Prime Minister Kevin Rudd questions whether Rupert Murdoch's criticism is financially motivated

Extract from ABC News website:

By political reporter Simon Cullen

Updated 50 minutes ago

6/08/13

 

 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has taken a dig at media mogul Rupert Murdoch, questioning whether commercial interests are behind his opposition to Labor's National Broadband Network policy.

The News Corporation executive chairman used Twitter to say that he liked the "ideal of the NBN", but questioned how the multi-billion dollar policy would be paid for.
Both Communications Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Rudd responded on Twitter to the comment, but the Prime Minister followed up again during a media conference in Brisbane today.
"It's for others to ask the question why Mr Murdoch really doesn't want the National Broadband Network to be connected to everyone's home and everyone's small business premises," Mr Rudd told reporters.
"Does he sense it represents a commercial challenge to Foxtel - which is a major cash cow for his company - or not?"
His comments come a day after Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper, which is owned by News Corp, published a front-page editorial urging voters to "kick this mob out".

"I think he's (Mr Murdoch) made it fairly clear through one of his editors the other day that he doesn't really like us and would like to give us the old heave ho," Mr Rudd said.
"In terms of his views and his determination to see Mr Abbott elected as prime minister and his determination to see the end of myself, it's a free country, he's entitled to those views.
"I'm sure he sees it with crystal clear clarity all the way from the United States."