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Why Are You Being So Negative? A word in Abbott’s defence!

Image from liberal times.com.au

Image from liberal times.com.au

Every time I pick up the paper, there’s some letter or opinion writer criticising the Liberal Party and accusing Abbott of lying to the electorate. Why do people feel compelled to be so negative and ignore the wonderful achievements of this government?

Why, just last month the unemployment rate went down. That’s pretty amazing when we have such a basket case economy and a carbon tax that’s causing all these industries to shut down.

But this isn’t about Labor’s mistakes. We can’t live in the past. This is about Abbott and his government’s achievements.

When someone accuses them of lying to the public, I think we should all remember Julia’s no carbon tax promise. Now there was an example of a deliberate lie. She went to the electorate making her carbon tax promise, all the time knowing that there’d be a hung parliament and intending to make a deal with the Greens!

But enough about Labor. This isn’t about them, the Liberals are in government now.

Another Liberal achievement has been a front bench appointed on merit instead of the ridiculous quotas that Labor had. Look at the front bench of the previous government: it was full of Labor politicians! And we know how terrible Labor politicians are. They couldn’t even deliver a surplus in spite of the GFC finishing in 2008. And anyway, it hardly hit here so there was no need for all those stimulus measures that Rudd wasted our money on.

Remember how we were all given $900 that most of us just banked, and that poor people just spent on alcohol and gambling.

When Joe Hockey promises us a surplus, he means as soon as possible, not on some specific date. This is the sort economic responsibility that the Liberals can be praised for, whereas Wayne Swan introduced the Mining Tax which simultaneously didn’t raise enough money to produce a surplus, while also being far too expensive for mining companies to pay.

Another Liberal achievement is the promotion of free speech. Under Labor we’d reached a point where people were too frightened to tell some minority to stop whining without being called racist or sexist.

Also, the Liberals have managed a united government. Apart from a few backbenchers, there’s absolutely no disunity. Everyone knows who’s in charge, and there’s no challenge being planned. When Labor was in power, every few days we’d hear that some anonymous source had briefed a journalist about when Rudd was about to challenge. Under this government, nobody is telling journalists anything at all, even in public.

And, as for the recent kerfuffle in NSW, I think it’s more relevant to talk about what Julia Gillard did or didn’t know about events from twenty years ago. Events so bad that she was forced to hold a press conference, which was hurriedly cut short when people ran out of questions.

So I think it’s time that people stopped being negative. Abbott is a man who thinks for himself even if it does slow his speech down. I mean, he introduced knighthoods – Labor certainly wouldn’t have done that.

 

42 comments

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  1. Sir ScotchMistery

    Thank you Ross. I needed that reality check. As did we all really.

    I had particularly forgotten about Tony needing to think before he speaks. I didn’t realise that s the problem. I thought it was because he was the best the libs had to offer.

  2. Fed up

    Do not forget, not only Knighthoods, but ones that he is fully in charge of,

    None of this stupid business of appointing a independent panel to chose who warrants to be tapped on the shoulder.

    Pity it is still up to the Queen to do the deed.

    Yes, he will ensure all GG’s become either a Sir or Dame.

    He will also choose four others each years.

    They do not even have to be citizens. Wonder if Murdoch can get the USA to change their rules.

    I wonder if there would be as many out today, if it was Princess Mary on show, and not the Duchess. I suspect so.

  3. Fed up

    I noticed, Marge accompanied Tony to church this morning. Wonder if he strolled over to the Cathedral as well. Maybe not, as his mate is no longer there.

  4. JAQ

    Thank you Ross… needed that chuckle. I think the reason Tony has difficulty speaking, is that he needs to go back to the station for re charging. Even these latest model robots can run forever, and over stimulating their brain tends to make the batteries run out quicker.

  5. Fed up

    Maybe Tony would be embarrassed by the new Pope’s Easter message.

  6. JAQ

    * can’t run forever!

  7. CMMC

    I did notice some weeks ago a story in the SMH where they revisited some of the industrial sites Abbott had visited and spoke of the doom the Carbon Tax would inflict.

    Almost every CEO they talked to admitted to being a Liberal Party member and most said business was improving regardless of carbon pricing.

  8. Stephen Tardrew

    Tony think?

    The guy is on a habituated cycle of regurgitating what he learned fifty years ago as his mind froze in a cycle of repetitious political and ideological primitivism.

    Failed monk who wants us all to live in his magical, mythical political seminary.

    However he thinks he can rewrite his Gods law and lie his way to heaven.

    Sorry mate those gates may look a bit rusted and tarnished when you get down there.

  9. dadirri7

    🙂

  10. Graeme Rust

    FED UP, if tone’s mate is not at the cathedral, whose knee can he sit????

  11. Terry2

    “Every time I pick up the paper, there’s some letter or opinion writer criticising the Liberal Party and accusing Abbott of lying to the electorate”

    Irony right ? I was just thinking of how the Australian rarely these days publishes a letter that is critical of the Abbott government and sometimes even publishes letters praising their most recent recruit, Gerard Henderson: how odd.

    I was going to tune into Insiders today but they were all off searching for Easter Eggs I guess. So I tuned into the Bolt Report for the first time and was amazed that most of the program was about the ABC and Bolt and Andrew Kroger trying to find ways that Abbott can break his pre-election promises; one way with the ABC is the dreaded efficiency audit and of course, we all have to do the heavy lifting – presumably so that all our boats will be lifted with the tide – see, I am trying to keep abreast of this new paradigm.

  12. halsaul

    I nearly smiled at this article but then I got too sad. Abbott & co. are destroying so much that it’s not funny any more.

  13. Terry2

    And yes, yes, we do have Knights & Dames, something that has been missing from all our lives. I shall in future scan the birthday honours lists with anticipation bordering on excitement .

    What joy you have brought us Tone. .

  14. abbienoiraude

    @Stephen Tardrew:

    “..us all to live in his magical, mythical political seminary.”

    Fabulous statement!

    The way Abbott can be so calm about it all ( his lies) is that he can find absolution from his religion. He doesn’t have to read, think, feel, be aware of, care about or wonder. He is worse than ‘clueless’…he has no curiosity.
    In actual fact, for some who believe in ‘evil’ ( I don’t) he could be the representation of it through his lack of understanding of humanity and its purpose/needs.

    Pity there is no god for it would be delicious to think of his judging him on his own ‘faith’.

  15. Shevill Mathers

    You are kidding me, right? he is dangerous, together with his other front bench. Who is looking through rose tinted specs? not me that’s for sure.

  16. silkworm

    Julia Gillard said there would be no carbon tax, but that there would be carbon pricing, so there was no lie. When she got in, she wanted to set up a People’s Summit on carbon pricing, which would have slowed down its introduction. Fortunately, the Greens put a stop to the People’s Summit and forced Gillard to stick to her word of implementing a carbon pricing system.

  17. Fed up

    OK as long as one is not a a boat swamped by the high tides.

    Under Capitalism, for winners, there has to be losers. It seems they ensure it is always those who actually produce something to sell.

  18. Fed up

    We have a Christian minister for Social Se4rvices, that is, spending Easter Sunday, seeing how many he can take off the Disability Pension. In spite of there being no great growth, that cannot be explained.

    Yes, a Christian way to spend the day.

  19. Fed up

    The increase came from changes to the supporting mother’s pension and raising of the pension age for women. Most were entitled anyway. It was simpler for many to stay on the supporting parents pension.

    Independent assessment by panels of doctors, will be costly indeed.

  20. Fed up

    Maybe if Andrews had someone close to him, suffering from mental illness, he might just understand what is going on. Maybe, but then the man dies come across as dense. I suspect they judge mental illness, by what Robb suffered from.

  21. edward eastwood

    Fed Up: “Maybe if Andrews had someone close to him suffering from mental illness..” He does have someone close to him suffering from mental illness – Tony Abbott!

  22. Fed up

    Julia said there would be no carbon tax, in reply to Mr Abbott, who said at the time, why not have a carbon tax, instead of a piece on carbon emission.

    Yes, there is a difference. One is a tax or levy. The other is a market place solution. Mr. Abbott well knows this. If he does not, why his comment to have a carbon tax instead.

  23. Fed up

    @Inglebert11 he shouldnt be controlling anything— Sally McManus (@sallymcmanus) April 19, 2014

  24. Anomander

    You know, you’re absolutely right Ross. Why are we being so negative when our leader is an eminently qualified Rhodes Scholar?

    Becoming a Rhodes Scholar isn’t easy you know, first you have to hurriedly change your citizenship, get someone to fill-out some forms for you, make sure you’re good at sport and have used that skill to eliminate other candidates, naturally coming from a good suburb, class and privileged background, attending private schools and being entrenched in the old boys network can often give one a definite leg-up. Wink. Wink.

    Why are we worrying and anxious – of course the venerable Tony is surely more than capable of looking out for our best interests?

    I mean look how well connected he is, he is good friends with that lovely Mr Murdoch, one of the most successful businessmen on the planet. I’m sure Tony will be getting sound advice from him.

    I’m also led to believe Tony is in frequent contact with Ms Rinehart – the wealthiest woman in Australia. Now if someone ever wanted to know a LOT about inheriting vast sums of money and assets through someone else’s work, well.. Gina would be the one to consult on that matter. I hear she has some revolutionary ideas I’m certain Tony will be keen to follow.

    He is closely connected to Cardinal Pell and we all know how revered he is, having only recently played a crucial role at a recent royal commissions about kids or something. I’m sure Tony could get some advice from the cardinal about the important task of keeping information secret – a task essential for our Prime Minister.

    Don’t forget, he also has access to a wealth of research and expertise carried out by the internationally disowned and prestidigitatious Ponds Institute, or was it the Institute of Public Affairs, or something like that, I forget which one is which.

    Either way, I’m advised they have spent negligible amounts of brainpower in making a comprehensive list and checking it twice, trying to find out whose naughty or nice. I’m sure Tony has read it because he seems to be following it to the letter. And we all know how good Tony is good at following, he’s always in lock-step several paces behind Peta Credlin, and what a breath of alcolysed air she has been – no more faceless men and unelected swill running the country like we had under Labor, now we have Peta whose face is well known everywhere, even in police stations and courts.

    Remember too that Tony is fully experienced in the ways of government having been a minister in the Howard government, I recall at one stage he was the minister for Workplace Relations. Such a pity that government got thrown out due to those evil union members standing against devolutionary reforms like WorkChoices.

    We all know he’s got a high workload, having assumed responsibility for Womens Affairs, but who better qualified to manage such a difficult portfolio and ensuring women stay in their rightful place, after all he does have 2 not bad looking daughters.

    So many great qualities that showcase his leadership skills: remember the care he showed to Bernie Banton? His compassion for Julia Gillard after her father passed? His willingness to sell a part of his own body to Tony Windsor for the sake of the nation? The unwavering commitment he’s shown to addressing Climate Change? His honesty??? Oh… far too many points to mention here.

    With all this depth of experience and all these invaluable people backing and supporting Tony, we really have nothing to worry about. Surely?

  25. lawrencewinder

    Jocular Brick-bats from me… how you ever thought you could out-Kafka “Rabbutt-the-Hun’s” rabble beats me!

  26. Jeanette Lewis

    If you’re trying a bit of satire, don’t give up your day job!

  27. Jane Plane

    And I’m really glad to see our beloved PM was able to clear his engagement book to spend time with Kate and Wills. There he is, day in day out, selflessly devoting his precious time to ushering the happy couple around. No doubt answering the odd question, making sure they don’t get lost and leaping into action if, heaven forbid, a purse, mobile phone or baby is misplaced. He’s such a helpful man and not so busy now that there are are no more urgent missing plane updates to update us all with.

  28. mars08

    And fair enough Jane Plane.

    Now that the media doesn’t have boatloads of sleazy brown people to obsess about …they can dedicate more coverage to the lovely British couple.

  29. Möbius Ecko

    …. no more urgent missing plane updates to update us all with

    Yes after his rodomontade in China about finding the missing plane, supposedly briefing the Chinese president (though Chinese media had it the other way round) and saying the plane was within a 10km area and he was confident it would be found, he’s all of a sudden gone mum.

    And this is another example of where Abbott changes with the wind depending on the audience he thinks he’s delivering to.

    He’s thankful for the Chinese cooperation when talking to the Chinese. Then he’s briefing the Chinese according to domestic media.

    Then we have anything from Abbott being confident of a find soon with the search at a pivotal point, urging caution to not be over confident, to being hopeful and saying to the Chinese the search will be long and painful.

    The amount of mixed messages he gave in a short time on this was breathtaking, and now back in Australia he’s gone completely silent about it when before and during his trip to China he could not speak enough on the matter. That and hogging photo ops along with ones jogging and on a bicycle, as long as Lycra was involved.

  30. mars08

    “Then we have anything from Abbott being confident of a find soon with the search at a pivotal point…”

    Never mind. There’s a good chance the Japanese will find something when they restart their whale hunt. Am I the only one cynical enough to think that the ruling of the ICJ against Japan (our newest, besterest free trading partner) was designed to contain a few loopholes?

  31. Pingback: 50 Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health (Yale University Press Health & Wellness)

  32. markPS

    Hymie.. thats it… it’s Hymie reborn
    Tony Abbott is Hymie reborn

  33. Matters Not

    Anomander said re Gina:

    the wealthiest woman in Australia

    A complete lie! Fact is she doesn’t even live in Australia. The truth is she lives in Singapore and perhaps she ought to be described as the wealthiest tax dodger ever to abandon Australia.

    She’s one smart ‘cookie’. She makes her ‘profits’ here but avoids certain taxes by living elsewhere. Just like the majority of shareholders in companies like Rio Tinto.

    And I’m only stating the ‘facts’.

    As for this very, very expensive search for what is now a lump of metal with bodies on board at the bottom of the ocean (best guess), was a cost benefit analysis ever done?

    If not, then why not?

    After all, we shouldn’t do anything without a cost benefit analysis should we?

    But the again, we have Turnbull’s new plan for the NBN proceeding without any cost benefit analysis.

    Very confusing, but only for the intellectually challenged.

  34. greg toland

    PETA You don’t Need HIM Sweety, Dump him and Run for office yourself Come out of the Closet, Girl up

  35. brickbob

    How dare you people denigrate the greatest PM this country has ever seen,why i can roll out a huge list of his achievements,” what about his ,oh hang on,yeh and what about his plans for;;;; um,ah, and who could forget his,um you know ,his great um” yeh and what about the other thingy he almost got done and what about all those other things he almost did for us.” Look,on second thoughts i’ll get back to you but im sure i’ll find something,fair dinkum i will,no worries me old china plate.

  36. Jeannette Oliver

    Thanks for this article. It’s good to see there are supporters of the Australian Government.

  37. klaus

    IMHO.. the only reason we have an Abbot govt is Labor was un-electable.. and now we pay the price for allowing our politics to descend to these depths.. Do we really want American style education, health etc..??
    As for the age of entitlement being over.. .. they formed part of the tax system that existed before super.. so yes we are entitled.. boomers worked hard and paid their very high rates of tax.. so have earned their pensions.. So maybe start by saving the 12 billion we are spending on dodgy jets to save us from exactly what threat?

  38. Robin Duffy

    Your reference of poor poeple as drunks and gamblers is insulting .take it back.

  39. Richard

    Positive things the Liberal party has done. Clearly Liberal have done a LOT of negative or destructive things – but pretending that they haven’t done ANYTHING good at all simply smacks of Labor is good, Liberal is evil one-eyedness, which doesn’t help people THINK.

    Are we actually talking about the subject or just loving another opportunity to circle about evil Abbott?

    We’re not converting the people we need to convert by the F ABBOTT hysteria, we’re just patting ourselves on the back.

    We NEED to convert people.

    So I present, my tragically short but absolutely valid list of positive things the Abbott government has done so far:

    – They prevented the Graincorp takeover (for good reason? Maybe or maybe not, but there it is)

    – They have stopped the asylum boats (they did it terribly, and perhaps for the wrong reasons, but there’s no doubt people smugglers were a problem even though immigrants generally were not, and no doubt there were far too many people dying in the sea)

    – They are introducing paid parental leave (why, those evil bastards! Yes there’s problems with it, but there’s a positive aspect there, don’t deny it.)

    – They are reducing regulation (and yes, much of that regulation was GOOD regulation, but some of it was bad. Heck, even Kevin Rudd in 2007 said “The truth is business regulation is now right out of control. The quantity and complexity of business regulation today is eating away at the entrepreneurial spirit of Australian business.”)

    So there it is. It’s not clean, it’s not pure good, it’s not a shining beacon of light. But let’s get our heads out of our arses and be an opinion that Liberal voters can read and say “Y’know, those Labor people aren’t fundamental, they are rational.” Then, with those ex-Liberal voters, we can actually WIN the next election.

    And isn’t that what we really want?

    Or do we value the circlej*ing more?

    Wow, that’s a lot of guns pointed at me… okay, fire away.

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