Abbott’s s**t-gate may yet hit a target

acotrel says:

07:06am | 10/02/11

I’m glad that several ALP pollies have also defended Abbott on this.  I suggest we have a real problem, when the press grab onto something as harmless as this, and try to foment a party revolt against the leader.  What it comes down to is that none of us are safe from prosecution by idiot journalists.  Abbott has an endearing habit of shooting himself in the foot.  On this occasion he used the language of the soldiering profession in a way that many of us use to rationalise death.  He doesn’t deserve to be pilloried for it! Have a look who he said it to, in context it was quite acceptable, even if it appears insensitive to outsiders.  Tony was obviously doing his pollie thing, and trying to be one of the boys.

acotrel says:

07:26am | 10/02/11

And I thought I was the only one with that on my wish list! Our Tony is obviously destined for big things.  I just hope I’m still around to see the completion of the story.

Sad Sad Reality says:

10:08am | 10/02/11

How can you support the man from that interview, Erick? Even if he isn’t menacing. He is clearly incompetent and incapable of thinking on his feet. That pathetic creature staring down Mark Riley was not, as it claimed, offering a dignified silence, it was offering the dimwitted silence of a third world despot caught with the severed head of a political opponent in an unexpected interview.

KH says:

10:24am | 10/02/11

it has moved beyond the initial comment, which most people accept whilst not appropriate at say, the funeral, was not offensive in the context of the time and place.  It is the response that is just bizarre.  As has been reported, this was known by Abbotts office long in advance of the guy showing up.  Abbott came out of his office for the interview.  There was nothing dignified about his silence.  He looked like he had lost it, and would have decked the guy if there wasn’t a camera there.  It just shows in vivid 3 dimensional horror that this guy has little impulse control - he can’t control what he says at the best of times, and was barely contained rage on this occasion.  He himself has admitted that you can’t trust much of what he says unless its ‘written down’.  The simple fact is this man is a liability.  The sooner the Liberals get rid of him, the sooner they will be power.  I know people who would have voted for them had he not been the leader.  Lots of people have inferred the same - we would not have the ridiculous hung parliament we are stuck with now if someone competent had been the opposition leader.  He is just so detestable people couldn’t make themselves vote for his party, despite their dislike of the incumbent government.  I myself would have voted Liberal for the first time in my life had Turnbull still been the leader - well, almost anyone else really.

Richard says:

10:34am | 10/02/11

Bullshit SSR, you’re raving mad, making up fantasies in your head and passing them off as reality. The vast majority of the public see the reality for what it was, a stitch up. They see an action man, a man with two Oxford Blues, restraining his instinctual desire to defend himself from those vile and gutter tactics with a bit o’ a slap ‘round the earhole, and the majority of the public support him in that too.

You are such a leering hyena to be wishing Tony damage so hard over this. I bet you are mortified that the majority of the public, even ALP supporters are defending Tony.

And deep down, I bet you’re even more worried because you suspect that he will come out of this not only unscathed, but humanised and enhanced in voters eyes, and that my friend, is the real Sad Sad Reality for you to face.

John says:

10:37am | 10/02/11

Haha… “the creature”… one of the simpler descriptions I’ve heard of him this week… still effective I guess.  A lot of people definitely enjoy inferring that he’s sub-human.

This all-consuming, fanatical, suffocating, bile-throwing contempt for Abbott is really starting to remind me of the Left’s attitude toward one J.W. Howard.

Rover of North Cooma says:

11:04am | 10/02/11

Really John? It reminds me more of the rabid Right and their hatred of KRudd.

TChong says:

11:32am | 10/02/11

Richard “they see an action man”
Action Jackson, GI Joe style ?
ROFLMFAO !
I thought your cringe worthy brown nosing to Mirabella was embarrasing.
A man with “2 Oxford Blues”  Who gives a rats?
SSR - you naughty person.
One thing me and Dickie cant abide are leering hyenas

Kika says:

11:51am | 10/02/11

Don’t count your chickens til the hatch, EricK

Rob says:

12:01pm | 10/02/11

Well, given that KRudd’s own party chucked him, was that hatred from the Right misguided? One would think not

John says:

12:25pm | 10/02/11

Hmmm… perhaps Rover…  Rudd certainly had vocal detractors.  But I think in his case it was more the volume of the criticism rather than the personal nature of it.

IMO nobody does the razor sharp “I don’t like what you do, so you’re sub-human” dig quite like the Left.

Sad Sad Reality says:

12:29pm | 10/02/11

“Bullshit SSR, you’re raving mad, making up fantasies in your head and passing them off as reality.”

I’ve watched the video heaps of times. It is reality. His reaction was reality - the reality of a failure failing on live television.

“The vast majority of the public see the reality for what it was, a stitch up.”

The vast majority of the public watch Two and a Half men and Big Bang Theory, so let’s not involve them in a matter of perception. It wasn’t a stitch up. It was a reasonable question asked by a journalist. That’s what they do by the way - ask questions. He gave Tony plenty of time to describe the context of what was said, which was absolutely ridiculous from a politician of his stature, and he responded with nothing, just like a criminal watching CCTV footage in a courtroom. 

“You are such a leering hyena to be wishing Tony damage so hard over this.”

Do you remember Mark Latham? Remember all the little giveaways we had that he wasn’t quite stable and wasn’t quite up to the job? Here is a glaring one for Abbot, that’s all I’m saying.

“And deep down, I bet you’re even more worried because you suspect that he will come out of this not only unscathed, but humanised and enhanced in voters eyes.”

Lame and uncreative attempt to use my avatar against me aside, I’m not worried about anything. The guy proved himself to be a loser. At first a pathetic suck up attempting to curry favour with (what he perceived to be deadhead) military men by dropping a line from a 70s bumper sticker. Just typing that made me dry retch. You can pretend this humanised him to voters all you want, but you know just as well as I do, the back room boys are sharpening their knives right now to take this creepy incompetent out. It is a matter of time. Latham 2. You heard it here first.

Erick says:

12:51pm | 10/02/11

When even Acotrel defends Tony Abbott, you know the smear campaign has backfired big time.

John says:

01:07pm | 10/02/11

“The vast majority of the public watch Two and a Half men and Big Bang Theory, so let’s not involve them”… LOL!  There’s the Left again…

I agree… the views of all the people who watch sitcoms shouldn’t count.  Let ban them from voting.  Gedditdun!

Dissident says:

01:08pm | 10/02/11

Sad Sad Reality - The vast majority of the public may watch Two and a Half Men, but it just so happens that the vast majority of the public also vote. Not only that, but the vote of a Rhodes scholar is worth the same as the vote of an imbecile.

You do have a pretty good imagination, though. Third world despots indeed! Excellent debating technique. Apparently using a naughty word and staring down an idiot reporter puts you in the same league as Pol Pot.

If I was accused of trivialising the death of a soldier, I too would be upset. You seem to be somewhat intelligent, so I gather you are aware that there are numerous ways of asking the same question. This enables you to paint somebody into a corner. Mark Riley clearly did this.

Regarding the silence, staying silent in the face of idiotic questioning is a technique called “silence as a weapon”. The idea is that you make the other guy feel awkward and offer more information without making a statement. Mark Riley was clearly uncomfortable with the silence - so it worked in that regard.

The issue is just that Riley elected to use what would have been discarded a B-roll in any ordinary circumstances as a cheap attack on a person that he has arbitrarily decided was insensitive (without having asked the Widow or the other parties to the conversation, of course). Did Mark Riley actually pass Journalism 101?

And the implication that Tony Abbott saying “Shit Happens” is a cheap pitch to the army men kinda seems hypocritical. In war, “Shit” indeed, does “Happen”. I also recall a recently deposed leader who used the term “shitstorm” whilst talking to the men of the armed forces. Oh, and he WAS the Prime Minister at the time. Unsuitable for the job, eh?

SSR, maybe you should start reading back your comments before you hit “send”.

PaulB says:

01:54pm | 10/02/11

Its really only the rusted-on Labor supporters and the paid professional forum Posters who seem to be gloating over this non-event.  To me this is as weak as attacking Gillard for not putting on her best sad face.

Sad Sad Reality says:

02:08pm | 10/02/11

“The vast majority of the public may watch Two and a Half Men, but it just so happens that the vast majority of the public also vote.”

Dissident, the question was about whether Abbot is incompetent and incapable of leading the country, not whether the herd is stupid enough to vote for him regardless of the answer. I know they are.

“Apparently using a naughty word and staring down an idiot reporter puts you in the same league as Pol Pot.”

Stop sugar coating it. I don’t even care about the words. I care that we have a guy so weak willed he thinks he needs to suck up to soldiers and when he does suck up he chooses a trite Americanism. He sounded like a dad at a footy game pretending to know the cool words sixteen-year-olds use.

“Regarding the silence, staying silent in the face of idiotic questioning is a technique called “silence as a weapon”.”

As if he was trying to use a technique. He was dumbfounded, beaten, defeated, lame, caught-out, busted… see how much better words work as a weapon. You know, when wielded by someone reasonably intelligent.

“The issue is just that Riley elected to use what would have been discarded a B-roll”

Spare me the ethics of journalism BS. Have you watched the news recently? It’s pure entertainment. Riley took a punt the public would be interested in the entertainingly sad actions of the man who would be king. He was right. Oh boy was he right. The guy should have his own show.

“And the implication that Tony Abbott saying “Shit Happens” is a cheap pitch to the army men kinda seems hypocritical. In war, “Shit” indeed, does “Happen”.”

Do you know what hypocritical means? Clearly not. I said one thing and I stand by it. The guy is a creepy weakling who tried to butch up in the company of the military. How do you spell sad? Give me and A. Give me a B. Give me another B…

Seriously, Dissident, I give you despots and TV shows and you give me my quote with fifty spaces in between and you think I need to check my comments before posting them? In what universe is your comment above funny or insightful? The one they found in Event Horizon? Stop punching above your weight buddy.

“I also recall a recently deposed leader who used the term “shitstorm” whilst talking to the men of the armed forces. Oh, and he WAS the Prime Minister at the time. Unsuitable for the job, eh?”

Yes as he was proved to be. Hence his removal. So we’re agreed, Tony should go too. Awesome. I knew you’d come around.

John says:

02:54pm | 10/02/11

“The herd is stupid enough” now… if you provided any more gold you’d need a mining ticket.

Is Sad Sad Reality a commentary of your life?

You’re just such a… people person.  You clearly really like and understand people.  Which puts you in a fabulous position to explain all about them!

acotrel says:

03:26pm | 10/02/11

‘The simple fact is this man is a liability.  The sooner the Liberals get rid of him, the sooner they will be power. ‘

Long may he reign!

Sad Sad Reality says:

03:27pm | 10/02/11

“now… if you provided any more gold you’d need a mining ticket.”

Funny you’ve avoided correcting anything I’ve written. Strange that. Give me an A…

“Is Sad Sad Reality a commentary of your life?”

How do you live? How does a brain that functions that poorly manage to keep your heart pumping?

“You clearly really like and understand people.”

Anything incapable of thinking for itself is not human and thus not one of the “people”.

Kate says:

03:40pm | 10/02/11

@Acotrel, noone was trying to forment a party revolt against the leader.  Tony Abbott did that himself by not clarifying what he meant when he was asked.  I don’t care about Mr Abbott’s “shit happens” comment, quite obviously it was taken out of context, as he keeps saying.  But don’t villify the journo, he was doing his job.  Tony Abbott was the one not doing his job and if he had come up with an intelligent answer then noone would have cared come time for the nightly news.  In the 2 hours leading up to the interview, his staffers, who were breifed on the content of the interview, should have left him prepared to answer the question he was asked. He wasn’t prepared and that’s all.

John says:

04:29pm | 10/02/11

Sorry SSR… I get it now… anybody who watches sitcoms etc can’t think for themselves, and isn’t human!

It’s like when you initially referred to Abbott as a creature… we’ve come full circle. 

So you operate by actually writing off as sub-human anybody who doesn’t measure up to you on your (own personal) intelligence and morality scale.

All us filthy idiots… no wonder this country is such a terrible place!  Perhaps there’s some kind of totalitarian state you could move to and rule over the proles.  Ahhhh… nirvana…

But don’t hold your breath for Australia to turn into that place.  I just don’t think it’s going to happen.  But what would I know?

Dissident says:

06:56pm | 10/02/11

SSR, apparently everyone is stupid except for you. What are you doing wasting your time commenting on the punch when there is a world to save? Tool.

yabadadooo says:

11:26am | 10/02/11

ha ha you lefties voted in rudd! and were keen supporters of latham!! nothing more needs saying!!

PD says:

08:17am | 10/02/11

The Liberal Party is one. Sure, they’ll pull their advertising from 7 when they get your letter. If they don’t, you could always boycott their ‘product’.

fairsfair says:

08:50am | 10/02/11

fair point Erick. Not only just for this event, but someone needs to light a fire under the people that deliver us our so called “news”. They really need to lift their game. I’d start with getting rid of the deadwood hosts/reporters that have been in the job too long. Give some young people a crack as they are perhaps less fatigued by it all.  Prime example is the 60mins ad for this Sunday with that poor poor mum who had her little girl wrenched from her arms in floodwaters. There is a good chunk of footage of Michael Usher having a blubber. Yes it is sad and I cried at the advertisment-  WHO GIVES A TOSS about Michael Usher’s reaction? It is as interesting and pertinent to he stor as mine (ie contributes nothing). This is where the whole tell the story, not seek an angle to make yourself part of the story is becoming normal.

Reg says:

09:46am | 10/02/11

The same tactic I used to get a skip moved from my drive because the engaging contractor was a year behind in paying his bills. Only this time I emailed all the Sailing Clubs are Lifesaving clubs the bastards supported. Worked a trick.

But this time it’s the journalist who is in the right. Tony failed BIG time with his failure to confront the US brass and then explain it all to us. And you dopes go along with him.  Most mirthful!

Swingdog says:

06:15am | 10/02/11

Way to miss the point. Go back and re-read the article.

persephone says:

06:34am | 10/02/11

AtM

exactly what Tony Abbott went to Afghanistan to try and prove.

He couldn’t. The ADF made it very clear to him that they had all the resources and man power they needed for the job (hence ‘shit happens’ - no matter how well prepared you are, in a war zone people are going to die).

And are you suggesting that Liberal governments aren’t responsible for deaths? I think a few soldiers died under their watch, too.

Rob r Charteris says:

06:40am | 10/02/11

Here we go again, more of the same old conspiracy theories. They’re even more amusing that the snivelling dribbling types.  You might want to check what’s being slipped into your breakfast each morning AtM.

Nathan says:

06:45am | 10/02/11

This is an appalling and ignorant comment. The whole point of this was that the soldiers involved in the incident did have the best available equipment and support. Abbott had questioned this publicly and the soldiers were giving him their opinions, but tragically the soldier was ambushed and killed. Abbott’s comments were in understanding of this. Furthermore, the footage was from last August, and Julia Gillard became Prime Minister on the 24th June, just six or seven weeks before the soldier died, if you have evidence of troop withdrawals and budget cuts announced and carried out within that period then by all means let us know. But I think you are at best mistaken, and that is a very kind interpretation of your intentions.

As for Abbott, I am not concerned with his reactions to the journo or the words used, that’s a storm in a teacup. I am concerned with his office blocking footage that they perceive to be of damage to them and it needs to be explained to me why this happened. We are in a liberal democracy and how can we expect transparency in Government when we do not receive it from the Opposition?

TChong says:

06:50am | 10/02/11

Way to spin the bullshit AtM.
Abbotts lies were found out - “shit happens”, he said so himself.
Not under resources , or anything else.
Try a bit harder AtM, at least keep up with the changing situation , rather then just rpeat talking points from the LNP website.

acotrel says:

07:13am | 10/02/11

Against t Man, stop scratching around trying to protect Abbott by painting the ALP as worse.  Abbott doesn’t need defence on this, the media does!  The reporting was a blatant attempt to sink Tony Abbott on the basis of manufactured evidence! It disturbs me that you favour a troop build-up in Afghanistan!  I suggest you should encourage your own children to enlist, and go there!

Flexo says:

07:24am | 10/02/11

TChong, the timing of this is suspicious. Just when Julia was getting flack for her ‘fake’ tears to cover up her ‘real’ reponse to the flood crisis we get this so called shitgate story. I wonder if there should be an investigation into Mark Riley and who he really represents? The fact remains there weren’t enough troops and the goverment…current government is the one in charge of sending troops. Gillard and the defence minister have to bare the reponsibility. This isn’t spin, it is reality. Stack reality that any sane person with a soul can see deserves further investigation. The government screwed up and they have to bare the reponsibility instead of trying to distract us with the usuall BS.

Rob r Charteris says:

07:54am | 10/02/11

Flexo says:07:24am; I bet you believe in UFO’s too eh’ thanks for the giggle

Denny Crane says:

08:00am | 10/02/11

ATM, on the spot.

The issue we have hear is that Channel 7, have decided that they want the ALP in government, they have jumped in bed to ensure that they keep receiving handouts, remember before the last election when KRudd gave handouts to the Free to air channels, we can now see the benefits in this, with 7 trying to politically wipe Tony Abbot out.

And only last week Munro was there trumpting the climate gate rhetoric, the cyclones in nth qld all due to climate change, another Labor party policy in that they can implement another BIG TAX.

So we now see 7’ allegiance, and any story they run, must be observed and treated with complete disdain, as they have shown thier true colors, they are in bed with Labor, and will spin anything they can

iansand says:

09:00am | 10/02/11

Flexo - Quite right.  You should be condemning those people who tried to smear Ms Gillard.

Flexo says:

09:10am | 10/02/11

Rob your answers, like you lack substance, you’re welcome for the giggle and I’d thank you for the laugh we are having over your impotent answers over the last few weeks. The lid is waiting to be blown on Labor and you are the perfect person to help us do it

ZSRenn says:

10:22am | 10/02/11

@Flexo I am glad I not the only one that can see how this bastard act by Riley and Channel 7 comes at a time when 2 things were apparent?

1. The latest poll showed that the Labor party was slipping in the polls
2. The debate was all about JG and how poorly she handled the flood crisis including the new Levy.

They have used gutter journalism to once again draw us off topic and this time the tragic death of an Australian hero.

This is propaganda at its best equal to that found in China.

Sorry NO! I am wrong. In China they just don’t publish things they don’t want their people to know. In Australia they lie to you twist the truth and use innocent citizens as there tools.

Ra says:

02:48pm | 10/02/11

Crap as always Perse and what a pathetic dribble you are.

He went to Afghanistan to show the members of the ADF that they had the support of the nation for their efforts, the same reason that Gillard made the trip just a few months earlier.

When there he discussed, as any elected MP would do, concerns that have been raised back in Australia regarding a lack of equipment and resources. Upon discussion with senior command, the troops and defence officials he concurred that this was not the case.

Now that to me sounds like a perfectly reasonable way for a member of the Australian parliament to discover information of great importance, and for you to suggest that he was over there acting like a member of CSI just again shows you up for the Labor stooge that you are.

Against the Man says:

03:28pm | 10/02/11

Rob and TChong, maybe you guys should tell Mark Riley at the next secret ALP meeting that he took things too far. Gillard is getting a free pass for laughing and being indifferent to the flood crisis; that people is the definition of low.

persephone says:

06:36am | 10/02/11

So saying he was a liar who couldn’t be trusted wasn’t a slip?

OK then.

acotrel says:

07:22am | 10/02/11

‘And are you suggesting that Liberal governments aren’t responsible for deaths? I think a few soldiers died under their watch, too. ‘

Over 500 in Vietnam. - ‘All the way with LBJ’?

watty says:

07:55am | 10/02/11

Presumably, “acotrel”” there were no losses of life during the Curtin Labor Government’s years in office?

All the way with our allies?

Morto says:

09:11am | 10/02/11

So now we’re drawing a moral equivalence between the Second World War and the Vietnam War? 

Newsflash - North Vietnam won the war but didn’t go on to conquer the entire world and kill all the Jews, which was Nazi Germany’s plan. Do you see the difference?

Kika says:

12:07pm | 10/02/11

Forgot about the champion for James Hardie asbestos victims - Bernie Banton? Remember what Tony Abbott also said about him? While Tony was health minister Tony arranged a meeting with Bernie to discuss the issue and to receive a petition to add mesothelioma onto the PBS. Tony didn’t show up to the meeting and was in Victoria instead.

Bernie called Tony a gutless creep for not showing up to their meeting. Tony couldn’t respond in a dignified fashion and labelled Bernie as being ‘not pure of heart’ regarding his intentions with his plight and called the petition a stunt. 

He said this to a dying man!

Should I go on?

He also said you can’t trust what he says, that girls should prize their virginity (who’s business is that of his anyway?) and etc etc.

He’s a nut bag. And let’s face reality. He only won leadership by one vote - and 1 voter was unable to attend because of illness.

Aasq says:

07:24pm | 10/02/11

Who are these “you all” you speak of, Paul ? As I said only yesterday, and on numerous occasions previously , Abbott’s only ever opened his mouth to change feet ever since he accidentally became Leader of the Opposition. He truly is the gift that just keeps giving.

Jetlag, FTW.

persephone says:

06:42am | 10/02/11

Abbott can’t handle pressure, and he can’t handle a hostile media.

Compare and contrast Gillard and Abbott at press conferences.

Gillard finishes her speech, opens for questions and stays until they’re answered (I saw one where she nearly missed QT because she wanted to make sure the journos all got their chance).

Abbott answers perhaps four or five questions and as soon as they get even a little tricky almost runs from the room.

There’s plenty of footage of it, it’s a pity our media doesn’t use it.

That’s why he lost it with Riley. He’s not used to journalists actually demanding that he answer the question.

And that’s why this is so bad for his leadership. The journos know what happens now - ask Abbottt a tricky question, watch him explode, and you’ve got a couple of days of stories which write themselves.

So those deflections of difficult questions to someone else in the room (“I think Joe had better answer this one”) or even someone who isn’t there at all (“You’ll have to ask Andrew Robb”) and the sudden departures from pressers when things get a bit heated are now newsworthy.

The old days of sweeping Tony’s inadequacies under the carpet appear to be gone.

Rob r Charteris says:

07:29am | 10/02/11

persephone says:06:42am; You are very right! I have noticed that too. The biggest example was his election 2010 broadband alternative. Probably his biggest spending commitment at $6 billion+ and he was MIA. At least Gillard is around the detail with what is going on, on her side. The other thing that stick out as the height of hypocrisy from rAbbott is he made all this fuss about the gang of four running the Rudd government. Yet how many times has he release a policy that where there has been no consultation with his ministers. I think the Federal liberal party is run by a gang of one. Examples Hockey (the shadow treasurer) receives spending cost and commitments five minutes prior to the news conference in the election run up last year. The paid maternity leave…. probably decided by him and his wife over the weekend, no consultation with caucus. When he first became leader of the Opposition it was all about him, everyone else in his party stayed quiet. You didn’t see any of them for weeks even now it doesn’t seem as open as it used to be. I wonder whether he shut them up, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Tony of Poorakistan says:

07:59am | 10/02/11

What utter bollocks, persephone. Gillard doesn’t ever answer questions. She has a piece prepared for her by the backroom boys at Union HQ. She then ignores any and all questions, choosing only to repeat, like some crazed mantra, the words she has been given.

Ben21 says:

08:13am | 10/02/11

Lol, labor circle-jerkers feeding off themselves this morning

Ryan says:

08:37am | 10/02/11

I see you low labor filth are still carrying on like chooks who spotted a fox trying to gain some political mileage out of this disgusting event. Still no shame I see. Even your own leaders were smart enough to distance themselves from this little stunt but you still cannot.

Felipe says:

08:51am | 10/02/11

I think you should talk about the labor PM whose government is failing in almost everything they do.  They are a perfect example of government on training wheels.  Tony Abbott is not guilty of anything in this sorry debacle from channel 7.  To refer to it as s..gate is really appalling.  Mark should condemn the sensationalism and media beat up that is channel 7 and a member of his profession.  Why doesn’t Mark write about the failure of this government, the waste and mismanagement?  This government did not win the last election,  they got the support of independents whose agenda was to punish the National party.

Reg says:

09:52am | 10/02/11

@Ryan ... And Ryan continues with his line of filth oblivious to the fact that the poor decrepit Tony let the side down by failing to confront the US brass over their failure to support Aussie troops. The when called upon to explain his incompetence, he only supplied more of the same.

Well may he hang his head in shame. Keep taking the meds Ryan.

Randal says:

10:03am | 10/02/11

Rob r and Perse having a little love fest, funny I keep reading about ‘wooden’ and ‘scripted’ Julia and how long before the ALP has ‘bone’ her.

What was last poll, 32% on the primary… 52-48 behind two party preferred… Yes the clock is ticking for a leader in trouble, but I think you both know which leader that is, that would be still be the one struggling to find her ‘real’ self.

Kika says:

02:13pm | 10/02/11

@ Tony of Poorakistan - HA! I’d love to see Tony handle a regular spot on breakfast TV and be able to answer questions and banter with people without sounding like an awkward weirdo.

Tony of Poorakistan says:

02:51pm | 10/02/11

Kika

let me put it to you this way. One of the two leaders is a Rhodes scholar, eloquent, thoughtful and erudite. The other is a yob who has NEVER held a job that was not dependent on (and beholding to) trade unions.

Kika says:

03:33pm | 10/02/11

@ Tony of Poorakistan - Julia is a Solicitor by trade. What is Tony? A failed priest. An ex journalist who’s career was made bagging out trade unions. I’m sorry using ‘trade union’ as a punchline for me doesn’t work. I’m not scared of the words ‘trade union’. 

By the way.. Rhodes Scholar? Whoppee! Throw a party. Bob Hawke has one too.  You’re funny. Eloquent, thoughtful and erudite… definitely three words I’d use to sum up Tony’s response to being questioned about something he had more than enough time to prepare a well planned thought out response to something he considered a non-issue.

Andrew says:

06:10pm | 10/02/11

“What” exactly does Bob Hawke have??  A Rhodes scholarship is a very rare honour, bestowed upon very few people each year.  To receive one is a rather large academic achievement, and one that shouldn’t be belittled.  Bob Hawke was indeed a Rhodes scholar, as were Kim Beazley, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull.  Regardless of political leanings, this is not an honour to be made fun of - everybody who has received such a scholarship has deserved it by being at the very pinnacle of academic achievement.  Somewhere that you very clearly haven’t been.

Aasq says:

07:35pm | 10/02/11

Thanks for that laugh, Tony.

We all saw just how eloquent, thoughtful and erudite Abbott was recently, didn’t we ?

Northern Steve says:

09:16pm | 10/02/11

Hmm, I seem to remember a series of town hall meetings in the last campaign.  Fairly sure it was Abbott that came out looking best in those.  So when it comes to talking and meeting with real people, not a camera or room of journalists, I guess you could say that Abbott is the more ‘eloquent, thoughtful and erudite’.

Aasq says:

12:08pm | 11/02/11

For example, Steve ?

Warren says:

06:35am | 10/02/11

It does no-one any good looking like you about to completely lose it. Shitgate will follow Abbott around like a bad smell. Welcome to politics.

acotrel says:

07:19am | 10/02/11

And I thought the only ‘GRUBS’ were amongst the small business people who support the Liberal Party, and take short cuts twith their staff’s safety to turn a profit?

jf says:

08:31am | 10/02/11

acotrel says:07:19am | 10/02/11

Do you mean the grubs that take a change, risk their own capital, sacrifice their own time provide goods and services to the community, pay significant amounts of tax and provide jobs to millions of people?

In my 20 years of experience in the private sector, these people are, for the most part, decent, generous and fair-minded. They are certainly no less so than employees who take a job and under-deliver, pull sickies when they aren’t sick, steal from their employer and sit on the internet when they should be working.

I guess, at the end of the day, people are just people.

Reg says:

08:32am | 10/02/11

“and take short cuts with their staff’s safety to turn a profit?”

No, there are others who when faced with the prospect of telling the Yanks to lift their game in supporting Aussie troops, choose to say nothing, winding up with a “shit happens.” 

Then when challenged to explain their inaction in the field, choose silence once more. Or was it that he simply didn’t understand the question?

Brad of Bentleigh says:

11:01am | 10/02/11

Not politics, Warren, certainly not in the traditional sense. “Shit Gate”? I mean, c’mon, my complaint is with the media, not anyone who is a politician (well, that list is short).
The problem is, that there are individuals in the media, who think they’re political operatives.
They’re the sycophant grubs I was referring to… it was early, mate. Coffee hadn’t kicked in

Kika says:

04:38pm | 10/02/11

Disrespectful? Yeah. Ok. So people from the right would never stoop to the level of the lefty-pro-labour types and actually dare criticise the actions of members of the opposite side in government. Never ever.

If I were you, I’d be asking some serious questions about how this clown became leader of your precious party. And guess what - I’m not as lefty as you think. I said that if Joe Hockey or Malcolm Turnbull was leading at the time of the last election, I would have voted liberal for the first time in my life.

Jack Lacton says:

08:17am | 10/02/11

It was 45 seconds, not over a minute, and they edited it down to 24.

watty says:

08:29am | 10/02/11

Which planet do you live on?

Can you imagine the Canberra Prees Gallery and the TV channels which received a more than generous handout from ;Labor burying this story.?

Channel 7’s defence last night (Meakin and Bath)

Laurie Oakes agrees with us

Well that’s that settled once and for all.

Ben81 says:

11:10am | 10/02/11

Yes sometimes it seems that the more shallow and baseless a so called scandal is the more it’s impossible to escape.  I was kind of waiting for the “gate” suffix, that’ll give the story legs for an extra couple days.  Opinion writers were all excited about the ‘gotcha’ they thought they had and need to get all that out of their systems to ease the letdown you know.

Rover of North Cooma says:

12:32pm | 10/02/11

@Jack - Seven said yesterday that there was a further 48 seconds which they didn’t show. Which makes it 1m12s. Which is about the length of the average TV news report.

Sometimes Labor Happens says:

06:38am | 10/02/11

Well, where I live, you sock someone in the nose if they’re being smartarse and Riley most definitely was. TA did well to control himself and Riley is lucky he still has his front teeth.

Seriously, journalism as whole, really needs take long hard look at self. I literaly have given up watching news on the box simply because it is embelished sensationalised crap which is so far removed from the original story it’s bordering on fiction.

Kevin says:

07:02am | 10/02/11

Where I live, socking someone on the nose is criminal assault.

I do agree that Riley was way out of line.

PD says:

08:21am | 10/02/11

Where do you live, Sometimes Labor? Somewhere at Her Majesty’s pleasure, perhaps?

If you know for sure that the TV news stories are manufactured because you actually know the real story, there’s no need to watch anyway, is there?

Seano says:

06:01pm | 10/02/11

How is Riley out of line when Abbott had prior notice of the interview and its contents?

Richard says:

10:50am | 10/02/11

Clutching a straws Faz, this incident initially was supposed to be all about channel 7 “catching Abbott making and insensetive remark about a Digger’s death”, remember, that’s what the TV anchor introduced the story as.

Now when everyone has rightfully rushed to Abbott’s defence, now all you leftist HACKS want to change the issue. “Oh no” you say “The REAL issue is the 25 seconds of silence when he was confronted” I mean, wtf? He says something “crucify him!”, he doesn’t say something “crucify him!”, its a no-win situation you’ve manufactured, because you’re terrified about the fact that HE IS WINNING.

I think its unreasonable to say “he had 2 hours notice, he should have come up with some spin”. No, get f#ck*d. Tony Abbott is a real bloke, not an endlessly spinning politician, and that is part of his appeal to voters, his realness (there are other aspects of appeal as well, such as his outstanding educational credentials and his ministerial experience in one of the most successful federal governments in Australian history, but his humanity is one crucial part of his overall appeal).

Gutter tactics you lefties, why don’t you all grow up and find some ethics and some nobleness.

Faz says:

12:00pm | 10/02/11

I can do without your ‘nobility’, Richard. Name-calling reflects poorly on your argument. 

Now, TA, might be a ‘real bloke’ but he’s also an experienced journalist and seeking to be PM. He stuffed up and, yes, Riley’s a bastard.

As a journalist and former press secretary TA would not have dreamed of ‘dignified silence’ as a response to the worst journalist.

Even telling Riley that he was a low life and storming off would have been better—and probably would have been praised by even the most trenchent TA critics—but silence creates a vaccuum that your friends and enemies have to fill. It’s part of the gig and he’s knows it.

As for the Turnbull speculation, yes, it really is that, but the Libs have history. Remember John ‘Lazarus’ Howard?

hot tub political machine says:

12:42pm | 10/02/11

Richard,

The fact you called Faz a leftie after what is one of the most balanced comments I’ve seen on the punch says more about your outlook than your intended tactic.

I think if you look out to the right of you, there will maybe be Pauline Hanson and some people with automatic weapons. If you look to the left - you will even see John Howard there.

Richard says:

01:46pm | 10/02/11

Actually no HTPM, I am not conservative, I’m a Libertarian Free-Market Centrist, and Abbott is far too conservative on social issues for my tastes. But I still support the Libs and I will defend their leader against unfair accusations and slurs.

Sorry, but criticising Abbott for keeping his mouth shut does not constitute a “fair and balanced” comment.  It was “gotcha” journalism at its worst and Abbott did well to keep silent. Any fair and reasonable person admits this, and only leftist clowns who have hated Tony Abbott from day one and always will hate Tony Abbott would try to twist his restrained silence against him.

ZSRenn says:

02:09pm | 10/02/11

Oh give me a break Faz! If Tony walked off; the head line would read

“Tony makes a runner”

If he had done a Hawke and struck out at Riley verbally it would be

“Tony spits the dummy”

If he had lowered his head and wept at this horrible allegation of Riley’s.

“Tony shows he is weak”

The press wants a leadership spill in either party as it makes headlines. They feel TA is an easier target as her ladyship has to remain in power to keep the deal with independents so that aint gunna happen.

TA is damned by the press no matter what he does.

Why?

Because they need something to keep the ratings up and be able to sell advertising. To use the death of a soldier at a time close to the loss of another Australian hero is gutter journalism and if Channel 7 wishes to maintain any credibility should be removed from his position as Chief Political Editor ASAP

I to thought your first comment was balanced but your 2nd one showed your true colours.

Faz says:

03:41pm | 10/02/11

@ ZSRenn

I’m not suggesting he should have walked off. Did you read my post?

I am suggesting that confronting Riley with something ‘blokey’ like ‘low life’ THEN walking off would have been better than what he did. And yes, there would have been headlines but it would have done him little harm. But that would have been a plan B rather than what he did.

BUT what I think he should have done, plan A, is answered the bloody impertinent question coherently and calmly. That would have shown he was in control and could think on his feet when under pressure, even unreasonable pressure from a low life journalist.

Most of the gaffe’s made by TA recently have been of his own making. He’s taken risks—and he KNOWS the risks—then not fronted up to the consequences in a straight talking way.

Even the Sphere of Influence (Laurie Oakes) called it stupid and if you think he’s some sort of Labor stooge I’ve got a bridge to sell ya.

NoNames says:

06:54am | 10/02/11

Agree, fully.

watty says:

08:21am | 10/02/11

Channel 7 and Riley sitting on the information provided under F.O.I. for more than two weeks to coincide with the first sitting of Parliament for 2011 is a display of the “honest”  reporting by the Canberra Press Gallery.?

“a political yarn”????  This was Riley’s big"gotcha” moment and it has backfired on him

Listen up Mark….sh*t DOES happen and in your case it will stick.

Faz says:

09:32am | 10/02/11

Good summary Matt.

I also think it needs to be kept in mind that Abbott is a practitioner. He was a journalist and press secretary at the highest level. You could have imagined him tutoring John Hewson: ‘Look, er, John, these guys are paid the big bucks to get on your nerves. I’ll give you the heads-up on any potential hand grenades and help you with answers, but if you’re caught out do anything but stand there in silence. Walking away would be better’.

If he was caught off guard with all that notice, then his judgement is worse than a newbie pollitician with no media experience.

And for all those who praise Abbott’s lack of spin, this is what he said to Alan Jones yesterday: ‘... but as a general principle I think that, you know, as dignified a silence as you can muster is sometimes the best response to what you think are out of line questions ...’. There is no way that was a ‘dignified silence’. That’s pure let’s-think-of-something-anything, spin.

Ref: http://www.tonyabbott.com.au/News/tabid/94/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7839/Interview-with-Alan-Jones-Radio-2GB-Sydney.aspx

shane says:

09:53am | 10/02/11

Best Comment on the page. 100% correct.

Richard says:

11:28am | 10/02/11

“So it’s not about the comment - it’s about the intemperate and incompetent reaction” That wasn’t what you craven lefties tried to sell it as first off remember?

The channel 7 reporter specifically said “Opposition LeaderTony Abbott has been caught on tape making an insensitive remark about one of our fallen soldiers while in Afghanistan…”

So Tony allegedly had 2 hours to come up with some spin that would have been ‘acceptable’ to you (yeah right, as if you wouldn’t have tried to make something of this regardless), but instead he responded in the way an everyday normal human being would respond instead of the way one of your fake ALP spin-merchants typically respond, and you think that its a terrible terrible thing.

Well why do you think we keep asking our politicians to be more real and less fake then? You think we keep on asking it but that we don’t actually want it? Wrong, Tony handled this situation superbly, and won a lot of sympathy. He will be enhanced out of this, and he will be the Prime Minister after the next election.

Ben81 says:

11:50am | 10/02/11

Yawn, “Ok so we didn’t get the silver bullet we wanted but we can at least make a mountain about the way the interview went, that’ll console us”.
Repeat x 1000

John L says:

01:17pm | 10/02/11

Agree Matt. Which ALP parliamentarian will volunteer to let Tony take a swing at them. Its coming. The pressure on Abbott is building! BAM!

John says:

02:43pm | 10/02/11

I’m really not sure about the comparisons between Abbott and Latham.

Whether they deserved it or not… Latham proudly broke some bloke’s arm (and gloated about it), and tried to belt some guy who photographed him in public – he clearly had anger issues which manifested in him losing control physically.

Can anyone honestly see Abbott doing any of this?

He’s been caught saying “shit” a few times and gave a smartass reporter a long stare.

It might upset some prudes but think normal people (ie voters) can see a difference.  I know I can.  We’ve all encountered unbalanced, menacing people in our time.  I wouldn’t fear for my physical safety in a room with Abbott.  I doubt the C7 reporter did either.

PD says:

09:13am | 10/02/11

Abbott knew what the interview would be about and presented himself for it. Whatever the bravado and spin now, he must be kicking himself for the way he botched it.

shane says:

09:57am | 10/02/11

Chris Bath is a news reader, and probably has, at best, minimal input into the stories she reads. Your insensible inclusion of her in your conspiratorial day dream says everything that needs saying about the validity of your opinion.

Alto says:

10:23am | 10/02/11

What ‘ambush’?  Abbott was given notice of the interview and what it would be about. Of all the TA defences the ‘ambush’ claim is the weakest and just makes it worse for him.

Aitch B says:

07:44am | 10/02/11

@nosthow

I’ll ask you once again….. where do you get this “$1 a week” crap?

Twice you have refused to answer even though you’ve continued with your rants in the same comments area.

Are you prepared to give me a response? Who do you imagine will be paying “$1 a week”..... everybody?

Dash says:

08:04am | 10/02/11

Nossy, if you get on here one more time and say the levy is only $1 a week, I will send you an invoice so you can pay on my behalf the other $39 a week I have to pay. Just stop the cr@p trying to defend this socialist policy! You know as well as I do that the people from the Liberal demographic, who already pay the most in tax will be footing the bill for the ALPs mismanagement of our taxes. Dress a pig up any way you like, it’s still a pig!

In terms of hypocrite:

There will be no carbon tax vs A priority for my government over the next year is the introduction of a carbon tax - Hypocrite?

I fully support PM Rudd vs how deep should I plunge this knife into Mr Rudds back? - hypocrite?

We wont build any on shore detention centres vs today I announce three new onshore detention centres - hypocrite?

Today I announce an East Timor solution - oh sorry that was just a lie

We’ll build 260 childcare centres, well make your groceries cheaper, well make your fuel cheaper, we’ll give you more affordable housing, cheaper better childcare - blah blah blah I think someone else has a credibility issue nossy?

And can you please explain, if Abbott goes, how would that help the ALP who only had 38% of the primary vote last election and have fallen further behind over summer??? I don’t get your line of thinking.

Let the carbon tax be the death of the ALP!

Ronald says:

08:32am | 10/02/11

I think Abbott’s safe. Joe Hockey isn’t really a Conservative.

Scarneck says:

11:45am | 10/02/11

....it actually equates to $1.57 per week per person - problem is though, only people earning over 50K a year will pay, therefore the absolute minimum per week will be $14.57. Cheers.

persephone says:

01:43pm | 10/02/11

Scarneck

incorrect, as it is a progressive tax applied after $50 k in income.

With income tax, for example, someone who pays the top rate of tax doesn’t do so on the whole of their income. The first ten thousand or so is exempt.

In the same way, your first $50 k of earnings is exempt from the levy.

So, for example, someone on an income of $50,100 would pay 0.01 cents per week .

To get a figure like $14 you’d need to be earning $150,000.

If you go to:

http://www.treasury.gov.au/contentitem.asp?NavId=002&ContentID=1949

there is a link there to an XL document where you can enter your income and it calculates your levy.

(btw $1 per week would apply to people earning around $60,000 pa. The average male full time wage is around $70,000. So the average full time worker will pay $1.92 a week.

Reg says:

05:55am | 11/02/11

Let’s commit that to memory folks. The average FULL-TIME worker on $70,000 pa will $1.92 a week.

Someone on an income of $50,100 would pay 0.01 cents per week .

Any further comments?  Thanks Pers.

acker says:

07:40am | 10/02/11

@Graeme 6.37am .... I’m sure Julie Bishop, Andrew Robb, Joe Hockey or even Malcolm Turnbull would not have stumbled with such a long pause of silence after knowing for 2 previously hours about the interview topic.

He has also inadvertently elevated Steven Smith into the public’s Labor leadership thinking via his dignified response going in and batting for Abbott.

TChong says:

07:25am | 10/02/11

Thats right Bob, he was completely caught out by his lies exposed.
He didnt want the tape played, why?
He had no idea? - oh pleeze!

Rob r Charteris says:

07:45am | 10/02/11

Bob says:06:43am; How was it obvious, looking at the whole interview before Mark riley started you could see rAbbott was weary of what was about to happen. You whole excuse is based on assumption.

Reg says:

08:50am | 10/02/11

@ Bob. “Mr Riley seems to think is professional and, most importantly, ethical.”

Of course it was professional and ethical to request an explanation Bob. The request was for Abbott to explain his failure to call the US generals to task for neglecting to support Aussie troops in action. The “shit happens” dismissal represented the last straw in accepting their excuses. Weak as water in the field and just as weak when asked to defend his inaction at home.

It would seem that the terms unprofessional and unethical apply very well to Tony Abbott. (If there wasn’t a deeper flaw.)

Likes Joining Dots says:

11:17am | 10/02/11

@Reg

“The request was for Abbott to explain his failure to call the US generals to task for neglecting to support Aussie troops in action.”

Only you seem to see the lack of US support as the key point in this discussion, so I guess I’ll just have to work with it.

According to you, the Opposition leader had to explain the failure in supporting Aussie troops? If that was the case, I would expect that the Prime Minister should be the one applying the blowtorch to the US generals (if mistakes were made), not the opposition leader.

To date I have not heard anything from Gillard about this.

Your posts, (if you truly believe it was about lack of support by the US brass) should actually read as - ‘Prime Minister Gillard fails to act on lack of support for our Aussie troops.’

Likes Joining Dots says:

11:37am | 10/02/11

@TChong

I agree with Bob.

If he did have an idea that the issue was going to be raised in this way he would never have done the interview in the first place. It’s just common sense.

Much the same as Gillard would be foolish to have an interview with Andrew Bolt if she knew the question ‘do you have blood on your hands’  was going to be asked. Both questions are appalling by the way and no leader would agree to it.

As for the tape. being suppressed. Who can tell? The more logical reason I’ve heard was because it showed Abbott firing guns. Not a good look for a politician apparently.

Reg says:

01:12pm | 10/02/11

@LJD. ” If that was the case, I would expect that the Prime Minister should be the one applying the blowtorch to the US generals (if mistakes were made), not the opposition leader.”

My expectation were of the man of the dismal moment, Tony Abbott standing there talking to the US brass and failing to put them under any sort of political duress for their failure to perform.  He was in a position to express his dissatisfaction but dismissed it with a “shit happens.” 

Even in opposition he has a responsibility to the people and is, after-all, still an elected representative with a job to do and a duty to communicate the outcome.  Or do you think the opposition only have a duty to look after themselves rather than to those who elected them? So far that’s the message Tony communicates. Any diplomatic spark vanished in the silence of that awful moment of realisation that he had screwed up once more.

The implication of his failure is to the potential for more US failure of support and more Aussie losses. The damage is done, the opportunity lost and the weight of failure is on Tony Abbott’s shoulders. The journalist is innocent.

Likes Joining Dots says:

01:49pm | 10/02/11

@Reg

No opportunity has been lost, the Prime Minister can still act. True, the opposition has a responsibility, but the Prime Minister has to be responsible, accountable and ultimately has the authority for change.

You seem to believe something was wrong with the US support for Aussie troops. Can you explain exactly what Gillard has done to remedy this or why she has not acted?

MarK says:

07:24am | 10/02/11

I agree.

It would be terrible for him to say stuff like “:there will be no carbon tax under a government I lead” and then come out with a carbon tax.

Awful stuff.

Joan says:

07:29am | 10/02/11

Abbott stood his ground like a man as he faced the idiot light weight Riley and his idiotic line of questioning ,, it must be tiring facing idiots like Riley day after day the political journo with their inane interpretations of events . their twisting of truth and their inventions.  ...at least Abbott didn’t turn up draped in flag snivelling into it.. As for Riley he looked like a snappy annoying little Australian terrier called to heel as Abbott walked off….. Riley heard later yelping on Ross Solly show…. snappy Riley couldn’t string one comprehensive sentence together when questioned…. dah, dah,,, dah

Accountability says:

07:58am | 10/02/11

@ Joan. The question about context was perfectly valid. Abbott failed to answer it in a spectacular fashion. He did not stand his ground like a man. Rather he was a deranged stunned mullet. All very unedifying. If Abbott had nothing to hide why put up a three month FOI battle? Accountable he is not. Abbott would be best advised to pursue an alternative career. He would be well suited to promoting speedos.

Dash says:

08:14am | 10/02/11

iansand, I agree, It would be terrible for him to say stuff like “I fully support PM Rudd” and then the following week plunge a knife into the middle of his back.

It would be terrible for him to say:
vote for us, we’ll make your groceries cheaper.
Or vote for us, we’ll make your fuel cheaper.
Or vote for us we’ll build 260 childcare centres.
Or vote for us we’ll provide more affordable housing.
Or vote for us we’ll provide a coast guard.
Or vote for us we have an East Timor Soultion.
Or vote for us we’ll deliver root and branch tax reform.
Or vote for us we wont touch the private health tax rebate.

Yep lies like that would be very awful stuff indeed!

Reg says:

09:57am | 10/02/11

Joan you’ve already tried your point and run tactics in the other thread. They didn’t work there either. Do you think you could manage something fresh?

Joan says:

10:00am | 10/02/11

Accountabilty…. there are plenty of people in the work place like Riley who for personal gain…. twist words, misinterpret events deliberately, like Riley tell half truths to gain an advantage. Arguing with an idiot like this is impossible as they will continue to present their invented twisted view because of their sneaky nature….. Fortunately for Abbott we have all viewed the film and majority of Australians are on Abbotts side -we saw the real truth. Workers in the work place aren’t that lucky when they come up against a truth twister like Riley

Reg says:

11:14am | 10/02/11

@Joan ... Sorry dear you can’t save face by resorting to still more factious oratory. Tony “fu**** up bad” by failing to put the pressure on the Yanks and now you choose the school-yard tactic of pointing and running.

  Your tactics of diversion are revealed for all to see sweetness.

Joan says:

12:17pm | 10/02/11

Reg… and Gillard can put pressure on the Yanks?..... give me break she couldn’t even visit Afghanistan without whinging and whining that Abbott wasn’t there to hold her hand.  As Opposition leader Abbott is no position to make any demands….. that`s Gillard`s job she is PM .... although you wouldn’t know and it does seem you are confused as you expect Abbott to lead Australia from Oppositon.

Reg says:

01:55pm | 10/02/11

@Joan

Without doubt the Australian electors expect all elected members of parliament to work in the interest of Australia when they journey to these places. Otherwise why bother going?

If they are then treated by top US brass as having the authority of parliament, it matters NOT that they are in opposition. If they fail to use the opportunity presented to improve the operational condition of our troops, then they have failed miserably. It’s a bit late now to stamp PROVISIONAL on Tony’s credentials. Far better to withdraw his credentials altogether.

watty says:

08:04am | 10/02/11

What valid question? His “barely suppressed rage” was more than most would have shown to a grub like Riley.

Riley sat on this story for weeks ...why?

Could it have something to do with Parliament returning after their long break and the TV ratings commencing?

Accountability says:

08:51am | 10/02/11

@ watty. The question was “what is the context?” Perfectly valid. Clearly Abbott has an inability to think on his feet. Whatever you think of particular journalists, a leader should be able to answer their questions in a dignified and coherent way. The deranged freeze and barely suppressed rage suggests that Abbott has had one boxing match to many. Certainly, he has demonstrated he is not PM material.

Bob says:

12:41pm | 10/02/11

Hope so

Reg says:

10:15am | 10/02/11

@Rosie.  Still another who deliberately misses the point that Tony Abbott failed to confront the US brass over their failure to perform in protecting Aussies in the field. His feint-hearted acceptance that “shit happen” leaves the remaining Aussie troops vulnerable to renewed failure.

It’s about the FUTURE not about the PAST. Tony screwed up then and screwed up at home and will continue to screw-up as long as he is allowed to remain just another dismal failure of the right.

Rosie says:

10:49am | 10/02/11

Reg

Sorry out of respect for Beckie, who now has to endure life without the love of her life I won’t get into a discussion with you or anyone else but to say it is wishful thinking on your part and the likes of you! Tony Abbott, if meant will become PM, if not he will endure the pain with his loved one!

I was asking Punch to end airing the topic for another topic that concerns all Australians, “the security of our troops” which I now regret doing.”

Ben81 says:

11:24am | 10/02/11

Reg, when can we expect Julia Gillard to go over there and “:confront” them for it?  Soldiers families, Labor ministers and and army brass here don’t seem to agree with your view, are they deliberately missing the point too or are you just upset about the lack of political damage done?

Reg says:

04:09pm | 10/02/11

@ Rosie.

I have never once implied that Tony’s “shit happens” was directed as you suggest, towards the unfortunate soldier. I have been emphatic in pointing to the failure of the leader of the opposition to confront less than adequate support from US forces, leaves others just that bit more vulnerable. It’s called failure to act and that applies equally to Tony Abbott Leader of the Opposition.

watty says:

07:59am | 10/02/11

Presumably no Labor Shadow Ministers or M.Ps visited Iraq or Afghanistan when the Howard Government was in power?

You are one sick puppy Christine.

rufus says:

08:07am | 10/02/11

Exactly, Christine. The story is about the Opposition Leader’s failed political attack about the death of a soldier and his glib statement of acceptance that it had failed.

Abbott uttered ‘shit happens’ at precisely the moment he had to concede that the government’s underfunding of the Afghanistan deployment had led to Lance-Corporal McKinney’s death, after being shown the considerable supporting firepower that had been deployed in the battle.

Abbott had been politicising a soldier’s death on false grounds. That was why he was embarrassed and froze when asked about it.

jf says:

08:38am | 10/02/11

A politician doing some political? The scandal.

He went there to continue to keep the Government accountable!!! Oh, the humanity.

Idiot.

Ryan says:

08:53am | 10/02/11

@Christine: if you are going to make an inflammatory and quite frankly disgusting statement like that then you back it up with some cold hard evidence. Prove that was his reason for going to Afghanistan or apologise for being WAY out of line.

rufus says:

09:11am | 10/02/11

watty - did any Labor MPs try to use a soldier’s death for political reasons during Howard’s time? That’s the question you’re avoiding.

Joan says:

11:23am | 10/02/11

Good heavens…. wasn’t it Gillard who whinged and whined and made a big fuss and ado when she was in Afghanistan that Abbott wasn’t standing by her side holding her hand???  Gillard ... was real shitty about that…. shit happens.

jf says:

04:13pm | 10/02/11

Christine and Rufus, you are both so far out of line that not even the Government believes this.

Your comments are ignorant and boorish.

Maginthatey says:

12:00pm | 10/02/11

@ thatmosis - ” taken out of context” - Are you able to put his comments into context? When you can, let me know.

ZSRenn says:

10:48am | 10/02/11

@Chongy I agree if Tony had 2 hours notice then why this reaction. Look at the debate here and in yesterday’s forums. Riley is seen by many as an absolute pig.

Maybe the LNP and Tony are smarter than you will ever give them credit for and this contrived reaction of anger had just the effect it was intended to have.

Sad thing none of you can see it. You all think he is a fool and not smart enough for such deception. Then we see senior minister defending Tony as leader all making his position stronger and him as the victim.

Nice work I say!

Rover of North Cooma says:

11:13am | 10/02/11

More likely that the story would have disappeared without trace during the floods, cyclone and bushfires. As it would have had Abbott not looked like he was about to snot Riley.

iansand says:

11:28am | 10/02/11

Because Abbott’s office had spent 3 months resisting 7’s FOI request for the footage.  Perhaps you should ask why they did that?

Kika says:

02:17pm | 10/02/11

Because Tony & his cronies tried to block Channel 7 from showing the footage.

Why, praytell, would they want to block the footage if
1) They were happy with the way Tony reacted to the question
2) Were content with the strategy Tony used when questioned (passive aggressive silence)
3) Scripted him to do so

It doesn’t make sense.  Obviously someone somewhere tried their darndest to make sure the public never found out about this little slip up.

TChong says:

09:04am | 10/02/11

Yes reggieman, a responsible adult like you. LOL
Typical conservative. Dont like dissent, so you want censorship.
I work 38hrs, like most, and what I do in my time is my busines.
Paid to ‘besmirch” Abbott ?
No. I dont belong to any political party.
I besmirch Abbott and the LNP party and its hacks,  like you,  pro bono !
                               

PD says:

09:17am | 10/02/11

Don’t worry, reggieman, you and plenty of other genuine ordinary people (and definitely not party members or paid staff) are here to defend the poor, beleagured TA & Liberal Party against this vile and unjust besmirching.

iansand says:

09:26am | 10/02/11

I am not a leftoid zombie.  My dislike of Abbott is personal and longstanding.  As it happens, I don’t like the way the Liberal Party plays politics but that is incidental to my attitude to Abbott.

nossy says:

09:26am | 10/02/11

@reggieman - you love TA reggieman - have we got a show for yyyoooo uuuuuuuuuuuu !
Today at 2pm on “Question Time” we get to see good old “Shit Happens” in person and listen to him in his best role as Dr NO saying:
NO to a $1 a week flood levy to help flood ravaged QLDers
NO to Public Heath
NO to Public Education
NO to the NBN
NO to Infrastructure
NO to Foreign Aid
NO to having a Vision for Australia
NO the Liberal Party dont need Policies
NO to Pension increases
NO to Asylum Seekers ...  and so it goes on !
Has this wretch of a Pollie ever said YES to anything ?

Aitch B says:

09:56am | 10/02/11

@nosthow

More “$1 a week” garbage.

You obviously don’t have the cojones to admit that your constant “$1 a week” harping is nothing more than ALP fanboy drivel.

You’re like the coward in a brawl who stands back, waits until somebody is down and out and then sinks the boot in before running away.

Piss poor…..........

Daryl says:

10:08am | 10/02/11

nossy, Only a moron would sugget it’s a $1 a week tax!

No to the flood levy is correct given the total disregard for taxpayers money by this ALP - cut the waste!
The LNP has never said no to public health - you LIE
The LNP has never said no to public education - you LIE
The LNP has an alternative NBN plan that would not cost the taxpayer $43billion.
The LNP have never said no to infrustructure - you LIE. They built the Darwin to Adelaide rail link for starters and the ALP can’t even build one from Epping to Parramatta!
The LNP has never said no to foreign aid - you LIE
The LNP has a different vision than the ALP (refer their site)  - you LIE
The LNP’s policies (refer their site) - you LIE
The LNP have increased pensions more than the ALP over the last 15 years - you LIE
The LNP have never said no to legitimate asylum seekers - you LIE.

True to ALP form, you seem to have a problem with the truth! Say anything and promise anything for ALP gain and never deliver. Shame nossy shame!

Kika says:

04:46pm | 10/02/11

Ah please - it is a $1.00 a week. John Howard made us pay the gun buy back scheme levy.  Why couldn’t he pull the money from spending cuts and the like?

Seano says:

06:07pm | 10/02/11

I can answer that Kika. Because it’s always ok for the Libs to raise a levy to cover for unforseen circumstances. But when Labor do exactly the same thing it’s made out to be sinister, evil and a “great big tax”. That’s how these people work.

Ben81 says:

07:10pm | 10/02/11

Kika “John Howard made us pay the gun buy back scheme levy.  Why couldn’t he pull the money from spending cuts and the like? “

Because that’s what John Howard decided to do.  Does some precedent from an unrelated levy in 1996 forever prevent the Liberal party under any leader from opposing any levy a government announces in the future, especially when there’s a natural disaster and we’re spending money on non urgent things instead of the cleanup?  Don’t you personally ever agree with some levies and not with others?

Jim80 says:

07:26pm | 10/02/11

Ben81
Just shut up and support / pay the levy
Your argument makes no sense.
The LIberals have lost the plot
Always wanting to pick a fight, NEVER willing to concede the government is right.
Perhaps if you supported government on some things, you might do better in the polls.

Ben81 says:

08:06pm | 10/02/11

Jim sure, i’ll pay the levy if I have to, not going to encourage it though.  It doesn’t make a shred of difference to the flood cleanup and just keeps a few of Labor’s pet projects and pledges on track so I won’t lose any sleep over not supporting it.
And if it matters, I don’t think John Howard was right about that particular levy either…

“Perhaps if you supported government on some things, you might do better in the polls. “
Me?  I’m not in government.  The Coalition is already polling better than Labor in the important measures though, meaning the ones that win elections.  They’re not going to do any better by being a rubber stamp for the big spenders.  They’d lose me for starters.

TimB says:

08:25pm | 10/02/11

“Perhaps if you supported government on some things, you might do better in the polls. “

Oh yeah there’s a clever idea. The party polling at 44% should copy the ideas of the party polling at 32%. How could it possibly go wrong?

There’s a reason why the Libs are kicking ass in the polls. Suck it up.

Richard says:

08:36pm | 10/02/11

“Perhaps if you supported government on some things, you might do better in the polls.”

Do better in the polls than what? Winning? The Libs are already winning in the polls, by a comfortable margin.

Why on earth would they follow your advice Jim80? Last time they agreed with the government on such issues as the ETS etc under Turnbull, they were getting trounced!

Now they’re winning and you want them to go back to the old tactics that didn’t work? Fat chance mate.

hot tub political machine says:

09:21am | 10/02/11

I still remember another commentaror on here putting Stephen Smith forward as a good example of one of my favourite characteristics in a politician - he is boring.

He is the perfect politician, boring and competent. No stupid media frenzies, no over the top speeches - just boring, competent government. I truly wish ther were more like him.

John says:

11:16am | 10/02/11

There are respectful silences, there are thoughtful silences, there are the silences of people who haven’t got anything nice to say and so they don’t say anything and there are the head bobbing, vein distended, I’d love to head butt you and then stomp all over your spleen type silences.
Which of these silence categories did TA’s performance come under???

ZSRenn says:

12:25pm | 10/02/11

None of the above John. It was “Ok Tony here is what you do when he asks the question.”
“Look angry, Do your head nodding thing scan Riley from head to toe and keep your mouth shut!”

Result Riley looks like the arse he is. Many hard core laborites think this is too much. Please see actorol’s initial comments. Even he was disgusted.

Those that are left have run out of argument Chongy keeps repeating the same thing over and over and has resorted to insulting contributers.

All in all a victory for Tony and his PR team.

I think the left is angry because he did not open his mouth and now they can only pick on his silent reaction.

Damned if he does Damned if he doesn’t

Laura says:

09:42am | 10/02/11

I had forgotten all about Latham and his bizarro handshake until yesterday..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hReBMauqhrY

.. Classic =)

OH yeah and by the way, I totally agree, Riley was agressive in trying to back Abbott into a corner - but his minders should have seen it coming, they knew that 7 had the footage & what did they think was going to happen with channel 7 sitting on that exclusive chunk of gold?

Why did they let Riley show it to him on a laptop in the garden, why not watch it in the safety of his office & issue a formal response? They had 2 hours to figure this stuff out, and after Riley’s vigour in ‘exposing’ David Campbell, you think they would have been a bit more prepared.

Despite the lack of malice with which he said ‘shit happens’, his 20 second head bobbing, glaring train wreck was a very poor reaction to what should have been a simple ‘I find that question offensive’.

Tony Abbott and his ‘people’ have tried very hard since he became opposition leader to kill the image of ‘mad monk’ Abbott, the one that flew off the handle at Bernie Banton, and replace him with a calm & collected modernised Tony Abbott.

They’ve played down his ties with the Christian right, his homophobia, his views on abortion, and for the most part I think it’s worked, but his 20 seconds of silence reminded me for one that perhaps, he is still the same old Tony Abbott, and that might take a bit of work to fix.

Tony of Poorakistan says:

09:39am | 10/02/11

nossy

when did the Flood Tax get reduced to $1 per week?

Aitch B says:

11:16am | 10/02/11

@Tony of Poorakistan

Don’t bother….. he hasn’t got the balls to respond.

Gutless and pathetic…........

Flood Tax says:

02:50pm | 10/02/11

According to the Treasury’s website those on $61,000 (who did not receive the Centrelink DIsaster Relief Recovery Payment) will pay $1 per week.

Those who are on $100,000pa will pay about $4.81 per week.

Source: http://www.treasury.gov.au/contentitem.asp?NavId=&ContentID=1949

Tony of Poorakistan says:

10:14am | 10/02/11

There was a boobgate? How could I have missed that?

Laura says:

10:28am | 10/02/11

Meh Tony you didn’t miss much.. it was Sarah Palin’s supposed boobjob I believe.
Probably Palin’s best feature

hot tub political machine says:

11:26am | 10/02/11

This was amusingly parodied in ‘“That Mitch and Webb Look” as they refer to something as “the biggest scandal since Watergategate”

wasn’t boobgate when justin timberlake pulled of someone’s top in the American Superbowl halftime show?

Jane says:

11:36am | 10/02/11

Hear Hear Laura.

Laura says:

12:23pm | 10/02/11

HTPM - I’m actually not sure, it very well might have been Janet Jackon’s nipple flash

This gate crap really annoys me for some reason… it’s a scandal concerning lazy writing, therefore I will name it Gategate.

Another one that deserves a mention is Guttergate.

Guttergate: The scandal surrounding how sick of hearing the term ‘gutter journalism’ I am.

ZSRenn says:

01:39pm | 10/02/11

Thanks for that it was a great walk down Memory Lane.

I watched a couple more of his and wondered if Abbott would have said ” Any boss sacks a worker today is a bum!” would be reported today.

Another great one was here in 2009 when Hawky talks about the Australian Media and leaders today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlZHW-bG000&feature=related

Joe B says:

08:30pm | 10/02/11

Wishing & Hoping “shit happens” takes its toil. Sad pathetic people if you think it will be the thing that will prevent Abbott from being PM.

Gillard crying in Parliament is in the same basket as Abbott’s “shit happens or his “dignified silence” so what a bunch of sad, impenitent wankers to think that both leaders will have big black marks on them for the Primeministership of this country. Pathetic.

Kika says:

12:15pm | 10/02/11

I agree. However he’s an EXCELLENT puppet for them as he can’t say anything thing on his own truthfully and honestly without resorting to strange comments and behaviour!

Laura says:

11:23am | 10/02/11

gotta watch wapner gotta watch wapter…

Pete #205 says:

12:47pm | 10/02/11

I’m more annoyed that you think we were voting for a person.  The sooner Tony stops parading around like he is still in an election campaign, the more likely it will be that he will get the top job.  If he stopped campaigning, he could actually start proposing alternatives to Government policies - aside from “No” - and look like a credible opposition. 

As it stands, he looks like he still hasn’t accepted the fallout from the election and thinks it will be a matter of weeks until we go back to another election.  For the sake of the country Tony, take it on the chin and get back to work as a real opposition.  No more brain dead campaign slogans in every interview, real policy and accpetance that not everyone in this country thinks the same as you, nor should they, but heck, you can govern us all.

Oh and Rob, by my equally statistically significant methods, a wide range of people sitting out here - out my way - didn’t vote for Tony or the Libs.  So what am I to conclude from that?

Kika says:

02:27pm | 10/02/11

Also…
To all those defending/loving Tony can you please admit that you only do so because you crave for the glory days of Johnnie & co running the show, and because Tony was part of that crowd you pledge your allegiance behind this twit in hope he will deliver the same glory as Sir Johnny did.

John Howard wasn’t as mad as a cut snake intellectual one trick pony nobody.

Ben81 says:

06:50pm | 10/02/11

“He couldn’t win the election outright - even after all the debacles the ALP offered up.”
ahaha, I love how far the rhetoric has been watered down since the time he became leader.  Nobody won outright, and I can only imagine what you’d be saying had he pulled off an incredible win against a first term government.  Maybe “He couldn’t even win by more than a few seats, and it was handed to him!” or even, for a laugh (but not that far fetched) “He’s supposed to be some kind of fit ironman and he didn’t even do a victory lap around Australia, pathetic!”

“To all those defending/loving Tony can you please admit that you only do so because you crave for the glory days of Johnnie & co running the show”
It kind of has something to do with the topic at hand, although that sure is a nice thought.  It’s also because he’s doing a damn good job against unbelievable usually very unfair hostility and isn’t a pushover.

NoNames says:

03:34pm | 10/02/11

Well put, Dman. You could say the same of Ms Bligh, a Premier doing her job.

But then, who expects fairness or reason from the tabloids? Let alone The Punch and a goodly slab of its readers.

Shelley says:

11:19pm | 10/02/11

When someone pulls a beat up GOTCH! of this magnitude on PM Gillard the first day back in parliament involving misinformation about a fallen Digger without the decency of giving the family a heads up I’ll be sure to rush to the PMs defence.

Brian62 says:

04:00pm | 11/02/11

Michael with respect,that is your take on the matter,I differ, first, the (objective) I repeat objective, of the Channel7 report was to inquire as to the (meaning) of Abbott’s response to the American officer,I sincerely believe it was not his(Abbott’s) intention to denigrate the tragic death of the brave young Australian soldier,that being said,the sight of Abbott firing weapons large and small (action man/GI Tony) coupled with his response to the American officer,the sh** happens response,was open to speculation,IMO the phrase was used,not to denigrate the death,what every one seems to be overlooking, is the only other logical explanation is, he was trying to Impress the American officer that he(Abbott) was a (man of steel/Howard-like type) motivated by Tony’s me-first mindset,over which, he lack’s control,that is the mistake Tony Abbott made, and the rage of silence was him recognizing/contemplating/castigating himself, because his political career was palpably going down in flames, because of one selfish undisciplined phrase,