Kevin Rudd lies again to prove he's more trustworthy What Tony Abbott actually said: TONY ABBOTT: It seems that the Syrian opposition includes quite a number of elements that are highly influenced by al-Qaeda. That's why I say frankly it's a civil war between two pretty much equally unsavoury sides. That said, Leigh, the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime against its own people is an unspeakable abomination. It is an absolutely unspeakable abomination. LEIGH SALES: So, do you mean specifically the Free Syrian Army of being the group that's of concern or do you mean more the sort of political aspects of the Syrian opposition like the National Coalition and the Syrian National Council? TONY ABBOTT: It's a very disparate group, but some of the elements appear to be al-Qaeda influenced and we we've got to be very careful dealing in a powder keg like the Middle East that we don't take action, well-intentioned action which could end up making a bad situation worse. What Kevin Rudd, who I fear could be an instinctive liar, claims Abbott said: But when you read the text of what he said in a formal interview on the 7.30 Report last night, describing the Assad regime, Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, as, to quote him "pretty much equally unsavoury as the Syrian National Coalition, which is the coalition which brings together opposition forces. This is a stunning error of judgement... To go out and describe the Syrian National Coalition, which represents opposition forces in Syria and excludes Islamist and Al Qaeda forces represented by groups such as Al Nusra and the Syrian Islamic Front - to equate the Syrian National Coalition with the Assad regime, is frankly such a complete misreading, misunderstanding and just downright ignorance of the realities of the crisis of the day. Note: Rudd pretends Abbott said what he did not. He pretends Abbott raised doubts about the Syrian National Council specifically rather than the opposition forces generally, which include powerful groups linked to al-Qaeda. On this deliberately false basis, Rudd then attacks Abbott's judgment: Australia recognises the Syrian National Coalition. The United States recognises the Syrian National Coalition. The European Union recognises the Syrian National Coalition. Eighty countries around the world recognise the Syrian National Coalition. If Mr Abbott's on Sunday, is the prime minister on Sunday, and because we are president of the UN Security Council, is he going to send a direction to our ambassador in New York to derecognise the Syrian National Coalition, because they represent an equally unsavoury side? This would set up such a reaction in Australian international relations and our standing across the world. People wouldn't just scratch their head, they'd walk away in horror at this appalling error of foreign policy judgement. I'd actually be more horrified by a national leader who lies and lies again.