Dear Liberal MPs,
I know that many of you are thinking that you can’t turn on a TV at the moment – so ask one of your staff to do it for you. Once you’ve mastered that modern technology, you’ll probably notice how many of the news stories are either about some stranger coming to a spectacular end, or else the stories are speculating about the less than spectacular end of Tony Abbott as Prime Minister.
Of course you know about the recent opinion poll where Tony Abbott’s approval rating was a mere 23%. You obviously know because I’m refering to the one conducted amongst Liberal Party MPs. His approval rating was much higher amongst the Cabinet, but there’s speculation that was only because he voted for himself as well as allowing Peta to stand beside people as they voted.
And, of course, we all know about how Tony Abbott refused that invitation to campaign in the Queensland election. The fact that it came from the Labor Party shouldn’t have mattered. Whichever way you look at it, his absence looks just as bad as his presence. Surely he could have done what he did with the Adelaide bushfires – gone there for just long enough to have three photos taken, then been back in Sydney by lunchtime! It would have stopped this ridiculous rumour that he’s frightened to go to Queensland because people would expect him to go swimming and he’s scared of either the jellyfish or the pollution from all the dredging.
But I’m pleading with you to remember your principles and stick with Tony. Don’t think that your problems will disappear if you were to elect someone less inclined to make stupid comments like Joe Hockey, someone more charismatic like Eric Abetz, someone less prone to hysterical overreaction like Christopher Pyne, or someone with a greater grasp of modern technology and metadata like George Brandis. As Tony put it, there are lessons to be learned from changing the leader. After all, if the change from Rudd to Gillard back to Rudd teacher didn’t teach us of the dangers of changing the Prime Minister, then certainly the change of Rudd to Abbott should have shown us once and for all, that changing the leader is a move that will end in tears.
No, you owe it to yourselves to give Tony what he asked for at the end of 2014 – a fresh start in 2015. Ok, I suspect that most you interpreted that as being from the beginning of 2015, but that’s not the promise he made, that’s only the promise that you thought he made. I think that you should definitely wait until Tony has made that fresh start, in whichever month he chooses.
As Abbott himself said, when he took over the leadership:
“There are some wounds that need to be healed. I have said to my colleagues that I will do my best to be a consultative and collegial leader…
“Political parties don’t work when people just announce what they’re doing and expect everyone else to follow. I will not be that kind of leader.”
And, eventually, he won’t. Eventually he’ll work out that when he announces something almost nobody will follow. And he won’t expect it any more. I mean, there are signs that he is learning. There are many, many things that he didn’t announce because he knew that people would like them. By just quietly slipping them through, and not announcing them, nobody knows what you’ve cut or quietly slipped in while they were having Christmas lunch.
Remember, Tony is a man who is capable of learning from his mistakes, so it’s obvious that he’s learnt more in twelve months than most PM’s would learn in their entire career.
And even if you don’t believe me, I’m appealling to you to remember what you said in the past about Rudd being the elected PM and that it wasn’t up to the faceless men of the Labor Party to determine the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard needed to go to an election before she could be considered our leader. I clearly remember that, and you needn’t think that the public won’t have a similar reaction to any attempt to dispose of Tony. As Rupert Murdoch’s paper said before the election, “We Need Tony”. And I really think that we do need Tony. I think that he’s one of the best things we have going at the moment.
So please, please don’t change leaders. I implore you.
Kind Regards,
B. Shorten
So funny. Pity that both parties have not realised that many Aussies want both Labor and Liberals gone because they are mostly corrupt liars.
Is Tony Abbott really a Labor Party plant meant to finish off conservatives.
Is Bill Shorten an LNP insider meant to sleep his way to irrelevance.
You do invite weird and wonderful speculation Rossleigh.
Maybe the world really is flat and the stars are Christmas lights.
Maybe we are all dreamers dreaming and in reality none of this exists but in some twisted mind. (Please God don’t let it be Abbott’s)
Maybe we are all dead and don’t know it.
Maybe I am not who I am and the lights will soon go out.
Maybe we are all in the dark night of ages.
Maybe we are beyond beginnings and ends.
Maybe.
Night: Sweet Dreams.
Did it ever occur to those dishing the Labor party for being corrupt liars – that the Liberal and media (Murdoch) liars were lying when they campaigned against the Labor party – my goodness I can remember they couldn’t even sneeze without it being a “diabolical” healine. It was brainwashing propaganda.
We’re lucky in Australia that we do have an alternative, one that isn’t run by a rancid racist or a mining mogul. It’s called the Australian Greens, and if you actually read their policies and followed their Facebook or Twitter feeds, I think most people would agree they’re the very best of all the alternatives, including the ALP and LNP.
Also, the Pirate Party, Arrr!
Tony who?
Bill Shorten isn’t any better than Tony Abbott and whichever government we get after the next election, they will be worse. We have reached the limits to growth and further pursuit of this absurd ideology will only bring us closer to the total destruction of our environment and the collapse of civilization.
Good One, er Bill. Great advice.
Really, just who do the Libs have to take over who is less obnoxious than Tony? Scott Morrison – I don’t think so – we’d all be leaping in life-boats headed for Bali. That little Bishop (not the big shouty one) but she’d probably tell us that Mr Fluffy was actually a good insulation – in fact she’d get Kevin to roll out a new insulation scheme.
Oooh, accidentally came up with new word I am certain that Rossleigh or anyone here at AIMN might want to use:
Insult-ation. What we get when we vote.
Oscarian72, I’m not so sure abut the Greens. The Pirate Party, on the other hand, is worth considering.
Looks like a lot of white ants are now infesting this post. Perhaps they are conservative plants trying on the old divide and conquer strategy? To compare Labor to the Neo-fascist Liberals indicates that they were asleep between 2007 and 2013. One thing Toxic has done is demonstrate the fundamental difference between the ALP and his mob of destructive parasites. The supposed supporters of the Greens to keen to attack Labor are either ignorant of or ignoring Labor’s wonderful past achievements. Grow up!
Cannot see Labor demolishing our working conditions and Medicare for starters.
Wow, I can’t think of the right term for this, but it’s shite;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-24/no-guarantees-on-projects-if-electorates-snub-lnp-newman/6044122
It’s pork-barrelling in the worst sense of the word, Hyper Bollocks.
Some – certainly not me – might call it corrupt behaviour, but they’d be risking a lawsuit, because Mr Newman seems very touchy about criticism.
And here’s me thinking that corruption had been stamped out in the Sunshine State.
It has, Michael. You won’t find any corruption in the Sunshine State, because nobody is allowed to say the word without being either sued or jailed.
I am a Queenslander ………………… is a gormless cowards and liar and …………..his…………… and I truly hope he drops dead that………………………….ad infinitum.
You may fill in the spaces as long as you do not live in Queensland, your name is Alan Jones or if you live in a seat where there are bribes.
“Blackmail” is the term I was looking for earlier. Campbell Newman is a political blackmailer.
Salient Abbott is learning, note the David Hicks now found not guilty by American Authorities, of being a terrorist, Abbott, did nothing for Hicks, in fact he endorsed American policy as he frequently does, the lap dog is here for all to see, with regard to the two prisoners to be executed in Indonesia, we now see Abbott making a concerned plea for leniency, and a review of judgement for the death penalty, why has he made the change? he now realized the public saw the lap dog mentality of his self righteous entrenched attitude, its all to late Abbott, to many see the weakness of the character, the tough front is no more than a cover up of inner uncertainty to do the job of prime minister.
Hyper Bollocks,
Perhaps more akin to a political protection racket?
Blackmail usually entails threats to reveal some evidence of wrongdoing, whereas protection rackets just involve threats of violence.
“Some – certainly not me – might call it corrupt behaviour, but they’d be risking a lawsuit, because Mr Newman seems very touchy about criticism.”
Let Newman and Co. prove they’re not corrupt. That seems to be his current tactic. Accuse Labor of getting financial support from outlaw bikie gangs and say it’s Labor’s job to prove his FALSE allegations wrong. Do you still violently bash your wife Campbell? 🙄
But it’s there on Google for all to see Bacchus. The headline (3 word slogan tactic) implying that CFMEU have links to bikie gangs and that’s what the mug punter will see when they take Newman’s advice and do the search. most of them won’t bother reading the article because it will take them away from face book for too long a time. If they did read the article the mugs wouldn’t be able to analyze the subtlety in the council representing CFMEU line of suggestion and questions that absolutely shot down the senior policeman’s allegations and who appears to be from reading his linkedin profile a LNP stooge
Just Google ‘Corruption and the Newman Government’ and see what you get.
Here’s a sample.
https://www.google.com.au/?gws_rd=ssl#q=corruption+and+the+newman+government&tbm=nws
The only reason that Abbott has put forward his plea for clemency for the Bali 9 is that he thinks it may give him a boost in the polls. (pause for sound of maniacal laughter). Otherwise it would be; “We have no right to interfere in the affairs of another nations politics” ‘cept when it comes to Asylum seekers of course.
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I googled newman.
And this is what I got :
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=mad+images&rlz=1C1CHWA_enAU608AU608&es_sm=122&biw=1920&bih=955&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ni_EVPvDH8b88QWpyYHoCw&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQsAQ
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E.E.
Australia gave $1 billion in Aid when Indonesia was hit by the tsunami.
Bishop (the younger) calls for clemency from New York while standing beside Hugh Jackman for a photo shoot.
Can anyone seriously think that Tony "(Bernie Banton) Abbott and Julie (Asbestos victims shouldn't jump the queue) Bishop are pressuring/doing everything the can to stop Indonesia executing Australians.
John Fraser
I cannot see the connection to giving disaster relief after the tsunami
Members of my family and some close friends have been and still are (now deceased or estranged) addicted to heroine and it isn’t pretty.
The 2 men facing a bullet on the beach in Bali deserve what they get, It is a well known fact that there is a death penalty in many countries and harsh penalties in just about all others for smuggling this drug in particular.
When it comes to making a plea for clemency for these type of bottom feeders… No Way
Wun, do you realise those men where not distributing the drugs in your country. In fact our police notified Indonesian aut6horities. Yes, the men should be punished. Yes, too many our people also die.
The problem is the death penalty, which this country is against.
Our police could have just as easy waited, picking them up when they entered Australia.
Abbott has said from day one, he will only plea for these men, if it does not interfere with his relationship with Indonesia. That is what worries some here.
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@Wun Farlung
Those who support the death penalty are no better than those who enact the death penalty.
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Florence nee fedup
The AFP are totally responsible for 2 Australians being on death row in Indonesia.
When one of the parents of the Bali 9 contacted the AFP they had the opportunity to track the Bali 9 and arrest them when they arrived back in Australia.
Instead the AFP choose to inform the Indonesians ….. with the full knowledge that Australia does not support the death penalty and will not extradite any Nationality to a country that has the death penalty.
A Royal Commission into the AFP is long, long overdue.
All Australians can see how close Abbott and the AFP are to each other.
An unhealthy closeness in a democracy.
Yes, indeed, John Fraser.
This aspect of our AFP handing the boys (they were then) over to Indonesia on a platter when they could’ve arrested them here in Aus – always riles me. Bloody disgusting.