Obama’s Nobel prize a farce: Downer

Former foreign minister Alexander Downer has taken aim at the Nobel Peace Prize committee over its decision to award the latest prize to US President Barack Obama. Mr Downer described the decision 'a farce' and said Mr Obama should have refused to accept the prize.  "He has been in office for less than nine months when it is announced that he has won the prize, so they would have made the decision a few weeks ago I suppose. It does make the whole system a bit of a farce," he said.

Mr Downer says it is a pity Mr Obama did not refuse the award.

He says the prize is overtly political and the committee is not equipped to choose the right winner.

"There are people out there like Morgan Tsvangirai, the Zimbabwean leader, who have been struggling for years and years for human rights and for a fair deal for their people who have been ignored," he said.  "While somebody who is, admittedly a very great global celebrity who has just come to office, gets the Nobel Peace prize. 
"So it is clearly a completely political decision. Not a decision based on merit.

"Frankly to be nominated after he has been in office for 11 days and to win the prize after he has been in office for less than nine months, I think it discredits the whole system.