Trump finds little support Down Under

Australian politicians haven't been holding back when it comes to criticising controversial US presidential hopeful Donald Trump ahead of this week's election.

A "dropkick", "slug" and "barking mad". Australian politicians haven't held back when it comes to controversial US presidential hopeful Donald Trump.

In a highly unusual departure from diplomatic protocol, they've joined world leaders including French President Francois Hollande, ex British prime minister David Cameron, ambassadors and even the Pope in voicing concerns about the billionaire Republican presidential hopeful.

While his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton isn't short of critics in the United States, Trump has stirred up concerns around the globe thanks to his controversial remarks about women, Muslims, illegal immigrants and torture.

As deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek noted recently, the outspoken billionaire has "pushed the boat out so far" that politicians of all persuasions have felt the need to speak out.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been one of Trump's most vocal critics, describing him at various times as "barking mad" and "difficult".

"By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders - he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world," Mr Shorten told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference in October.

While Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has maintained a diplomatic approach toward Trump and Clinton, one of his senior ministers Josh Frydenberg wasn't afraid to brand the Republican a "dropkick".

"Back on (ABC program) Q&A over a year ago I called him a dropkick and I haven't seen a reason to back away from those comments," he told ABC Radio in October after a clip emerged of Trump bragging about how he kisses and grabs women because he is famous.

Politicians in NSW Parliament's upper house went further, condemning Trump's bragging as mysoginistic and hateful, saying they agreed "with those who have described Mr Trump as 'a revolting slug' unfit for public office'".

Professor John Langmore, from the Melbourne School of Government at the University of Melbourne, says it's highly unusual for Australian politicians to lash out like this about a candidate in an election overseas.

"But everyone agrees it's a very unusual election and he is an extraordinarily unusual candidate and it's astonishing he has so much support," he told AAP.

But not all Australian pollies are against Trump.

South Australian Senator Cory Bernadi told his supporters last week he'd be "cheering on a Trump victory", describing Clinton as a "poster child for everything that is wrong with the American political system".

"I disagree with a number of his policy positions but there's a lot of what he is saying that I do agree with," he said.

Like Mr Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said Australia will work with whoever is elected president despite all the controversy.

While Clinton is well known to the Australian government because of her lengthy political career, Trump is a "much lesser known quantity", she says.

But is she worried about a President Trump?

"He doesn't scare me," Ms Bishop told ABC radio earlier this year.


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Source: AAP



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