Tony – In His Own Words Or I Never Realised How Many Things I Agree With!
This morning I started looking for a quote from Tony Abbott for this piece. Surprisingly, I came across many, many statements from him with which I wholeheartedly agree.
For example, “The great thing about the Coalition is you know exactly what you will get from the Coalition.”
Yep, he was pretty right on that one. I pretty much did know exactly what we’d get from the Coaltion…
And then I read the following:
“Let me just say of this government that it’s broken promises; that’s bad.”
“It’s the government that is faking things, fudging things and ultimately trying to deceive people.
“It’s my job between now and polling day to remind the Australian people just what a hopeless, unreliable, untrustworthy, dishonest, deceptive Government this has been. It just doesn’t get democracy.”
“A fake. An absolute fake, from start to finish.”
Unfortunately when I checked the dates, they were all made before the election and I realised that he wasn’t talking about his own government.
But I did find one interesting one made after the election.
TONY ABBOTT: “I think Christopher said ‘schools’ – plural – will get the same amount of money. The quantum will be the same.”
ANDREW BOLT: “I hear that. ‘Schools’, plural. People just saw the grab. They heard ‘school’, your ‘school’, singular, and I don’t understand why that promise was made. I would go a billion dollars into debt just to keep your promise. I don’t know why you don’t commit to it.”
TONY ABBOTT: “But Andrew, we are going to keep our promise. We are going to keep the promise that we actually made, not the promise that some people thought that we made or the promise that some people might have liked us to make. We’re going to keep the promise that we actually made.”
Which sounds fine, excerpt the promise to which he was referring was this:
Christopher Pyne: “You can vote Liberal or Labor and you will get exactly the same amount of funding for your school.” 2 August 2013
So that infamous “We are going to keep the promise that we actually made, not the promise that some people thought that we made or the promise that some people might have liked us to make,” should have actually read, “We’re keeping the promise I thought we made not the one we actually made.”
Which some pedantic people are sure to argue is the same thing as not keeping a promise at all, but, as Abe Lincoln said, you can’t please all of the people all of the time… Or was that “fool”?
Whatever, after Labor’s “back-flip” on the $20 Medicare cut, Mr Abbott cut short his holiday to do an interview. (By the way, Labor has apparently changed its mind because Shorten said that he’d “consider” the change… I can see how this can be considered a back-flip by the Liberals because when they say they’ll consider something – or pay one of their mates to hold an inquiry into the best course of action – they’ve already made up their mind!) And what started my search was this little snippet from Mr Abbott:
He called on his critics to provide their own budget savings if they continued to reject the government’s attempts to restore the budget to surplus and pay down the debt.
“We are serious about economic reform, we are serious about budget responsibility – is the Senate? That is the question; are they serious about economic reform and budget responsibility and if they don’t like what this governments doing tell us what their alternative is,” he said.
Now, I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that when he was Leader of the Opposition that he said something about Oppositions:
Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the government to account. And unless we are confident that a piece of legislation is beyond reasonable doubt in the national interest, it is our duty as the Opposition to vote it down.
I also seem to remember that he said that it wasn’t his job as Opposition Leader to come up with ideas for the Government, but I can’t find any actual quote. As soon as you put in anything for a Google search for an Abbott quote, all you get is stuff about climate change being crap, or a paid parental leave scheme being introduced over his dead body, or a bad boss being like a bad father, or virginity, or “the phrase WorkChoices being dead and buried”, so it’s been a long, depressing search.
Although I did find quite a few about not being afraid of a Double Dissolution, and, if the Senate held up necessary legislation, then they’d go to the people straight away. But maybe that was another one where we only thought we heard something, when what he really said was: “I’m going to cling onto being Prime Minister as long as I can because there’s no way that I’d survive an election campaign as Leader”
P.S. In spite of their determination to be a strong government, I note that they’ve backed down on the $20 short consultation too. Is that a “back-flip”? Perhaps, I should start a petition: “Tony – Stand Up To The Senate And Call An Election!” Some of his supporters would be silly enough to sign it!
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Return to home pageI expect that you might have to search through the liberal ‘deleted’ files to find the quotes you are after.
Sends the old brain into a bit of a spin Rossleigh.
The lies, paradoxes obfuscation and contradictions are legion and it’s so good the MSM have mad it their job to hold him to account.
Oh hang on a minute that can’t be right.
Unfortunately for Tony and his crew silence is golden.
Please, oh please, great Gombo in the sky teach my fellow citizens logic.
I’m sorry to say, to those who see the ALP as a “progressive” party, they have got much of it very wrong, and don’t seem to have a clue who actually supports them, now, nor, who was responsible for their successes over the years.
The capacity of Bill Shorten to forget the things that Abbott said pre the 2013 election is amazing.
The fact that he NEVER raises the “pre-election lies” as an issue, surprises me, though I am thoughtful that he was one of the architects of the demise of one of our top 5 achieving Prime Ministers, Julia Gillard.
I’m unsure if he thinks or sees himself, as being substantially different to the current occupant of the chair normally reserved for our prime minister, or whether he sees himself as a restored “great man” (such as Gough Whitlam, our last statesman), who will one day be seen to fill shoes that will not be refilled in any of our lifetimes.
But my take is that he is simply a career politician, who even in opposition draws a pretty good salary, and sees little real difference between him and Tony Abbott. Further, like the greatest proportion of the so called “representatives, for whom we pay dearly, they draw a very good pension, for life, once we get rid of them.
NOT ONE DAY went past before the 2013 election campaign, and plenty of other days as well, where Abbott didn’t raise the spectre of the “LIE” which was the carbon trading scheme. Not one day passes now, where Shorten even mentions the lies that Abbott told to ensure himself of a position in the life of Australia, as Brian Loughnane’s voice-box.
When Australia goes back to the polls in 2016, it is my sincere hope that throughout the country, enough people will take hope from the work of the Voice 4 Indi people, that they too see their way, to making a Voice 4 their electorate, and try to change our mind set, that only the ALP and the LNP can save us.
That is simply not true, as long as the big parties don’t get rid of all the public servants who actually do the job of running the country, since without them, both the ALP and the LNP, are screwed, and by extension, so are we, their employers, the people of Australia.
That’s not the only amazing thing, Scotchy. Do you remember the number of articles before the election that began with “The leader of the opposition said . . . “?
Either Shorten has nothing to say or the media aren’t giving him any oxygen. Or both. I’d say both. I had a look at the ALP website last week and guess what? He didn’t say much.
I see that nobody is available from the coalition to explain and clarify the Medicare changes for short consultations : that in itself is strange isn’t it ?
As I understand it the government are saying that ten minute (or less) consultations are not good medicine and any such consultation will have its Medicare rebate cut by $20 : from around $36 to $16 is that right ?
The objective it seems is to encourage longer consultations taking in to account the patient’s needs on a more holistic basis – check BP, and look at the general well being of the patient ( or should that be customer ) or in a motoring analogy, check the oil, check the tyres and clean the windscreen. All of which must exceed ten minute, say fifteen, to make it a viable proposition for the GP : is that right ?
Or, is it all about Abbott being able to say, the Labor Party and cross benches are being obstructionist in the Senate – perhaps it’s nothing to do with health at all and just politics and that’s why the government, having sown the seed of dissent, now refuse to put up anybody to explain what the hell is going on.
Where is Peta when we need her ?
Tis a sad reflection on the workers party. Yoo, hoo, Mr, Mrs, Ms Labor work conditions and wages are being eroded what are you going to do about it?
What was that can’t hear you? Now you don’t need to give away your policies but for heavens sake speak to us.
You get more sense on this site than on Labors website.
You know we the people, and all that, are the ones that provide your wages and conditions which seem to be improving while ours are tumbling.
Sort of makes us wonder a little.
You might get a little surprise at the next election if you do not form a reasonable consensus with the Greens.
Don’t you realize your visceral dislike of the Greens is turning many against you.
Hello in there there you mightn’t know it but there are frustrated people out here.
rossleigh,
You aren’t going to believe this but I was looking for the same quote myself after hearing Abbott ask what would they do about health.
I came across a very interesting interview with Abbott by Kerry O’Brien just after he was elected leader in December 2009
“the Liberal Party is liberated as of today to follow our natural instinct, which is to oppose the Government.”
“OK, can I also say this, Kerry: you know what I think happened today? We went from being a former Government to being a fair dinkum Opposition. The job of Oppositions is not to have the last word in every policy. The job of Oppositions is to subject the Government’s policy to scrutiny.”
It makes for interesting reading……
Well, I don’t think the Government has any serious policies to tackle the dysfunctional Federation, other than to try to bribe the states, and we know that bribing the states does not work. (Asset Recycling Fund?)
I was a minister for many years in the Howard Government. I know just how difficult it is to get the states to use Commonwealth money effectively. What I proposed in my book was that we should re-tweak this dysfunctional Federation to give the national Parliament the same power over the state parliaments that it’s long had over the territory parliaments – that all. Now, not all of my colleagues like this, and I’m not saying that it should be Coalition policy, but we do have to fix the dysfunctional Federation. We can either put the feds in charge, or we can give the states taxing powers commensurate with their spending responsibilities, and I don’t really think that’s a viable option. (Gee that tune has changed).
TONY ABBOTT re compensation for carbon tax: It’s a giant money-go-round. I mean, what is the point? It looks, at this point in time, to be a great big tax to provide a great big slush fund to produce great big handouts administered by an enormous bureaucracy. (GST anyone?)
It looks like a mechanism for a political slush fund more than it does as a mechanism to help the environment. (Medical Research Fund?)
Well, I’m not gonna try to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes – women’s or anyone else’s. I will be myself. I will not try to remake myself. (So you really are that tanned?)
I make the point that people who can’t work for whatever reason will always have the generous safety net that they deserve in Australia. (uh huh…..)
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2759022.htm
‘Hands off Medicare!’ is what Labor should be saying and campaigning on.
$7, $20,….its the beginning of the ‘death by a thousand cuts’.
And they sneak these things in by ministerial fiat.
Dishonesty is the best policy.
They should also commit to university funding. That would be a good way to get a lot of young people registered.
And push action on climate change and renewable energy. The world is making their case for them.
And crack down on corporate tax evasion.
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Section 18c is off the table.
Section 18c to be revisited.
I'm getting dizzy.
” I’m voting for Liberal because Abbott can do a pull up.”
If the pull-ups existed when Abbott was a toddler, I’m sure he could not even pull them up, I bet his mum did… Sad.
This was all so depressing that I left Australia temporarily – online that is – to start on my latest MOOC: ‘Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate’.
I just came back to suggest that if you want to join me, just type that title into your search engine, and you’ll discover that there are actually people doing wonderful things out there in the world. If you haven’t got much time at the moment, try this as a taste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_xET5iZSy0
On the other hand if you want to be reminded of the neocon world, there’s the latest episode of ‘Years of Living Dangerously’ on SBS On Demand, featuring the lives of the poor people of the Rockaways trying to regain their lives after Super Storm Sandy . . .
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Seems Abbott doesn't have a problem with Charlie Hebdo.
But big daddy Murdoch does :
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/01/14/new-york-times-public-editor-criticizes-paper-for-not-publishing-latest-charlie-hebdo-cover/
Of course all the Murdoch print media (and others) in Australia published the Charlie Hebdo cover because they believe in freedom of the press and will not be cowed by terrorists.
Interesting that some are now arguing that some media outlets are not into freedom of speech by their decisions about not reproducing the Charles Hedbo cartoons.
Surely freedom of speech also includes the right to not publish if one chooses to!
Tony Abbott definately said the words “It’s not up to the opposition to do the governements work for it” or something along those lines whilst Abbott was in opposition. Good luck in trying to find it but HE DEFINATELY SAID IT!!!!
Also it is worth noting that when he was at a lecturn making a speech he commented this “With my hand on my heart….blah blah blah” where he actually put his hand on his heart but as soon as it came to the crux of his reply, his hand came off his heart whereby he finished the important, relevant part of his reply. I’d like a copy if anyone can find it….along with what the question asked of him was. (sorry I can’t remember all the details. It just struck me whilst it was happening at the interview)
Sneaky, shifty, untrustworthy, lier!!!
Melton….
This is an excellent reminder of how shallow and hypocritical our current PM is. And he pilloried JG!
He should have stayed in the seminary where he was well qualified to lord over 800 million rather than a pitiful 20 million.
As Albino Luciani commented when he got the big gig, “I have noticed two things that seem to be in very short supply in the Vatican. Honesty and a good cup of coffee”. Unfortunately, Albino was sorted out soon after.
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Rossleigh
The hypocrisy comes when the leaders of the free world join hands and walk down the street in support of liberty (freedoms).
Why didn't the media ignore them ?
Lizzieconnor: Great Video. Gives you hope.
John , one Israeli publication did ignore some of them : the women were airbrushed out !
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/14/israeli-newspaper-hamevaser-merkel-women-charlie-hebdo-rally?CMP=ema_632
Yes thanks, Stephen. I knew my post was strictly irrelevant but sometimes I need a bit of hope to keep me going.
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http://www.theage.com.au/comment/not-without-fear-or-favour-how-the-worlds-media-lost-their-nerve-after-paris-20150114-12nqjo.html
…and now the Abbott government done yet another backflip and I must say I am relieved, due to the requirements of the pain medication I am on I must go to my GP monthly. I don’t want attend so frequently, nor do many people in similar situations, yet we were the primary target in Abbott’s un-promised reforms.
How does attacking the least powerful in our society work out to be such a goal for Tony Abbott? How does this save money? Where is the overall plan to show just how money is to be saved and just how this savings is to be utilised?
If this little exercise was to put a stop to the bulk-billing churn of patients in those large clinics – why were these clinics not investigated instead of an open-slather one size fits all approach to the bulk billing system?
Yes, they have ‘cut and run’ re changes to rebate. It’s what happens when you put a woman in charge.
She couldn’t stand the heat. LOL.
(Truth is, Abbott would have ordered her to do just that because the polling would have shown it was a political disaster. And the Senate would have disallowed the regulation anyway. It would have caused ‘chaos’.
But people should remember what their intentions are.)
The backflip is correcting “unforeseen consequences” in the Medicare fiddling : essentially that means that it hadn’t been thought through by Peter Dutton before it was announced.
The Minister also said that the backflip was recognising “misinformation ” in the public arena which is a little cheeky as the government had purposefully avoided explaining, justifying or clarifying their proposed changes.
I think the Health Department heads have briefed the new Minister and told her that this was a crock from the start and it was merely dreamt up by Dutton to annoy the AMA, GP’s and the public.
Having acquired the mantel of worst Health Minister ever, Dutton now seeks to be the second worst Immigration Minister ever. With Dutton running immigration I really feel concern for those poor folk locked away on Manus ( no running water, no showers, no toilets, no laundry facilities ) or Nauru.
Terry2, yes, but they neglected to mention that the misinformation was put out by them!
And give Dutton time… He could still prove himself to be the worst Immigration Minister. Tough one to beat I know, but Dutton could combine indifference AND incompetence!
Perhaps they were ‘operational’ matters? And should not be available for public scrutiny.
I pity the current minister who will have to carry the can for this backflip with pike. Hockey will be irate because the ‘savings’ evaporate once again.
It’s hilarious!
I see they’re blaming Labor over the Medicare fiasco. “Why can’t the opposition come up with an alternative?” they moan.
Sorry, but Labor does have an alternative. It’s called Medicare. Untouched.
I am sad to have to say this but I have to agree that Shorten is nothing but a trumped up public servant who has secured the top job in the opposition camp where he is happy to bury himself before the next election. I doubt that he wants to be PM, the only reason he switched camps against Julia Gillard was that he knew he would have to resign along with all the others if he didn’t. I hate saying this as I am a longstanding Labor voter and will remain so, reluctantly at this stage, if only to ensure the Liberals don’t get back in, but this does not make me a happy Australian at the moment.
Yes juliefarthing, those ‘public servants’ are hopeless, lazy bastards, aren’t they. Particularly the ones who work in hospitals, schools and the like.
By the way, to the best of my knowledge, Bill Shorten was never a public servant. Prior to becoming a union official, he was a lawyer in the private sector. But perhaps he has aspirations? Just sayin ..
Headlines,Libs drop co payents.Lies by omission,again[still].I listened to new health minister[caps deliberately ignored] and what I heard her say ,was that she was going to consult about resetting their original plans with Dr’s, but their original for some reasonable co-payment.What is a reasonable amount? I suppose it depends,whether your income is $ 300,00 or $14,000. These jerks seem to get the amount real pensioners get ,with the amounts their politicians get.Sorry lost the thread,listening to SBS in back ground.’Opposition drops Medicare cuts”.Sorry I don’t read it that way.Liarbrils have only said that they are putting on hold.The right has ,had,and always will desire have the destruction of Medicare and PBS in mind, and to say different is to put bad tasting medicne in a big bowl of sugar,which only mask the taste,but not really make it go away.M Feeney,
They keep showing this aspect, this Godzilla rampage on the polity, then they back away meekly when reality (or the Senate) catches up with them.
The citizenry has seen though this Jekyll and Hyde act ( mixing metaphors, I know) and the LNP ‘brand’ is toxic.
Why the hell labor picked Shorten over Albenese is beyond me. Albo has the balls to tackle Abbott head on. At the moment the independents seem to be doing the heavy lifting.
Whoever they picked was probably thought to a seat warmer till after the next election. Littler did they know at that stage how badly Abbott would do!
And by the time they realised, they couldn’t change leaders again. Still, I thought Albo was the people’s choice for leader, but the caucus overruled that (don’t know much about party machinations).
BTW, Abbott made his “not the role of the opposition” quote during his first media conference after becoming leader in December 2009. Found it on http://www.australianconservative.com. Would post a direct link but for some reason my iPad keeps rejecting it……..
Terry2January 15, 2015 at 2:43 pm
“The Minister also said that the backflip was recognising “misinformation ” in the public arena which is a little cheeky as the government had purposefully avoided explaining, justifying or clarifying their proposed changes.”
Does anybody know if the media asked what the ‘misinformation’ was or did they just let it go as usual?
Re Abbott on it not being the job of opposition leader to come up with ideas: apparently he was quoting Randolph Churchill in ‘Battlelines’ : ‘our current Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott In his book Battlelines (doesn’t the title alone tell us a lot about this man), Abbott confirms his adherence to Randolph Churchill’s dictum: “Oppositions should oppose everything, suggest nothing, and turf the government out.” He has followed this to the letter. He would assert that he is doing only what all opposition leaders have done’. I have copied this from http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/author/Ad-astra.aspx/rate/4?page=72 , a blog post from ‘Ad Astra’