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In a sign of just how toxic the Bush administration has become for Australian politicians after years of former PM John Howard's all-too willing servility, current prime minister Kevin Rudd gets into trouble at home for "conduct unbecoming of an Australian prime minister" by saluting Bush at the NATO summit.

Greens Leader Bob Brown was also unimpressed, accusing Mr Rudd of belittling Australia and being subservient. "There is a streak of John Howard's 'deputy sheriff' in Kevin Rudd's slip-up," he said. "We are not the 51st state of the United States of America and Mr Rudd's salute carried a subservient connotation many Australians won't like."