Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been labelled a serial killer on US TV.
Erin Burnett, an anchor on American financial news channel CNBC, launched a verbal attack targeting Rudd following his government's decision to spend $A19 million to cull feral camels in the outback.
"There is a serial killer in Australia and we are going to put a picture up so we can see who it is," a stern-faced Burnett said during a segment on CNBC on Tuesday.
A large photo of Rudd was then shown.
"That would be the prime minister of Australia Kevin Rudd," Burnett said.
"OK well do you know what he is doing?
"He has launched air strikes - air strikes - against camels in the outback."
Burnett, with a stuffed toy camel sitting in front of her, broke away from her usual analysis of stock movements on Wall St to vent about the camel cull.
She raised the issue during a segment with CNBC's colourful financial guru Jim Cramer.
Burnett said there are one million camels living wild in Australia and the animals would be shot.
"They are slaughtering them?" Cramer, looking shocked, asked Burnett.
"They are slaughtering them," Burnett replied.
She also complained the meat and milk from the camels would be wasted.
"Apparently there is a billion dollars of meat out there," Burnett said.
"Are they going to do anything with it?" Cramer asked.
"No. They're just slaughtering them," she said.
"That's genocide. Camelcide," Cramer commented.
Burnett then told Cramer she hoped Australians would see her segment.
"I hope they have this on in the morning in Australia," she said.
As the discussion came to a close the photo of Rudd re-appeared on the screen.
"There he is," Burnett said.
"That is the man who approved it."
Burnett is a former anchor with Bloomberg TV and a vice president at financial company Citigroup. She has a loyal male following in the US and is a favourite of US men's magazine Maxim.
In 2007 she posed for a risque photo shoot for Maxim that included a topless cover. She also made Maxim's top 10 "Hottest News Anchor" list.
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