by JO ABI
So it seems the Prime Minister may have had a dodgy ex boyfriend (more about that shortly).
I will go out on a limb here and say she is not the Lone Ranger here.
As Director of Ipsos Mackay Social Research, Rebecca Huntley tweeted this morning:
“Every woman in Australia has had a dodgy ex boyfriend … The PM had one too, big deal.”
Is there anyone amongst us who has never had a questionable ex-partner? I’ll go first.
My dodgy ex-boyfriend used to ‘borrow’ money from people.
It started off at $40 or $50 and he always pledged to return the money by the end of the day. Then the end of the week. Then… longer.
It took him months to ask me to cough up the funds the first time but after his mum and dad got sick of him failing to properly manage his finances it was my turn I suppose.
I will never forget it.
We spent a lovely day together and he dropped me home. He was half-way down the driveway before he did the whole… “Ah, by the way, can I borrow $50 for tomorrow and I will pay you back?”
It got worse. The sums of money kept increasing and it wasn’t long before the money wasn’t returned as promptly as before. I explained I didn’t want to be his go-to person anymore and he shrugged it off as though he didn’t care.
It wasn’t long before I received a call from a mutual acquaintance asking if I would be so kind as to ask my boyfriend to cough up the almost $2000 he had borrowed months earlier.
Why was he calling me?
By this stage our relationship was hanging on my a thin thread and I was quickly planning my exit strategy but we had been together long enough for people to assume we were getting serious.
When I asked this person why he was calling me he said, “You’re together. My money is supporting your lifestyle.”
Um, yes but I shouldn’t have to be the one to chase it. I didn’t borrow the money and I didn’t want any part of my almost-ex-boyfriend and his irresponsible financial habits. I suppose some of that money paid for the movies and maybe some dinner but I didn’t know. Was I responsible?
Detectives are investigating alleged union fraud by a former boyfriend of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
There are news reports today that detectives are investigating alleged union fraud by a former boyfriend of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
While the Prime Minister has denied that she had any knowledge or involvement in her former boyfriend’s alleged wrongdoing, there have been calls from parliamentarians today that she make a statement about the matter and that there be an investigation.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said yesterday the Prime Minister’s former boyfriend was of “legitimate media interest” and that “the ball is now in the prime minister’s court.”
What ball? What court? She dated a guy 20 years ago. They broke up. The Prime Minister’s denied knowing anything about it and if that’s the case, whatever he did or didn’t do back then is his responsibility, surely. Surely.
Imagine for a moment that you were in the public eye and someone used the character of one (or several) of your ex-partners to suggest you’re not up to your job.
I watch a lot of Real Housewives shows (hanging my head in mock-shame) and I will never forget something Gretchen said when asked if she wanted to marry her financially-challenged boyfriend.
She said, “I’m in love… I’m not in love and stupid.” I agree honey and since that relationship I have kept my finances well and truly separate.
All I can say is that I am happy I am not a woman in politics this week because I am pretty sure that the $2000 was never paid back.
I have another ex who was once jailed for traffic offences and another who lost investor funds when his business went south. We all have friends who have gone out with guys they’d rather forge: guys who grew marijuana in the backyard, guys who cheated, guys who ended up living less than perfect lives.
My point is, it can happen to all of us – dating someone who just didn’t cut it. We shouldn’t be held responsible for the sins of boyfriends… past or present.
Jo Abi is the author of the book How to Date a Dad: a dating guide released by Hachette Livre Australia. You can read more about her many and various exploits here.
Have you got dodgy ex-boyfriend story to share? Or ex-girlfriend. Shoot.
87 Comments so far
Hi everyone,
We’re reluctantly closing comments on this post due to the potentially defamatory nature of what is being posted.
Jamila (Managing Editor)
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Im not going to comment on the Julia / political part of the story but if you consider that I discovered my ex fiancé posting close up photos of his man parts on various x rated sites as well as being a member on Ashley Madison, then yes, I almost married a douche. Sorry, a dodgy douche.
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Yep – one day getting a call to find out my charismatic ex Spanish lover was in jail. Visited him each week, but never got a straight answer to why he was in there.
I was 21, loved the thrill of going into the jail to visit my bad boy until I finally woke up and realised I really needed to get out quick! Still to this day have no idea why he was in, if he is still there…
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I dated a dude for 8 months whilst studying law who would come over to mine without fail every afternoon, use my internet, eat the remaining left overs in my fridge, leave my house a bombsite and go back to his parents that night. I won a $100 food voucher and he ate absolutely everything I got with it. On my 20th birthday he cheated on me…in front of me…and palmed it off as being “drunk” the next day. Hmmmm….HE WENT HOME WITH HER I’M NOT THAT STUPID.
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Imagine you are a partner at a respected law firm. Your draw up some docs for your boyfriend, which then enables him to access funds which he allegedly misuses. The law firm thinks this is all sorts of dodgy and you hand in your resignation which they immediately accept.
So then imagine, many years later, you become Prime Minister of Australia. Your previous life, relationships, jobs etc are scrutinized. Do you not expect this matter to be discussed, or featured in the media? How ridiculous.
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For an apparently smart lady she has terrible taste in men. There’s this corrupt union official who helped pay for her renovations, then there was the very married Craig Emerson – he lost his wife and kids but made the front bench so good on him. Wonder what secrets will emerge about Tim???
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That’s a bit low, isn’t it?
Tim has stuck with her through the past few messy years, so perhaps we should give him a bit of credit for that at least, and not drag him into her past life?
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I know I should care, I should be up in arms, happy & delighted to see another strike against a PM who I dont really care for but I honestly couldnt care less. So she dated a shonk, she may have done something a bit dodgey to protect him? Dont know & dont care.
Can they all just get on with running the country. There are so many more issues that are more important to Australians, the media & pollies have to get their heads out of their bottoms & just find solutions to the myriad of problems we are facing. Outrageous power prices, rising food prices, homelessnes, abandoned puppies!!!!
FOCUS PEOPLE!!
rant over, time for my medication…
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I have dated a fellow who was briefly ‘Australia’s Most Wanted’….and that would seriously negate a political career methinks…..
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OMG! Im having visions of you watching the show, terrified, while waiting for him to come out of the kitchen!!!
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Having a shit ex was the best thing to happen to me – makes me appreciate how lucky I am to have my current boyfriend
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Yeah, everyone has had a dodgy ex boyfriend (although the PM’s tendency to date married men in the past doesn’t thrill me too much.)
I’ve been reading this case with interest over the past few months. I couldnt care less that she has a dogy ex. What I do care about are the allegations that:
1. That as a senior lawyer she set up the account that was used to syphen money from union members.
2. That some of the stolen money was used to fund renovations on Gillard house and purchasing of clothing (from Witchery from memory.)
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Oh thank you, Miss Meow! Comments alluding to the affairs are always deleted. This, a site for women, protects a woman who has destroyed at least two marriages! Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
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Oh, for PITY’S sake.
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So where were these ‘blameless’ married men when she was going around single-handedly wrecking marriages?
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Oh the men are to blame…but I’m never impressed by a woman who thinks it’s OK to sleep with married men. I hope you’re not ok with that either!
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Not particularly – being married myself I’d naturally be a bit averse to that
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It still doesn’t change my point that all too often the blame game concentrates squarely on the woman in the piece whether or not she’s married, and the guy seems to get away with little or no mention. Gareth Evans and Cheryl Kernot, anyone?
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Personally while I don’t think sleeping with a married man is a good thing, the blame rests solely on the shoulders of the married man. He’s the one that’s cheating on someone he vowed to love! The responsibility to the marriage is his not the other woman’s.
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I’m a through and through LNP supporter, and would never vote for a Gillard government.
I’m also a solicitor. Knowing the oath we have to take to be honest and frank in all our dealings, our paramount duties to the administration of justice, the loopholes and double signatures you have to get to even pay your bill from the money the client has placed in trust, the law society rules regarding trust and client invested money and the extremely stringent rules regarding solicitors and trust accounts, I do not believe, for one second, Gillard, as a solicitor, particularly a senior one in a big, national firm, would EVER siphon funds from a client.
I’m not saying that there are solicitors who haven’t done it before, we all know there are dodgy, even criminal ones out there, but I highly highly doubt she was one of them.
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I have not read that she did any siphoning, just that she set up the association and the accounts that the siphoning occured into – allegedly of course. It may not be true at all which is why I would like to hear what she has to say about the issue, rather than just trying to shut down the media.
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You said above that the siphoned money was used to pay for her house renos and witchery clothes.
I don’t see the problem, if she was instructed by her client, to incorporate a company, partnership and the instructions were all legitimate. It’s not her fault as to what happened later and a solicitor shouldn’t be held accountable if they are given legitimate, above board instructions and later find out the clients doing something dodgy with the account/company/partnership.
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She didnt open a file, Anonymous. Go and read Kangaroo Court of Australia website.
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This is what I want to know. What is the story with setting up the accounts etc, and was stolen money used on rents and clothes. And if so did she know it was stolen money or did she just think it was a lovely gift from her boyfriend and what did she do if anything once she found out the money she used was stolen? What effort did she go to to return the money to the union members. I’m not saying she did any of this I am saying the allegations are out there and I would like my prime minister to answer the questions. I am concerned about the allegations.
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Julia wears Witchery?
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Do you have any idea how much lawyers actually earn? Nowhere near as much as everyone seems to think, particularly, I doubt a union lawyer would be wearing or could afford Chanel.
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apologies for my rubbish grammar and spelling…typing too fast….and the “edit” button seems to have gone so I can’t fix them
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Hey everyone,
Let’s make sure we keep the conversation civil please and observe the dinner party rules. Jo has written a post about her experiences with a crappy ex-boyfriend – there’s no need for anyone to be having a go at her.
She makes clear that her post is based on an IF the PM’s denial of these accusations is to be believed, THEN it’s just an issue of a dodgy ex.
If people want to chat more broadly about the PM and the political accusations leveled at her then let’s go right ahead. I for one love a little bit of extra politics!
But let’s keep it fair and respectful to the author and remember the point she was making was a lighter one.
Jamila x
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Jamila, I love Abi’s articles but there is NOTHING funny about the situation our country is in at the moment and I’m in no mood to make light of this issue. There are very serious allegations being made and Ms Gillard has never answered them. A 34 year old lawyer is NOT being ‘young and naive’ when she fails to open a file on a job and sets up accounts to embezzle members funds. She had to know that those accounts were not permissible under the union terms.
We need a Royal Commission into the trade unions. We need a Royal Commission into the Heiner Affair. Gillard should have followed the Westminster tradition and resigned over the asylum seeker debacle that has wasted 4 BILLION dollars and cost mre than 800 LIVES. Swan has taken a 22billion dollar surplus and turned it into a maxed out credit card with 250 billion dollars on it! Well be paying it back for generations and we have NOTHING to show for it. Nothing! No NDIS, nothing but some dodgy Chinese made pink batts and overpriced school sheds.
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Thank you Cg!! At last something is speaking something other then inane and ill informed apathy.
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Yeah, because inane & ill-informed gossip & political slurs are *such* a good idea.
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And that’s fine Cg. I’m not taking issue with your comment at all. It’s totally fair for you to put your view and to do it here. I just want to make sure Jo doesn’t get attacked for an opinion she doesn’t necessarily hold (as was starting to happen below).
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All of what you have said with regards to her Prime Ministership and the state of the country may or may not be true, I won’t argue with you about that, but dragging up allegations about something she may or may not have done decades ago has nothing to do with what is going on now. Infact all it does is detract from the issues you feel so pasionately about. She shouldn’t be wasting time answering these questions, she should be doing her job, shouldn’t she?
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These questions demand answers, Renee.
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I had an ex boyfriend who used to steal from my parents. Obviously I didn’t realise this at the time and my brothers and I were getting all these accusations from my parents and getting in trouble for it. It was only years later that it all surfaced.
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The fact that the PM once dated a man of questionable character is beside the point. The important questions to be asked here are: “What did she know and what did she do, if anything, to facilitate the allegedly illegal activities carried out by her boyfriend?” She was the lawyer who drew up and signed the forms to have an association incorporated through which her then boyfriend (allegedly) misused union funds. To that extent she WAS involved and she should, at the very least, explain that aspect of her involvement.
This is not, as some people have been arguing, a trivial matter relating to a event in the distant past that is no longer relevant to Julia Gillard’s standing as PM. This is not another attempt by the Libs to muddy the waters. This is not a smear campaign aimed at disparaging the PM based on her past relationships.
The issue goes towards Julia Gillard’s professional conduct as a lawyer at the time, which in my opinion, may be relevant to her professional conduct now as the nation’s PM. Her blanket denial of any involvement at all is unacceptable. The Australian public should demand a full explanation from her.
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Round of applause.
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I haven’t read all the comments on here – so don’t know who I do and don’t agree with – but it looks like a pick-on-Bradley session!
rather than that a genuine discussion.
Can we stay on topic? It’s an interesting one. There are definitely going to be divided opinions. Let’s play nice.
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In America a few years back, the Republicans got desperate and trawled through Clinton’s relationships to discredit him. This is the style of witch-hunt we’re witnessing now.
The historical importance of having our first Female Prime Minister aside, plus the burden of having to manage a bunch of weak, indecisive, quarrelling Labor Party blokes , Julia Gillard is going to go through a “trial of fire” up to the next election.
Tony Abbott’s past girlfriends won’t be investigated but maybe they should be – just to keep things fair………….
Wait a minute, did I say FAIR ?………
This IS the crummy world of politics after all ….lol.
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That is absolutely not true. This story has been brewing for years but the Labor loving media have refused to press for answers. The trade union’s corruption goes all the way to the top.
Gillard’s character should have been thoroughly investigated instead of the feminist clique falling all over themselves just because she’s a woman.
The moderating on this site alone has ensured that her well pdocumented affairs, that have destroyed marriages, her affiliation with the far left Socialst Forum (the communist party offshoot) and the fact that as a lawyer in her mid 30s she claimed ‘young and naive’ as her only defense.
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There have been significant reporting of this isue on the internet for a number of years…it’s just taken time for the mainstream media to catch up. As for looking into Abbbott’s girlfriend past I believe that has already happened, back when Howard was PM.
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Jo, do you remember the backlash when Jessica Rudd wrote a piece of juvenile propoganda that insulted our intelligence?
Trivialising this serious issue isn’t right. Attempting to deflect attention from it is a sad reflection of this site and confirms that the ‘mummy bloggers’ are seen as gullible and easily manipulated fools by the ALP.
Anyone who wants the full story, without the Labor spin, can access the information on the ‘Kangaroo Court of Australia’ website. Alternatively, various radio stations have interviewed Michael Smith. Ben Fordham (2GB) will have one on podcast.
At least two journalists have lost their jobs. The ALP have attempted to control the media.
This is a story of union corruption that needs to be exposed. People have been bashed and threatened.
Underbelly Labor NEEDS to be bought to justice.
Personally, being treated like a naive year 10 girl leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. We deserve more than this piece of blatent stupidity.
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My Mum just couldn’t come at a woman prime minister. Not that she admitted it of course there were lots of pathetic excuses given for why she was abandoning Labor last election. But this is the last straw for her. “They’re just picking on her.” is Mum’s current line.
I wonder if this is behind Labor’s rise in the polls. The Julia critics have stepped over the line and are creating sympathy for her.
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tony abbott and the libs are just doing more and more mud-raking.
they are getting desperate. this occurred 17 YEARS AGO and she was cleared!!!!
tony is just trying to avoid people asking him about his policies. although he did mention how he believes public schools are over-funded. i am sure they are some very expensive private schools in need of an olympic sized pool upgrade or something…
*awaits comment from FHB and Bradley*
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I always feel odd when I reply to someone who isn’t prepared to own their comment, however…….I do believe that this story about dodgy boyfriends and union slush funds and criminal dealings has been making headlines long before this current session of parliament.
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Bradley you are spot on.
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The way I understand it, it is not about discovering she had a dodgy bf but what she did to help facilitate his dodginess. Very different issues.
Hardly comparable to an ex borrowing $2000 from another friend without your knowledge.
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Absolutely correct. If Ms Gillard believes that someone is smearing her reputation, then take that person or persons to court and sue their backsides off. It wouldn’t cost her a red cent and she could make detractors shut their mouths good and proper and possibly gain her a legion of new supporters.
I feel that this article is just another one of those articles that pop up regularly on MM with the tone being criticism of the PM equates to sexism.
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Actually, I think it’s just an article that recognises how hilarious “dodgy ex-boyfriend stories” can be. They saw a segue and capitalised on it and I, for one, am glad they did because the stories people are sharing have managed to make me smile on what is otherwise a really miserable day.
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If that was the intention, then surely an article about dodgy boyfriends would have stood on it’s own merits. There would have been no need to mention the PM.
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I think this article is to play down JG`s role in the xbf`s dealings. Definitely to make light of it, many have had dodgy bf`s but did we all get involved or have knowledge of an alleged major union fraud.
As I said before …….hardly comparable.
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I discovered gay porn on my ex’s phone. That was dodgy. I had an AIDS test and kicked him out. Glad I’m not in politics. What do bad romantic choices have to do with your job. Nothing.
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Wow, imagine if every man instantly kicked a partner out for having some same sex curiosity and fantasy. Oh, thats right, bisexuality is to be celebrated in women, I almost forgot.
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“bisexuality is to be celebrated in women”
According to porn, yes.
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AIDS test? Really? *facepalm*
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Why the facepalm? I get a full STI screening (including a blood test for AIDS) after each sexual partner- it’s called being socially responsible.
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With respect….the dodgy boyfriends that you may have had just might be in a different league to the dodgy boyfriend that PM Gillard is associated with.
I don’t think that we’re talking about consistently forgetting to bring the wallet along to the dinner date and never paying back amounts of cash that will be borrowed for just a few days.
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I have to agree Bradley,
There is a difference between a young financially-backward bloke, and the head of a Union who asked his GF (Gillard) to create a place for him to stash misapropriated union funds. I acknowledge that Gillard’s official line is that she did not know that her actions were to lead to criminal behaviour on the part of her boyfriend, but this is a pretty hideous situation to try to sweep under the political rug.
Realistically in political terms, she might have well have dated John Ibrahim, helped him with his business, and tried to stay tight lipped about her involvement.
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That’s not a realistic example at all! It is in no way like that.
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How is that not a reasonable analogy ?
You put it your way because I’m genuinely interested in your view.
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Dana how are you so sure? Politically speaking, being associated with someone *that* dodgy is not ok, ever. In the same way people would talk if a pollie was assoicated in one point with Ibrahim -or other notoriously shady figure- people are talking about this now. The reason I equated it to Ibrahim is that many people wouldnt understand the gravity of her BF’s position of power, and the way he was investigated for very serious offences.
Yes it happened a long time ago, but this isnt a run of the mill dodgy boyfriend.
The reality is that its possible that Gillard experienced a gain from the shady activities, but wants to stay quiet, which leaves all manner of open ends.
Put it this way:
If a pollie fronted up to an election, who had been associated with (and possibly involved in) the misapropriation of union funds, and damn near lost their job over it, would you consider them trustworthy enough to the country? Would you vote for them? I certainly wouldnt.
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Cait, have you never known anyone dodgy? Because it’s not always as if they have “DODGY!” tattooed on their forehead, in inch-high red ink. A number of years ago someone I worked with was arrested on very serious charges, and I was shocked – and the people who’d known him better were absolutely shattered.
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Although I’ve exclusively dated unkind douchebags, none of them were particularly dodgy… Which leaves me wondering if I am, in fact, the dodgy ex-girlfriend?
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Only this morning, a female colleague was criticising the PM.
Does this make her sexist ?
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Grasping at straws, Bradley?
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Ugh, I read stories like this and I am so glad I am not in the public eye! I have one narcissistic ex who I know for sure would sell the dirty details of our relationship to the nearest tabloid if I ever got famous. I’m feeling for Julia because I would hate for anyone I know now to associate me with that d-bag!
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I’m no Gillard fan but please. Criticse her policies not her love life! Sexist and pathetic.
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I had a guy who borrowed money from me too. He borrowed cash on our second date after he lost his wallet. Then he had to keep borrowing it the first four weeks we went out. Then, after about $700 later he just stopped returning my calls. I felt so dumb.
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My ex shop-lifted me a necklace for my birthday. He confessed a few months later when he was drunk. It was never quite the same after that…..
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HAHA! Oh the romance… That is hilarious
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Well its the thought that counts…isnt it?
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I had an ex boyfriend who used to deal dope from my flat while I was at work!
We didn’t even live together but he had a key and he used to have ‘customers’ over when I wasn’t there.
I had no idea until I came home sick one day to find some very dodgy looking people pulling a bong on my couch.
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I don’t like Julia Gillard. At all. And if she’s lying then this has to be the last straw for her.
But if she’s telling the truth then God yes (unlikely given carbon tax, rudd), then I agree, haven’t we all had a crap boyfriend? I would hate to still be associated with some of mine.
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I’ve always had nice boyfriends! I honestly have no horror stories at all. I’ve dated nice guys and we’ve stayed friends after.
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I think I’ve commented about this one before, but I once had a boyfriend that I took to my formal. We’d been at the after party for about 20 mins (it was in some club with big glass windows) when my friend pointed out the window and said, “is that your boyfriend?”
Yes. Yes it was. He was leaving the formal. Without even telling me! Dud.
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Okay. I dated a guy for 6 months who was a ‘car dealer’. I used to ask to see the dealership or for details of when he’d be there and he would never give them. Turns out car dealer was code for ‘i steal cars and then sell them cheaply for cash to buy more crack’. What a guy.
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I went out with a guy who always used to say ‘ don’t come in’ when he used the bathroom. I always thought- why would I?
Turns out he was doing drugs. I am so naive.
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It is not just about what her ex boyfriend did it is about how she set things up for him and may have financialy benifited from it, her own law firm called her to account for it.
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Quite correct. If any female reader of this blog has found themselves in this exact same situation….please speak now. The PM is looking for an escape route from this and your information may be of assistance.
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bradley, I can’t understand what you’re doing on this site – you seem to hate everything.
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Hate everything ???????
I don’t hate you, nommy !
Let’s just say I’m not a fan of bulldust and when it is presented as fact, I’ll bite. I actually don’t know too many people who tolerate bulldust.
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Guys, do you have any actual evidence of the PM having done something wrong? Or just inferences, because she dated someone that did something wrong? This was pretty comprehensively picked over by her employer at the time, and they’ve now come out and clearly stated that she was clean. No one to date has had enough evidence to make any formal allegations. And you can’t argue a hush job, she wasn’t even in Parliament at the time. Why would anyone have covered for her then?
I’d also recommend reading Michael Pascoe’s article in the SMH yesterday about the person driving the allegations — nasty stuff: http://www.smh.com.au/business/larry-pickering–the-conman-stalking-gillard-20120820-24hxi.html. Suddenly, it all looks smear-driven, not truth-driven.
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Pickering is a nutter con man, however please don’t be hoodwinked into believing that Pickering is the only one who has been reasearching and investigating this issue for a number of years. Visit the Kangaroo Court of Australia site for a half decent investigation of this issue. Don’t listen to a opinion piece from the now very under resourced SMH – get objective facts and then make your own unemotional decision about what happened.
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Totally right guest. Also, sure we’ve all had the odd dodgy boyfriend. But we’re not all the PRIME MINISTER!! I for one am just some chic from the outer suburbs of Brisbane. I would hope that the PM would be held up to more scrutiny regarding dodgy boyfriends and their dealings that the rest of us!!
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Thank you guest. I can’t believe Jo didn’t feel this was relevant to the article, it’s what the fuss is about!
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…and CLEARED her of any wrongdoing.
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And then sacked her because?
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She wasn’t sacked, she resigned to take another job. Six months later. Her old firm confirmed that. Look, I don’t love the woman more than anyone, but it does feel like people are more interested in seeing her go down than establishing the truth.
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