NEWS: News.com.au - 26/09/08 'Malcolm Turnbull confesses: I smoked marijuana'

Malcolm Turnbull confesses: I smoked marijuana
By Karlis Salna
September 26, 2008 12:28am

OPPOSITION leader Malcolm Turnbull has confessed he has smoked dope.

The man who could be Australia's next prime minister gave the nation a little more insight into his character, his beliefs and the influences that shaped him during an hour-long interview on ABC Television's Q&A program last night.

Some of those influences the Liberal leader regrets.

"Yes, I've smoked pot," he admitted.

While his response attracted a chorus of laughter from the live studio audience, and probably some gasps from other viewers, Mr Turnbull was quick to point out that it is something he now considers a mistake.

"It is a serious question and it's a serious issue, and yes I have smoked pot ... many people have. It was a mistake to do so," he said.

"I think people of (my) generation ... I hope, had we known when we were much younger the severe consequences that can come from smoking marijuana, I would hope we wouldn't have done so.

"I think now with what we know about marijuana, I think it is a very serious drug, and it is a drug that we should strongly discourage everybody, be they young or old, but obviously particularly young people from using."

The admission is one his rival across the parliamentary chamber would be unlikely to make.

But Mr Turnbull appeared keen to point out he is a vastly different man from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

"Kevin Rudd and I have very different political views," he said.

"I believe that the role of government is to enable people to do their best."

"Whereas I think Mr Rudd has a different view, a view that is perhaps a more bureaucratic view, that sees government as knowing best."

"I don't think that respects the individuality, the diversity, the ingenuity of millions of Australians."

He maintains they are also vastly different in terms of who they look to as the core influences in their lives.

Mr Rudd cites the German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as his personal hero.

Mr Turnbull says his hero is his father Bruce, who raised him alone after his mother left when he was young.

"He wasn't a great theologian, but he had much more influence on me than I suspect Dietrich Bonhoeffer has had on Kevin Rudd, to be honest," he said.

The former Rhodes scholar, lawyer and merchant banker, did not, however, bare his soul completely.

He refused to confirm if he was the deep throat that sank Kerry Packer's 1991 takeover bid for Fairfax media group, which would have been in breach of cross-media ownership laws in place at the time.

It is claimed Mr Turnbull provided information to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal that showed Packer was lying about his plans to control Fairfax.

"I'm neither denying nor confirming," he said.

"I think it's important that there still be an air of mystery."

"Look at all these books (Peter) Costello's selling - there's got to be something left for my memoirs."

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"I believe that the role of government is to enable people to do their best."

"Whereas I think Mr Rudd has a different view, a view that is perhaps a more bureaucratic view, that sees government as knowing best."

"I don't think that respects the individuality, the diversity, the ingenuity of millions of Australians."

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Some of those influences the Liberal leader regrets.
Malcolm:
"Yes, I've smoked pot," he admitted.
While his response attracted a chorus of laughter from the live studio audience, and probably some gasps from other viewers, Mr Turnbull was quick to point out that it is something he now considers a mistake.

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yokidsup said:

I hold Malcolm Turnbull in high regard recently watching a '730 report' segment on him. He is a go getter and a pitbull who doesnt let go till he gets what he wants. Its a trait that i respect thoroughly especially in a corporate esque environment.

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Modulus said:

What is it with politicians getting into a position of power and immediately confessing to drug use.

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rm2x said:

Australia is not a business..........

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IWoody said:

Because someone out there has the dirt on them and is dying to sell it to the cheque book journos..

Imagine how much ACA would blow this out of the water if they had evidence...

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^Yeah - surely Malcolm would have been more into cocaine.

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