From my younger days, I have this memory of someone pushing me. They were heavier and there was no way I was going to win a contest of strength, so I did the only thing I could think of: I moved back faster than they were moving forward and did a neat little side-step. With nothing to push against, they fell flat on their face.
Watching Tony Abbott over the past week, that memory suddenly flashed into my head, because it works pretty well as a metaphor for his time as PM. While there was a government to push against, he was very successful, but now he’s the government the pushing just lands him flat on his face.
If we had a dollar for every time we’ve heard the phrase “the mess we inherited”, not only would the Budget be in surplus, but we could bail out Greece (or “Greek”, as Alan Jones referred to it in an interview, where he talked about the problems of “Greek, Italy, and Turkey.)
“Labor have no ideas for reducing the deficit,” moan the Liberals, as if being in Opposition makes it mandatory for you to actually suggest the proper way forward. Not that I don’t think that it isn’t reasonable to suggest things from Opposition; it’s more that the Government would repeat its “We have no choice” mantra to any suggestions from the Opposition. (There is a rumour that Tony meant it when he said “Workchoices” was dead – it’s being replaced with “Worknochoice, even if you’re old or disabled because we believe in fairness.”
And speaking of fairness, I must say that Tony’s use of the word “holocaust” in relation to jobs had a certain element of … well, could I say a man under pressure:
“Under members opposite defence jobs in this country declined by 10 per cent. There was a holocaust of jobs in defence industries under members opposite.”
Before the Opposition could even raise a point of order, Mr Abbott continued, withdrawing the remark.
“That’s what there was Madame Speaker, jobs, jobs, jobs, I’m sorry if I, I’m sorry and I withdraw Madame Speaker. There was a decimation of jobs.”
I’m sorry if I, I’m sorry and I withdraw Madame Speaker.
One wonders what he was going to say with the “If I…” that wasn’t finished. Oh perhaps it was just a pause and it should have no comma be written as: “I’m sorry if I’m sorry and I withdraw, Madame Speaker”.
Of course, the PM was defending the rise in unemployment figures by attacking Labor. One wonders what he’d do if Labor suddenly announced that they’d taken everything he said to heart and were disbanding the Party and there’d be no Opposition at the next election.
In fact, I wonder if we all said, we’re right behind you Tony, nobody’s going to oppose anything you do. How long do you think you’ll need to put your plan into practice?
And, by the way, what exactly is your plan?
Or is that like the “Who are you?” question.
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crikey, just witnessed the Abbott’s flippant use of the holocaust in his public behaviour
i guess that means we will hear more on the Abbott’s knowledge on the holocaust, should be funny, but the insult on this matter precludes laughing
six million people across Europe where rounded up and murdered using an industrial process by a politician directing bureaucrats
Love the metaphor to pushing back and falling flat. Sums him up to a tee.
As I commented somewhere earlier in the week a psychologist once told me, if you pre empt a criticism it leaves the criticiser with no ammunition! Completely takes the wind out of their sails!
Would also be interesting to see Abbott’s reaction if Bill started with, “although under Labor there was debt and deficit…….”
But my first thoughts when I saw Abbott blowharding about the 2 imprisoned alleged
(I don’t have Parliamentary privilege and wouldn’t abuse it anyway because I believe in law and order)
terrorists, was Godwin Grech!
Abbott is clearly so desperate to prove he is worthy! To be something beyond his capabilities…. that is a Prime Minister. To garner respect by being disrespectful to prove he is tough and right on top of things!
And by God, if these bloody muslims won’t come to the party and give me something to prove I am good at war things then I’ll push them to bring it on!!!
A very sad little psychopath is Tones!
CHAIR: I think it is really wrong to refer to people as climate deniers.
Senator LUDLAM: I know that offends you, Senator Bernardi.
CHAIR: It is a pejorative slur. It is a disgrace. I know it is targeted at me. I am quite proud of my scepticism of all the alarmism that you have peddled for many years. Still, if you want to have a crack at me, have a crack at me privately, Senator Ludlam.
Senator LUDLAM: I am sorry I hurt your feelings, Senator Bernardi-
CHAIR: You have not hurt my feelings.
Senator LUDLAM: It was absolutely not directed at you.
CHAIR: I think it is a really inappropriate term. The words ‘denier’ and ‘denial’ are linked to one of the most grotesque periods in human history. I think there is a deliberately slur attached to it.
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/estimates/coalition-driving-renewable-energy-investment-overseas
Always enjoy reading your articles. If it wasn’t so en pointe I would laugh. Everyday I think it can’t get any worse … And it does. Can anyone tell me what Abbott and his government have actually achieved this week?
oh crap, I can’t fix my post
“if you pre empt a criticism it leaves the criticiser with no ammunition! Completely takes the wind out of their sails!”
This is classic debating technique and the role of the first speaker – anticipate the opposition’s arguments, concede their strengths and attack their weaknesses, taking the wind from their sails and preparing the way for the second speaker to present your arguments.
As a teacher, I never put teenagers in confrontation situations in front of their friends. If necessary I would have them wait outside and then I would speak to them in our book-room (read storeroom where I put a couple of comfortable chairs). A friend who is principal of a tricky school in the western suburbs of Sydney gets angry kids to wait in her office, suggesting they put pieces into a large jigsaw puzzle on the table until they are ready to talk to her without swearing.
You put it so well rossleigh, give them nothing to push against – ask instead how they will walk on their own two feet and lead us all forward. Question Time is a waste of time – a stage that Tony enjoys. Ask no questions. Don’t turn up. Deny he and Bronwyn their stage. Instead, spend the time conversing with the community, the ones who can’t pay $5,000 to go to a party function.
the Abbott achieved this week the goal of introducing his own sole view on the industrial murder of six million people
Or use Question Time to ask, “Can the prime Minister answer any question without using the word ‘Labor’?” After his answer, the Opposition could suggest that he improve his productivity by just saying, “No”!
June they made greater fools of themselves..if thats possible. Incidentally C Uhlmann tweeted after the Holocaust disgrace Abbott had a slip of the tongue. This started an exchange thus
Twitter
Mari R @randlight 3h3 hours ago
C Ulhmann “It was a slip of tongue”.. but PM will regret using this form of words there was a “Holocaust of jobs in Defence industries
David @davidjoepat
@randlight @CUhlmann of course want us to believe PM’s Holocaust description was ‘slip of the tongue’. Mr Uhlmann treats us as Abbott does!!
Reply to @randlight @CUhlmann
Mari R @randlight 3h3 hours ago
@davidjoepat @CUhlmann So true David they are mates!!!
Terry McConville @tasterking 3h3 hours ago
@davidjoepat @randlight @CUhlmann @cuhlmann Thinks we are all as stupid as he is !!!
Mari R @randlight 3h3 hours ago
@tasterking @davidjoepat @CUhlmann Agree but we are not
Excellent comments all. I tried to tweet the Scott Ludlum renewable energy estimates but it wouldn’t work for me. I am an amateur so…think lots of twerps should watch it and see Senator Ludlum foresnsically reveal what a biased set-up it was. Bernardi paid $1,500 per day to Chair this farcical so-called review. Hope someone can put it on twitter for me.
abbott knows you can vilify, insult, offend anyone.. except the jews.
I have sent Abbotts comment re ‘holocaust’ and his lame excuse for a withdrawal to several Jewish news outlets in UK and US. It is time the real world discovered what a bastard we have destroying the countries name and others, as he does.
I think Abbott has lost it, not only the offensive holocaust remarks which, in the context of the point he was trying to make, are totally inappropriate but also the unwarranted and personal attack on the head of the Human Rights Commission.
I’ve had a look at the report and it is not in any way partisan and would have made the same findings & recommendations no matter who was in government. Abbott asks where were the Human Rights Commission when people drowned at sea ……..what on earth has that got to do with the incarceration of children in detention centres.
Surely, even the most one-eyed conservative would have to part ways with Abbott on this one.
WELL DONE David …. so glad you have done this – to spread the word about Scabbotts latest blatent disregard for people – ANY people ( other than himself and his cronies ). … I will find ways to do same myself.
“Slip of the tongue” my arse. …. He is ( paradoxically – think about it ) …. a Jesuit inspired Catholic, therefore, all Jewish are most likely persona non grata. …. Yet he ‘claims’ to be a follower of Christ – who was …….. Jewish. ……. yes – JEWISH.
The word ‘holocaust’ is sacrosanct to many – including many Christians. … In particular, it refers to the indescribable slaughter of 6 million+ Jews in WWII. … I honestly cannot recall in my 73 years of life on this planet, EVER hearing anyone use that word to describe a secular, fiscal, or political situation in any country.
It would be my bet, he’s used that word quite a few times, to embellish some point or other he is making.
That is NO ‘slip of the tongue’. … it comes from deep in the subconscious, which is where he ( we all actuallly ) live. Now he cannot unring the bell.
So much for ” I have learned, we will act, I will be consultative ” … and ” a near death experience” .( ref. the Monday spill motion )… OMG … come on – ” near death experience ” ???? A load of crap – it’s what he would delight in. …… he delights in fighting ( never mind whether for right or wrong ), in being a bully, in being noticed ( for whatever reason – it doesn’t matter to him ) … and in trying his level best to dumb down and frighten people into submission. … He knows no better.
May I leave you with one little verse :
” How odd of God to choose the Jews,
But not so odd,
As those who choose a Jewish God,
And spurn the Jews “.
I have no idea who first wrote that …… but it is very much evident, in everything this monster does.
Abbutt head of Australia:
a man a plan a canal panama
Annie B,
Try William Norman Ewer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Norman_Ewer
I hope Abbott is proud of his performance in parlament today,can someone enlighten me to the reference of the word Holocaust ,to the loss of jobs,
Then he accused the Human Rights commission of bias in their reporting into the treatment of children in
detention,take politics out of this ,we need a royal commission,let the children out.
Then right on que those Terrorists raised their ugly heads again,telling all the details in parlament, this grub really gets pleasure from spreading fear and hate,we have more to fear from tihs government than any one elese,
It is clear he is becoming more dangerous,deranged,and desperate ,every day ,he has lost whatever he had
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Australia
Yes, not exactly a new situation.
There are many shoot ups as we.. Two that come to mind are Port Arthur and shooting in a Strathfield shopping mall.
http://youtu.be/JjDgOoD-eDc
To My Say ~
Holocaust ( “destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war.”) and synonyms : ,,,,, ” cataclysm, disaster, catastrophe, destruction, devastation, demolition, annihilation,” bears no resemblance whatsoever to the loss of jobs – which has been going on since Adam was a pup.
While it is often of seemingly insurmountable turmoil to those who lose their jobs, ( and I do not denigrate that situation at all ) it does NOT equate to the monstrous evil that was present in Poland / Germany / Austria and many other countries in Europe, in WWll – it cannot touch the diabolical deprivation, cruelty, incarceration, inhumanity and death by the most evil of methods, of the holocaust.
There have been variances in job losses – depending upon many situations, particularly political — but also fiscal, global, over decades / centuries. … And we all know that. ( that is except Abbott – who denies everything – when it suits him ).
——–
I earlier came across the accusations made by this ‘renewed’ – ” I’m-going-to-be-better” Prime Monster, where he actually today said the Human Rights Commission is biased – against HIS Government ? A “blatently partisan politicised exercise” he said…. I knew he didn’t have much of a brain, and very little heart …. but does he possess a soul ? Is there a human, or humanity in there somewhere ? …. all he could spruike was ‘we stopped the boats’ … and then turned around and blamed Labor – YET AGAIN ???????
“I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition this favour – I’m going to do him this favour – there won’t be a royal commission into children in detention, because if there were…it would condemn [Labor],” he said.
Doing a favour ??? …. of COURSE, there won’t be a Royal Commission into this matter. ,…. Because this government would come out smelling, not of roses, but more like a cess pit, or community rubbish dump ( to put it politely ).
——–
I think I’d best stop here, before I do some very bad damage to my office, computer – and probably half my home. …. I – and so many others – are outraged at the offensive behaviour, remarks, and stance by this fascist monster who uttered more lies early this week – post spill time. !!! “How much better he would be, and how much he’d learned” ………. Grrr …… P f f t and a whole heap of cow manure.
Look at the big picture. Abbott recently had a ‘near death experience’, to use his own words. He almost lost the leadership.
What ‘worked’ in Opposition, in terms of popularity’ is not working in Government. It’s not working with the electorate (look at the polls) and therefore it’s not working internally with his own party. The backbenchers (and others) are in revolt. Simply he’s in deep sh#t. And he, and his close advisors, know it.
So what to do?
The answer, apparently, is to behave as he did in Opposition. That is create ‘demons’, vilify them, and then ‘attack’, ‘attack’ and then ‘attack’ some more. It’s always worked for Abbott.
Today it was Gillian Triggs who became the enemy.
Tomorrow who knows. But one can be certain. that Abbott et al will persist in a fear campaign.
What was Abbott’s worse effort today. Showing no concern for children, that have been abused, even sexually abused in detention camps. His slip on unemployment figures. His lying about PEFO and $48 billion debt.
One does not have to ask him any questions during QT. Just announce, that Abbott never answers anything asked of him, the Opposition will concentrate on questioning ministers.
Fiona ……
Thank you for that link. …. Now I know.
Apparently words were added to it, over a period of time. …
But it rings a strident bell with me – I do think it’s ‘odd’ that we choose ( those of us who have Christian religion and beliefs ) a Jewish God and spurn the Jews.
All rather messed up though, wasn’t it – overall. … An American, ‘Cecil Browne’ allegedly completed the rebuttal.
If the Human Rights Commission is correct, and I believe it is reporting facts, there are hundreds of damaged kids being released into the community, who will not be able to cope, unless they get the help they need.
I wonder how many future terrorist are being created.
The perpetrators should not be allowed to walk away.
Abbott seems to believe none of this is his responsibility.
David Marles this morning had a different response to the matter. Which by the way, has not got much noticed, since his interview early this morning.
Abbott is more likely to be hiding behind the shit house, that stood in the grounds of my school many decades ago. One of those very smelly ones, that consist of a hole in the ground and wooden seat.
This walking national embarrassment is not improving since beginning “good government” a few days ago. Why are his party members so spineless and frightened to stand up for our national reputation? They blather about the “Anzac spirit” when it suits their xenophobic politics but lack the courage to deal with this twit. Shame on the LNP. It will soon go into the dustbin of history along with its conservative forebears.
“(I don’t have Parliamentary privilege and wouldn’t abuse it anyway because I believe in law and order)”
He sure does.
Must think it is OK to tell the world, inside and out side parliament, the police case against the two men arrested yesterday.
Yes, believes in separation of powers.
Believes in the right to be considered innocence until found guilty.
His actions could see these men walk free.
Abbott has no respect for law and order,
Has no respect for societies conventions.
No respect for the rights of others.
I wonder if he has any respect for himself.
@ Florence …
It is not really possible for anybody to respect anyone, or anything else – if they do not respect themselves.
Ergo – Abbott has not one iota of respect for himself.
………
@ Bilal …..
I frankly think, his cronies in the Government are in fact quite afraid of the little twerp. … With the exception of maybe one or two.
I wonder what they know that we don’t. …….. I’ll bet it’s plenty.
“I wonder if we all said, we’re right behind you Tony, nobody’s going to oppose anything you do. How long do you think you’ll need to put your plan into practice?
And, by the way, what exactly is your plan?”
Joshua Kurlantzick, writing at the nonpartisan Council of Foreign Relations, has observed much the same thing:
“Abbott’s policies have been all over the map, and the lack of coherence has often made the prime minister seem ill-informed and incapable of understanding complex policy issues.”
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2015/02/05/tony-abbott-has-to-go/
Bring on the clowns
Bring on the clowns,
Those old Fascist clowns.
Don’t worry,
They’re HERE!
Every time the LNP bully boys fall flat they look for someone else to blame and go after them.
They are utterly without insight, conscience or shame. This was amply demonstrated by their appalling attacks on the Human Rights Commission and Gillian Trigg.
Is it ok to characterise some current right wing parties as having Fascist attributes?
YES! And the LNP is one of them.
We are seeing a worldwide resurgence of Fascism. Only this time its not Corporatism, run by the state, it is Corpocracy; with the state run by corporations.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “Fascism as :
An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organisation”.
(In general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practices.
From Italian fascismo, from fascio ‘bundle, political group’, from Latin fascis.
Fasces: A bundle of rods with a projecting axe blade, carried by a lictor in ancient Rome as a symbol of a magistrate’s power, and used as an emblem of authority in Fascist Italy.” Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
Fascism as based on the tight bundling together of corporate and state power with the estates of law, church, the media and social organisations.
“The term Fascism was first used of the totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of Mussolini in Italy (1922–43); the regimes of the Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also Fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach.” OED
Fascism is a romantic reaction against The Enlightenment and Democracy. It is disgusted by notions of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”.
Some quotes from the father of Fascism, Benito Mussolini aka il Duce or Ill Douche Bag:
“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”
“The definition of fascism is the marriage of corporation and state ”
“Many think, and I myself am one of them, that capitalism is scarcely at the beginning of its story.”
“Capitalism has borne the monstrous burden of the war and today still has the strength to shoulder the burdens of peace. ………
It is not simply and solely an accumulation of wealth, it is an elaboration, a selection, a co-ordination of values which is the work of centuries. …”
“Democracy is a kingless regime infested by many kings who are sometimes more exclusive, tyrannical and destructive than one, even if he be a tyrant.”
“Socialism is a fraud, a comedy, a phantom, a blackmail.”
“Fascism, which was not afraid to call itself reactionary… does not hesitate to call itself illiberal and anti-liberal.” Benito Mussolini
Fascism is ant-humanitarian, fearful of social progress and disdainful of the scientific methods of understanding the world. It is essentially chauvanistic, sexist, elitist, overtly homophobic and irrational.
In identifying all that is good with a tribal “us” Fascism lends itself to scapegoating and dehumanisation. It tends to blame all societal problems on “them,” and presupposes a conspiracy of cosmopolitan and intellectual evildoers which emasculates and humiliates the idealised racial core group of the nation. To solve society’s problems one need only unmask the conspirators and eliminate them.
Ahh. Cat Stevens. I do indeed remember the days of the old school yard. As one of the smaller kids, and not very good at cricket either, I suffered more than I felt I deserved whilst outside. Blew them away inside though, and by some miracle grew big enough to even extract some physical revenge later on. Only in small measure, mental payback is far more pleasurable.
I clicked through Question Time on Aunty just in time to see Tones’s cock-up of the day. WOW.
For my own edification, and just to check, I went to Wikipedia for a definition.
“Etymology and use of the term. Main article: Names of the Holocaust. The term holocaust comes from the Greek word holókauston, referring to an animal sacrifice offered to a god in which the whole (olos) animal is completely burnt (kaustos).[15] Writing in Latin, Richard of Devizes, a 12th-century monk, was the first recorded chronicler to use the term “holocaustum” in Britain.[16] Sir Thomas Browne employed the word “holocaust” in his philosophical Discourse Urn Burial in 1658[17] and for centuries, the word was used generally in English to denote great massacres. Since the 1960s, the term has come to be used by scholars and popular writers to refer specifically to the Nazi genocide of Jews.”
So now I know 2 new from things today.
(1) Holocaust doesn’t just refer to “The Holocaust”, although it probably should if only by sheer weight of numbers.
(2) tony abbott is about as low a version of human kind as I have ever heard speak. He is completely lacking in any moral fibre, intelligence, humanity and respect for humankind in general.
Mrs abbott, Marge? (how apt, except that Homer J is smarter, even in 2D) mus really sweat every morning when she sends her 3 daughters and that miserable excuse for a man she describes as her husband off for their days out.
The notes pinned to the girls’ jumpers would read “Don’t do anything to embarrass your father”
The note pinned, upside down so that he can read it more easily, to Tones’s jacket reads “Don’t do anything stupid before you get home” which he would be trying to read as he walks off the path and into the rose bushes. Again.
She must sigh as she close the door behind him.
If I can ask one thing of the Heavens, it is to have him replaced before Anzac Day 2015. As the 100th Anniversary of this momentous occasion, and given abbott’s propensity for putting his foot in his mouth with the greatest effect when on the most public of stages, to wit his speech at the signing of the FTA with Japan, his speech welcoming whoever it was from Britain at the G20 last year, and his much publicised statements regarding Climate Change Science and Global Warming, PLEEEEEEEASE can he not be at Gallipoli come April.
This is also ignoring the fact that he is a to-n-from anyway, and as such should not be our PM, whether he has renounced his British Citizenship (ROFLMAO) or not.
Again Abbott has pounced on a suspected terrorism arrest of two men in Sydney : we know that he does this for diversionary purposes and also to repeat his ‘ I’ll keep Australia safe’ mantra.
Just stop it ! Abbott, you are interfering with judicial processes for personal, grubby political reasons – it has to stop.
it seems some here still actually believe the fairy tale that is the jewish telling of the war.
http://www.barnesreview.org/the-holocaust-hoax-exposed-debunking-the-20th-century%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s-biggest-lie-p-552.html?cPath=80_79_46
http://zioncrimefactory.com/the-six-million-myth/
given the crimes committed by israel today – will impunity it seems, because of the guilt … ?? these poor victims must be allowed to perpetuate their own crimes against humanity, their own assasignations, their own ethnic cleansing, because they remain forever, the poor victims.
Perjury, defamation and cultural insensitivity of the highest order. And thats all in one day.
Perhaps, like Basil Fawlty, he will keep on uttering Nazi comments and finally go goose-stepping into oblivion.
It is possible that Abbott’s use of the word “holocaust” was planned by spin doctors and intentional.
A significant proportion of the public are not attentive to news and have short memories so to get their attention Abbott uses a word with connotations that will create a sensation which will be noticed and remembered. He has now made a link in many peoples minds between Labor, jobs and holocaust and that may be what he intended.
For those who have no interest in politics and for whom all information comes through the filter of the Murdoch press slogans and word associations may determine votes.
“The Rhodes Scholarships are postgraduate awards supporting outstanding all-round students at the University of Oxford, and providing transformative opportunities for exceptional individuals.”
Well that was a fail ,
an outstanding all-round student. didn’t tick that box
transformative fail, always been an obnoxious arsehole
exceptional individual, he is not, but we do take exception with him
The refuge of scoundrels, keep the populace alarmed and thence clamorous to be led to safety. While your policies on the real important stuff like defence, health, education et al are a lottery depending on who is espousing them. Not only Abbott has to go the whole lot of them are hapless and hopeless.
Abbott has painted himself into a corner, psychologically.
I saw him say, not three days ago that … “we can win the next election, if we concentrate on Labor we can win the election I beat Rudd, I beat Gillard, the only thing I cannot beat is the Liberal Party”. Does he remember the National Party, that without this party he would not be where he is?
He is so involved in fighting Labor that he is not aware of much else and barely able to contain what comes out of his mouth.
The bloke is out of his ground, or mind.
I saw that same interview, Tones is so focused on Labor and he thinks it’s all about beating the opposition
back then, now and into the future, I believe it’s called Labor Bashing, he is like dog with a bone.
But I compare it to a date, and all they can talk about and blame for all their woes is the ex over dinner
hence there is no second date, because they are living in the past and have one fixation their enemy,
shows what sort of character they have……and that is none…
” I beat Rudd, I beat Gillard”. That is a lie. He never beat Gillard – she beat him on every single level. It is history being rewritten large even before the ink has dried on the true version!
Awabakal, with your indulgence, if I may I will make a slight change to one word in your excellent comment. In the last sentence I would substitute or for is.
He has proved it beyond any doubt to me, by his actions leading up to and since the ballot last Monday. I honestly had little doubt prior but I am now completely convinced.
This physco Abbott is stark raving bonkers!!