Prime Minister Poll

[AngryAnt]

Taxes are not savings?
Why should it all be spent on infrastructures like hospitals, housing, and schools?
To me, the Government finances should be run not unlike any person or family run their own banking.

Hospitals, housing and schools are really services more than infrastructure. They have an element of infrastructure but the real cost is the human resources required to provide services to the Australian public.

I also don't buy the "he'll lead us back into the 1950s and 1960s era" with his philosophies....funny thing is, a lot of people from these eras think it was the best time to be an Australian.

Tony is more of the 1950s than 60s vintage. And people over 70 years old tend to see the past through nostalgia-tinged glasses. Are you of that age Livers?

Hopefully, if the Libs do decide to change leadership, they go with someone else...maybe RemoteTiger's view on Joe Hockey might be worth a revisit?

Joe would have less chance of winning than Abbott, but even the Libs know he's not up for the job. Remember last time he put his hand up? Two days of hysteria from the Murdoch press with Hockey then losing in the first round to Turnbull and Abbott.

 

[Total Tiger]

I've had some dealings with Joe Hockey and while he's a really nice bloke, a Prime Minister he ain't.

 

[mld]

Hockey has a five star disgusted shake of the head that has its best effect from the opposition benches.

 

[K3]

If the Libs annointed Turnbull as leader, and got rid of Bishop and Hockey, I would actually vote for them.

Yes, that is saying a bit!

 

[Liverpool]

If the Libs annointed Turnbull as leader, and got rid of Bishop and Hockey, I would actually vote for them.
Yes, that is saying a bit!

May as well vote for the ALP then mate, as Turnbull's ideas are more aligned with them anyway, I reckon.

 

[Rosy]

Tony's latest knockout punch (TheAge)

Tony's latest knockout punch
Michelle Grattan
Political editor of The Age
Date September 25, 2012

TONY Abbott has swung one political punch too many, and yesterday floored himself.

As Julia Gillard arrived in the United States for a last-ditch effort to garner support for Australia's Security Council bid, Mr Abbott insisted she should be elsewhere.

With boat arrivals continuing apace, he said rather than ''swanning around in New York talking to Africans,'' spruiking for votes, she should be in Indonesia ''because that is where Australia's national interest is most at stake right now.''


Illustration: Ron Tandberg
''Rather than talking to African countries trying to drum up the numbers to get us a temporary seat on the UN Security Council, she should be in Jakarta talking to President Yudhoyono - talking about how we can co-operate better with the Indonesians to stop this flow which is putting our border protection hopelessly under the pump.''

Unfortunately for Abbott, President Yudhoyono wasn't in Jakarta but just where Gillard was - in New York.

Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan quickly jumped on the gaffe, attacking the opposition leader for not knowing what was ''a clear matter of public record''. ''Mr Abbott ought to retract his statements immediately - he ought to apologise for them. He ought to give an undertaking that he's going to give up this reckless negativity which is always in complete defiance of the facts.'' He also pointed out that when Abbott had met Yudhoyono in Australia he ''did not have the courage'' to raise his tow-back policy.

The mistake came after some difficult weeks for Abbott, when he has contradicted himself about whether he had read a BHP Billiton press release and shifted his story about an incident from his university days.

Gillard is putting herself on the line in her campaign. Australia was encouraged by the support it had received, she said, ''but it's tight and it's tough and so I'm here personally to advocate for our election''.

Asked to rate Australia's chances, she likened herself to the grand final coaches. ''You won't hear any of those coaches speculating on the results … They'll be talking about what they're doing to get in there and win. I'm playing the same role on a very different stage.''

Invoking his own sport metaphor, Abbott said it ''was never worth the $40 million-plus that this government has spent just to win a bronze medal at the United Nations''.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/tonys-latest-knockout-punch-20120924-26hbk.html#ixzz27QZr98NY

:rofl

 

[Tigers of Old]

Looking a bit rattled of late is Phoney.

 

[U2Tigers]

She may be in the same place as the Indonesian President, however is she meeting with him over this issue whilst she is there, if not then the point still stands in a sense.

A pretty embarassing situation for Abbot though. It seems he is also being let down by his team of advisors as well.

 

[Brodders17]

With boat arrivals continuing apace, he said rather than ''swanning around in New York talking to Africans,''

i would have thought Gillard might take the chance to talk to other world leaders, not just those irrelevant Africans.

 

[Brodders17]

She may be in the same place as the Indonesian President, however is she meeting with him over this issue whilst she is there, if not then the point still stands in a sense.

she has more chance of talking to him in NY than if she followed Abbott's advice.

 

[U2Tigers]

she has more chance of talking to him in NY than if she followed Abbott's advice.

thats pretty obvious, but is it on her agenda. If not then some of what Abbot is saying is still a relevant point (he really needs to think/research before he speaks sometimes)

 

[Tigers of Old]

she has more chance of talking to him in NY than if she followed Abbott's advice.

:hihi

 

[U2Tigers]

Just on this gaffe by Abbot.

Whats the bigger topic here.

1. A prime minister meeting with a foreign president over an important issue for both countries; or

2. An opposition leader making a blunder on where the PM should meet the president(which she may not be doing in NY anyway)

would think the Policy of something to do with National security should be more the focus, but obviously it won't be, when a chance of Abbot bashing is in front of everyone.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Just on this gaffe by Abbot.

Whats the bigger topic here.

1. A prime minister meeting with a foreign president over an important issue for both countries; or

2. An opposition leader making a blunder on where the PM should meet the president(which she may not be doing in NY anyway)

would think the Policy of something to do with National security should be more the focus, but obviously it won't be, when a chance of Abbot bashing is in front of everyone.

(he really needs to think/research before he speaks sometimes)

I think that this is the biggest issue. Otherwise it's a non issue.

 

[Brodders17]

thats pretty obvious, but is it on her agenda. If not then some of what Abbot is saying is still a relevant point (he really needs to think/research before he speaks sometimes)

does she need to be talking to him now? does talking to the UN exclude conversations happening with Indonesia at other times?

Just on this gaffe by Abbot.

Whats the bigger topic here.

1. A prime minister meeting with a foreign president over an important issue for both countries; or

2. An opposition leader making a blunder on where the PM should meet the president(which she may not be doing in NY anyway)

would think the Policy of something to do with National security should be more the focus, but obviously it won't be, when a chance of Abbot bashing is in front of everyone.

to me the bigger point is the rubbish that continually comes out of Abbott's mouth. if this was a once off it wouldnt matter, but he has a habit of saying things without thinking much about them. not an ideal trait for a prospective PM.

it also further emphasises his main tactic. throw enough mud and hope some sticks.

 

[U2Tigers]

does she need to be talking to him now? does talking to the UN exclude conversations happening with Indonesia at other times?

Well in the end despite the gaffe that is Abbots point, he thinks she should be, he just lost that point being able to get accross to the voters, by getting it so terribly wrong.

 

[Liverpool]

Just on this gaffe by Abbot.

Whats the bigger topic here.

1. A prime minister meeting with a foreign president over an important issue for both countries; or

2. An opposition leader making a blunder on where the PM should meet the president(which she may not be doing in NY anyway)

would think the Policy of something to do with National security should be more the focus, but obviously it won't be, when a chance of Abbot bashing is in front of everyone.

Typical article from Grattan and not surprised by who posted it on here either.

The ALP are in good hands :spin

to me the bigger point is the rubbish that continually comes out of Abbott's mouth. if this was a once off it wouldnt matter, but he has a habit of saying things without thinking much about them. not an ideal trait for a prospective PM.

:rofl yeah, that coming from the Julia "no carbon tax under the government I lead" Gillard fans is laughable...the same fans who voted for Kevin "climate change is the greatest moral challenge of our time" Rudd, who decided against a carbon tax :-X

Hypocrites! :scold

 

[Baloo]

Well in the end despite the gaffe that is Abbots point, he thinks she should be, he just lost that point being able to get accross to the voters, by getting it so terribly wrong.

Do you know she's not meeting with SBY ? Or that she doesn't have plans to meet SBY ?

The fact Abbott had no idea where SBY was makes me think he has no idea if Gillard has plans to meet him. I'm not sure why you would give any of Abotts point any credit when it's been exposed how ill informed he is.

As a military man, how do you feel about Australia trying to get a seat on the Security Council. Do you see it as a $40Million Bronze medal* too ?

*We do of course need to verify that it's costing 40mill and that it's only considered bronze.

 

[U2Tigers]

Do you know she's not meeting with SBY ? Or that she doesn't have plans to meet SBY ?

The fact Abbott had no idea where SBY was makes me think he has no idea if Gillard has plans to meet him. I'm not sure why you would give any of Abotts point any credit when it's been exposed how ill informed he is.

As a military man, how do you feel about Australia trying to get a seat on the Security Council. Do you see it as a $40Million Bronze medal* too ?

*We do of course need to verify that it's costing 40mill and that it's only considered bronze.

my point isn't if she is or isn't meeting him so much, and to answer no I don't know myself.

The point that is striking me, is that the focus is now on the opposition leaders gaffe, rather then an important meeting over an important issue that needs to take place.

If she is, then that just makes Abbot seem even more ill informed/silly. If she isn't then an important issue is now being lost due to his gaffe.

A mistake of his own making for sure.

 

[jb03]

Just on this gaffe by Abbot.

Whats the bigger topic here.

1. A prime minister meeting with a foreign president over an important issue for both countries; or

2. An opposition leader making a blunder on where the PM should meet the president(which she may not be doing in NY anyway)

Depends if you are a Labor or Liberal voter.