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CANBERRA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the Australian government to "give (Donald Trump) a go", ahead of the Presidential inauguration on Friday.
Rudd, an expert on Asian relations and currently heading the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, said it was important for Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to let Trump "grow into the role" before the government passes judgement on the new regime.
"The fair-minded thing to do is to give the guy a go. Turnbull should try as hard as he can -- and (Foreign Minister) Julie Bishop -- to work with him," Rudd told the Seven Network on Friday.
"Will he get his temperament under control and become 'presidential'? Let's give it a few weeks and see what happens."
Meanwhile Rudd also said Australia's first priority once the new Trump administration comes in was to make sure the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is ratified.
The U.S President-elect has previously said the multinational trade deal would "rape" America, and has vowed to scrap it on his first day in office.
Rudd said if Australia and other nations involved in the TPP could convince Trump to help "rebrand" the deal, it would be more beneficial than having it fall apart altogether.
