‘Crazy old uncle’: Dutton slams former PM

Peter Dutton has come out swinging against former prime minister Paul Keating after a sensational interview appearance.

Mr Keating blasted some of the nation’s most senior journalists and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong following the landmark AUKUS agreement.

Today host Karl Stefanovic asked for the Opposition Leader’s thoughts during his regular Friday appearance on the morning TV show alongside Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

“Pete, real popcorn moment for you I guess. I know you’re going to exploit the great divisions inside Labor right now,” Stefanovic said.

Mr Dutton let out a chuckle and said, “I thought it was like a scene out of The Comedy Company where you had old Uncle Arthur in the sherry cabinet.

“There he was abusing family members.”

He went on to describe Mr Keating as the “crazy old uncle” and said it was “sad” to watch the interview unfold.

“We’ve all been on the end of Paul Keating sprays but it was a special effort this week,” Mr Dutton said.

The former prime minister came down hard on reporters who questioned his criticism of the multibillion-dollar nuclear submarine deal at the National Press Club on Wednesday.

“You haven’t received a briefing on the issue since the mid-1990s. Could you be out of touch on this issue?” he was asked.

“Because I’ve got a brain. And I can think. And I can read. And I read every day,” he responded matter of factly.

“What would be the point of China wanting to occupy Sydney and Melbourne? Militarily? And could they ever do it?”

Mr Keating, who has opposed the AUKUS agreement since it was announced by the Morrison government, argued that China was not a threat to Australia.