Matthew Franklin, Chief political correspondent
KEVIN Rudd has refused to defend himself in parliament against claims he is a habitual liar whose promises mean nothing.
And the Prime Minister has justified criticism of his decision to spend $38 million advertising his planned mining tax on the basis that the previous Howard government spent more public money.
The opposition used yesterday's resumption of parliament to target Canberra's decision last Friday to exempt itself from independent scrutiny of an advertising campaign about its planned $12 billion resource super-profits tax.
The decision put a spotlight on the fact that Mr Rudd, who promised before the 2007 election to give the Auditor-General the role of approving government advertising, initially met the promise but earlier this year sidelined Ian McPhee under a new system in which three former public servants scrutinise proposed advertising campaigns.
The new system allows Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig to grant exemptions - a provision he exercised a week ago, leading to last Friday's announcement.
