Jacqui Lambie says Vladimir Putin has 'great values', labels Tony Abbott's 'shirtfront' comment 'immature'

Updated

Palmer United Party senator Jacqui Lambie has rebuked Prime Minister Tony Abbott for saying he will "shirtfront" Russian president Vladimir Putin, labelling the comment "immature".

Mr Abbott made the remarks yesterday when confirming he would hold talks with Mr Putin at next month's G20 summit over the death of Australians in the MH17 disaster.

Senator Lambie said Mr Abbott had to realise he was no longer in the school yard and she appealed to the Government to maintain a civil relationship with Mr Putin.

"Yeah, I do like Vladimir Putin," she told the ABC's Radio National.

"I think he has very strong leadership. He has great values.

"He's certainly doing his bit to stamp out terrorism and I guess you've got to pay the man for that."

Senator Lambie released a statement this morning in which she said Mr Putin was an "important and powerful world leader who must be listened to and spoken with".

"He's impressed me with his no-nonsense attitude to the threat of Islamic extremism," she wrote.

"And unlike most Australian political leaders, there's no BS about him."

She said Mr Putin did not pull the trigger that led to MH17's destruction and called on Mr Abbott and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to "stop acting like hormone-affected schoolboys trying to outmuscle each other on the footy field".

"I think the rhetoric of the Prime Minister is extremely immature and there is absolutely no need for that," she said.

"I would suggest the PM start acting like a PM and extend the olive branch out."

Mr Abbott said yesterday he would "shirtfront" Mr Putin in Brisbane next month over the deaths of 38 Australian citizens and residents in the MH17 crash.

Russia has backed separatists in eastern Ukraine who are suspected of shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight.

"Look, I'm going to shirtfront Mr Putin ... you bet I am," Mr Abbott told reporters in Queensland.

"I am going to be saying to Mr Putin [that] Australians were murdered.

"They were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian-supplied equipment."

Mr Shorten said most Australians were extremely uncomfortable about welcoming Mr Putin to Australia.

"Mr Abbott's language doesn't capture what is required here – talk of shirt-fronting isn't going to resolve the matter.

"What matters more is what happens when Tony Abbott shakes president Putin's hand in Brisbane next month.

"But what really matters is justice for the families of the people who died on MH17."

Eighteen Victorians were among those killed and Premier Denis Napthine said Mr Putin should be sent a clear message when he arrives in Brisbane.

"Vladimir Putin has thumbed his nose at the world, he's thumbed his nose at the victims of MH17 and their families," he said.

"I think Vladimir Putin would be better not coming to Australia but if he is going to come to Australia, then Tony Abbott is absolutely right to front him and to deal with him."

Topics: federal-government, government-and-politics, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, russian-federation, tas

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