Union Jack,” Mr Murdoch said.

“As a young, I thought patriotic, Australian, I was very critical. I look back at him and he did some pretty great things, university systems and so on.”

Rupert Murdoch said his opinion of the late Sir Robert Menzies had become more enthusiastic over time. Picture: Camera Press

Mr Murdoch spoke about how his newspapers initially supported Whitlam in 1972, when Labor defeated the Coalition for the first time in 23 years. Mr Murdoch said Whitlam made “the biggest noise” but, ultimately, his government did not succeed.

“The conservatives (were) in power for decades. Whitlam came along, changed it. He attempted big things,” Mr Murdoch said.

“We thought it was time, but we quickly changed our mind.

Rupert Murdoch only rated one British leader: Margaret Thatcher. Picture: AFP

“I think it was time, but the government was totally disorganised. Whitlam had no idea how to run a cabinet.”

Mr Murdoch was also not impressed by Malcolm Fraser.

“He was, I think, a disappointment,” Mr Murdoch said.

He also gave his thoughts on the British leaders he rated.

“Only one: Margaret Thatcher,” he said.

“She really changed the country and she got rid of the class system. She was a meritocrat. She was not upper class. But really, she was no nonsense. And she knew more about the government than any member of her cabinet, which of course they hated.

“She’d be up till three in the morning reading the brief on something.”

The Australian: 60 Years of News, Monday 15 July 8pm AEST. Stream at skynews.com.au

Originally published as Rupert Murdoch says former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is ‘paranoid’ and ‘nuts’