Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Pertinax]

I am a political realist.  I've followed the sorry state of Australian politics for a long time but when I saw the footage of Tony Abbot nodding like a loon in response to a question from a channel 7 reoprter, I genuinely thought we were about to see the leader of the opposition physically assault a reporter live on TV.

So the question is, should Tony have just told the reporter to go fuck himself and stomp off or should he have come up with some cleverly scripted slick spin doctor style answer?

Does this reflect badly upon Tony's ability to handle curve balls from the media? Or is he just a jerk with nothing clever to say unless his media department has written it for him?

[Lord Biscuit©]

Unfortunately (for the Libs), I don't think Tony is the right man for the job. Gillard may (belatedly) find her feet and could potentially be difficult to beat in the next election. Maybe they're keeping Tony on til 8 months out from the next election when Turnbull takes over. I think people like Turnbull, even if they don't like his politics. He has a certain charisma and is way less fumbling & bumbling than Tony. It all depends if the Lib power brokers like him or not.

[Pertinax]

The powers that be don't like Turnbull.  They think he's a closet lefty.

[Lord Biscuit©]

Which is exactly why he would win.

[Bookworm]

I think he just looked like a retard. He couldn't think of anything to say, and in this instance silence was not the most intelligent answer (especially not when there are cameras on you and you're just standing there nodding like the tool he is).

Heck, even repeating "I've discussed this with his widow and it's all sweet now" and then walking away would have been better. He's an unoriginal, mentally deficient lackey who would be better off out of politics.

[Majorie]

Why is this getting so much attention? It was an out of context remark made months ago.

The media should instead be challenging Abbott over his ridiculous unfair alternate proposal to the flood levy.

Amid reports of a shadow cabinet row over the proposal to cut $373 million in aid to Africa, Mr Abbott recommended deferring funding to build and expand schools, train teachers and accredit Islamic schools in Indonesia.

It would save $488 million, according to Mr Abbott, who argued, ''With so many schools destroyed or damaged in Australia, we do think charity begins at home.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/aid-groups-car-industry-slam-opposition-plan/2070686.aspx?storypage=2

[Pertinax]

I know this is potentially problematic but the Australian taxpayer would rather his or her contributions be spent advancing the interests of Australia and Australians. This is not a xenophobic reaction, its a natural one.  If Australians need money to rebuild then why not cut foreign aid and spend the money in Queensland? 
Why should my tax dollars be given to Indonesia when they are badly needed here at home?

[Thaluikhain]

Why should my tax dollars be given to Indonesia when they are badly needed here at home?

Various political and/or trade concessions?  More cost-effective?

(Alternatively, why should NSW tax go to those Queenslanders...they are afraid of fluorine in the water, superstitious savages)

On a related note, is any money going to go to Perth?  Is having your house destroyed by a flood worse than having it destroyed by fire?

[Bookworm]

Why should my tax dollars be given to Indonesia when they are badly needed here at home?

You can't claim that as a stance, tax evader.

[Majorie]

I know this is potentially problematic but the Australian taxpayer would rather his or her contributions be spent advancing the interests of Australia and Australians. This is not a xenophobic reaction, its a natural one.  If Australians need money to rebuild then why not cut foreign aid and spend the money in Queensland? 
Why should my tax dollars be given to Indonesia when they are badly needed here at home?

If that is the case and Australians want all their tax payer dollars spent exclusively on the interests of Australians then you are right it's probably not a xenophobic reaction but it's still definitely a selfish one. There are so many countries a hell of a lot worse off than us and just because our country falls under some tough times (what we call tough times anyway) doesn't mean it's ok to drop foreign aid. The fact that he was initially proposing to drop aid to Africa I find unbelievable. 

The money is needed more in Indonesia than it is here.   

[Thaluikhain]

The money is needed more in Indonesia than it is here.   

Well...at least in Australia the money can be overseen by Australians...aid money sent overseas tends to drift around even worse than locally.

Though, yes, a stronger, more stable Indonesia is probrably a good thing for everyone in the region.

[Pertinax]

The money is needed more in Indonesia than it is here.   

I'm sure that brings comfort to everyone of those poor dispossessed people in Queensland who have paid taxes to the Australian government expecting them to provide for Australians only to have them spend it in Indonesia. (A country which harbours at least one extremist islamic group which have committed acts of voilent terror against Australians)

[Thaluikhain]

I'm sure that brings comfort to everyone of those poor dispossessed people in Queensland who have paid taxes to the Australian government expecting them to provide for Australians only to have them spend it in Indonesia.

The two aren't mutualy exclusive, though.

(A country which harbours at least one extremist islamic group which have committed acts of voilent terror against Australians)

That could be any nation, nowdays, though, if you loosen the definition of "terror" and "extremist".

[Pertinax]

Agreed Thal but if the government is spruiking a new levy because it needs the money to rebuild Queensland, why would it then not send the money it had ear marked for Indonesia to Queensland and not raise the levy? If the Government says it has no other option but to raise a levy they are defining them as mutually exclusive events. They are effectively saying you can pay more so that we can continue to send your tax dollars to Indonesia (and other foreign aid recipients).

[Lord Biscuit©]

What is this thing where Tony said "Certainly shit happens doesn't it"? I can't see what all the fuss is about. Because he said the word "shit"? Who are the media trying to kid?