Former Prime Minister’s Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have donated to Crikey’s GoFundMe page.
Last week Lachlan Murdoch launched defamation proceedings against Crikey in the Federal Court, prompting Crikey to start a GoFundMe.
Turnbull and Rudd both donated $5000 to Crikey’s fund. Crikey started the donation page to help cover legal costs after its bold advertisement goading Lachlan Murdoch to sue the publication worked.
The campaign aims to raise $3 million, and in less than a week, it has raised $400,000.
Rudd and Turnbull’s donations come after both have been outspoken about their opinions on Murdoch.
The Australian Financial Review has reported that in an interview with ABC’S Radio National, Turnbull said: “Very few people have defamed more people than the Murdochs over the years.
“They’re always bleating about freedom of speech and how the defamation laws are too harsh, and they stifle free speech.”
Meanwhile, Rudd has been critical of the Murdochs for years. In 2021, under parliamentary privilege. The Guardian reported that he said: “Everyone’s frightened of Murdoch. They really are. There’s a culture of fear across the country.”
It will be interesting to see what other famous faces throw their support behind Crikey.
