Rudd's short temper triggers exodus of personal staff

Canberra (Australia), Apr.4 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's short temper and unreasonable demands have triggered an exodus of personal staff and a backlash from public servants.

The latest casualty is Rudd's 78,000-dollar-a-year ex-butler John Fisher, dubbed "Jeeves" by the Opposition, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Rudd's bullying style has come under close scrutiny after it was revealed he had reduced a young RAAF cabin attendant to tears during a VIP flight when she was unable to produce the right meal.

Labor staffers, even those who have left the PM's office, are reluctant to speak out about their boss. But some are privately critical of Rudd's management style.

"He never gives positive feedback and gets angry very easily," said one.

A former senior Rudd staffer described his old boss as intolerant and socially dysfunctional.

He said Rudd was unable to deal with situations such as catering and usually left those matters for others to handle.

Senior public servants have also become frustrated at the unrelenting demands of the workaholic PM, who thinks nothing of calling them at night.

Fisher, whose role as butler caused embarrassment to Rudd, is expected to leave after Easter. He has moved on from his role as travelling assistant, where his job was to lay out Rudd's suits.

Other staff to recently depart include Virginia Dale, a long-term Labor adviser, and Gary Quinlan, who will soon become our new ambassador to the UN. (ANI)