Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott
One of the most common criticisms of politicians today that they lack authenticity. With the political arena now governed by the 7 second sound bite and the 140 character tweet – the complexity of an argument can be easily lost.
That didn’t happen this week because one press conference and one interview have got everyone talking.
Yesterday Prime Minister Julia Gillard took to the ‘Blue Room’ at Parliament House today to deliver a press conference of epic proportions. She spoke for about and hour and a quarter (to put that in perspective, the average politician’s press conference is around 20 minutes).
Prime Minister Gillard took questions from the press gallery on issues from asylum seekers, to sexism in the media, to her former boyfriend’s alleged misconduct 17 years ago. She spoke almost entirely without notes and was cool, calm and determined.
Take a look:
If you weren’t watching the ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday night then you need to re-cap. And fast. Because presenter Leigh Sales’ interview with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was something to behold.
It was an unusual interview to say the least. Sales, who is a phenomenally competent journalist was in spectacular form. She came out strongly from the start, armed with facts and figures and across the detail in a way that took the Opposition Leader completely by surprise. Which in itself was surprising.
Again, we got to see the Opposition Leader responding to questions in a longer form interview that we’re used to.
You can watch the interview on the ABC’s website here.
Editor’s note: Tony Abbott has since clarified in a press conference that he had read the BHP documents.
Were you watching 7.30 last night? What did you think of the interview? What did you think of the Prime Minister’s press conference today?
Comments
148 Comments so far
I thought the prime minister did a great job at answering questions at the hope of getting issues out of the way and over and done with.
Actually it reminded me of a tv show. For anyone who’s never watched the American tv show the West Wing, in the final season the show follows two the two campaigns of the democrats & republicans who are running for president and their day to day lives on the campaign trail. As the election becomes closer a disaster occurs at a nuclear power plant and it comes out that the up and running of the plant was supported by one of the opponents. As I’m sure most people can imagine how the media reacted to such information. However, in the episode the politician takes a three hour press conference and answers every question in the hope of putting the story to bed.
Maybe one of Julia’s advisors paid attention to the West Wing!
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Always appreciate a person with high-level statecraft skills, but somehow I can’t find too many people with these skills. Julia has cultivated them nicely. Abbot is blissfully unaware that they even exist or that he needs them. Hell where do we go from here? Party politics is not about us any more, it’s about the parties themselves, and they couldn’t give a damn about any of us – only about themselves.
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This is a complete aside, but I love her jacket and top combination.
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I love red. It’s so good at covering a blush.
I believe Carla Zampatti dresses her – but don’t hold it against her.
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Is there really a need to be so nasty?
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why, what’s wrong with Carla Zampatti?
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Did you guys see Lisa Wilkinson interview Tony Abbot on the today show Thursday morning? I think she was fantastic too. You can watch it here.
http://youtu.be/gzM8sHGrJDM
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Did I read a comment about you covering Bill Shorten’s interview where he made a complete fool of himself by agreeing with the PM even though he didn’t know what she said? And an article on the disgusting way he abused a woman who didn’t have his pie at the exact temperature he likes it?
I can’t find the comment. And I can’t find the articles.
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Stef….you won’t find it here. Not even if you used a bloodhound, a GPS and a compass. You won’t find it here.
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Bradley, this one is for you. It will help you understand sexism and hypocricy in one quick lesson.
If the woman is a GreenLabor supporter, it’s sexism and vilification by redneck, racist, xenophobic, blah blah blah.
If the woman thinks that GreenLabor are fiscal vandals who love the sound of their own sanctimonious rubbish, then she’s fair game.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=haFfBXX3CvE
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Imagine that as you read my comment, Wagner’s “Ride Of The Valkyries” is playing in the background.
I love the smell of napalm and hypocracy in the morning !
Thank you, Stef. It’s all clear to me now !
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Leigh Sales is an awesome interviewer.
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New Labor candidate?
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She is a gutsy leader. Whether you like her or not, she’s as tough as they come. More ethical than Abbott – that’s for sure.
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Your dictionary is in the post !
It would seem that you need to refer to the meaning of the word “ethical”.
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Abbott couldn’t even answer any of the questions properly, because he’s so damn slippery. What’s ethical about that?
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There is no doubt about it. Abbott couldn’t answer the questions posed in this I/V. He is generally on topic. The PM refuses to answer the questions asked in nearly every I/V. Now that is slippery !
Check the footage. JG was forced to do the press conference. Her demeanor and body language shows someone doing something clearly against her will.
I had breakfast with some big L Labor voters this morning and they indicated that this “demand performance” hasn’t lifted their spirits about the party that they support and love remaining in office at the next election.
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Blithely repeating inane one liners does not equal being ‘on topic’.
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Were those big L Labor voters being forced to do something against their will?
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No. We regularly have meals together.
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To quote one of greatest orators of our time – Don’t write crap.
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I see too many comments from people who do not choose to look at both sides of any argument only blindly agreeing with the view of their preferred political party.
Here is a few examples of what I am talking about.
Carbon Polution
Labor solution – tax polluters to encourage them to change their ways.
LNP solution – tax the masses and give the money to the polluters and pay them to change their ways.
I prefer to the carbon tax because if you are company who has already taken the hard decisions and cut your pollution you don’t pay for the polluters to fix their problems. Sorry no brainer to me.
GFC
Labor Solution – Inject cash into the economy to ensure as many of us keep our jobs as possible.
LNP Solution – Do nothing and hope.
Again no brainer to me. The only problem is that some business people decided to take risks or a big management fee and then more than like join in the chorus of condemnation.
If the media really provided us with balanced unbiased commentary then we would get this message not the PINK BATTS or Big Bad Tax Headlines.
Thats my rant.
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Try this for balanced –
Costello inherits 98 billion dollar deficit, pays that off and leaves a futures fund and 22 billion dollars in the bank.
Five years later, Swan has squandered the lot and *plunged* us into 250 billion dollars worth of debt.
We have 8 million tax payers and our businesses are looking to move overseas if they can. The mining boom is over – that’s straight out of Martin Ferguson’s mouth.
Unlike the US, we have a public health system to support and a welfare system that, while inadequate, is the envy of the world. Then there’s education and a public service that this government has bloated beyond belief.
Economists are starting to whisper if we can even pay this debt back.
Two months after Swan’s ‘balanced budget’ treasury predict there is a 10 billion dollar blowout! In TWO months.
Labor, their 1600 spin merchants and their media protectors can blame Abbott for the current consumer paralysis but the fact is that as soon as the words ‘pink batts’ came out of Rudd’s mouth people realised we were in the hands of lunatics and they shut their wallets and haven’t opened them since.
This is not a ‘Labor’ Vs ‘Liberal’ argument. This is about the worst government in the history of this Nation.
It makes me I’ll to think of our carers, disabled and pensioners going without heating and lights. It makes me I’ll to hear the empty talk of an NDIS that we don’t have the money for and it terrifies me that the NBS isn’t even included in the debt because it’s an investment! The take up rate is pathetic! It will never make money. The greatest white elephant in history.
Miss Gillard has demonstrated again and again and again and again that her bad judgement goes all the way to the bone. She took a ‘good government that had lost it’s way’ and set the GPS to take us straight up shit creek.
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Oh my God – perspective Merri, perspective!
‘Worst government in the history of this nation.’ – have you travelled abroad recently?
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Huh?
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Well it’s certainly not the worst government in the history of the Italian Republic.
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I think the point was “OF THIS NATION” doesn’t that make OS governments irrellevant?
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Hello, do you know what the word “nation” means?
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Irrelevant (one ‘l’).
Actually, my point was about getting some perspective, not semantics.
Australia is paradise compared to most other countries.
But I agree a different choice of quote would have worked better, and let’s face it there were plenty to choose from in Merri’s rant.
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You missed the point of my comment, and if you want to regurgitate the line that the LNP paid off the last deficit good for them the conditions were right and they did get a little help from assets sales to make the job easier, but Howard and Costello can’t claim the full credit for the shape the country was in when they left power much of the ground work was done under Hawke and Keating.
The reality is that the GFC changed the whole picture with regard to deficit and you may have been happy to see people lose their jobs whilst the LNP would have sat back and done nothing to boost the economy when it needed, not me. Not saying it could have been managed better but that happpens when either party is in power as you rely on the Public Service to Manage these things and if you have had the amount of experience I have with this you will understand that the blame can not always be placed at the feet of the politicians (and I repeat that goes for both sides of the political spectrum).
So take a balanced look, what about Tony’s black hole and the tax he wants to put on business to pay for his paternity leave scheme.
I personally don’t have a problem with deficits if they are used for the right purpose and in the case of the post GFC deficit that in my opinion and that of many other credible sources was the right decision, and despite what Tony is sprouting I’m sure the LNP would have had to go into deficit as well, the problem is we will never know to what extent because they were not in power.
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If the public service can’t manage these things properly D, shouldn’t the public service be reduced and the projects that need managing be outsourced to Australian businesses who have a stronger personal incentive (as business owners) to make sure things are managed correctly?
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Having worked both in the private sector and public sector let me tell you that private businesses have only one incentive, to make a profit. Providing the best outcome for the good of the Australian people comes a distant second. The outsourcing of the Queensland Health Payroll Project as an example was an utter disaster. There are few examples where outsourcing of government projects to private enterprise resulted in cost savings and a good outcome. The problem is not that the public service can’t and doesn’t employ good project managers but political interference. Politicians have become too arrogant to heed the advice of experienced public servants and project managers. Outsourcing will not stop bad decisions being made by politicians, but will ensure they have a higher cost attached.
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“Five years later, Swan has squandered the lot and *plunged* us into 250 billion dollars worth of debt. ”
um… Swan does not operate in bubble, he lives in a world where there was a GFC. His skill as a treasurer is admired all over the world and our economy is stronger for his management of it.
Stop complaining and enjoy it.
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Geez…..I’d love to comment. But the abuse that the comment would attract would mess up my weekend.
I’ll save it for next week. Whatever you do over the next two days, do it with people that you like.
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Aww c’mon Bradley don’t be a tease!
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I’ve been waiting for you to comment today. I enjoy reading your comments even if others don’t.
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Me too!
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I don’t!!!
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As Mick Jagger once sang…..”You can’t always get what you want”…..whichever Anonymous you may be !
I still hope that you have a pleasant weekend.
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A bit of an aside here, but what do you think of the media’s choice of the term ‘boyfriend’ to describe Julia Gillard’s partner at the time?Why not just ‘partner’? It feels like another, albeit subtle way to belittle her. I’m sure if it were Tony the language would be different.
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Omg now I have heard it all regarding new and novel ways Julia can be painted as a victim of sexism. That is gold.
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That’s taking it a bit far don’t you think. He was her boyfriend.
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Yeah, yeah !
If it was Tony the media would have used the term “partner”.
Those darn sexist news hounds !
Blue ? Definitely azure.
I really did want to wait until next week. Throw your worst, or best, at me !
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I think boyfriend and partner are two different things. ‘Partner’ seems to be taking over a little as some sort of politically correct term but for me the two terms denote the seriousness of the relationship.
Tim whatisface is JG’s partner. They live together. Been together ages. Dedicated. ‘Partner’ was intended to confer on serious relationships the kind of respect a married couple gets. ‘Boyfriend’ doesn’t quite capture a ten year relationship for example.
A boyfriend is the early stages of a relationship. I can’t find out how long she went out with this guy for but it does seem pretty boyfriendy. It is just my opinion but I reject attempts to call short relationships ‘partner’.
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Great answer
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Miss Gillard told Obama she was single. ???
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I’m married with kids and even I would tell Obama I was single!
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That is the Julia people voted for, if we saw more of that Julia she would be polling much better, but we tend to see the patronising Julia who many people dont like or trust. I, for one, do not care what happened 17 years ago, boring & irrelevant, I just want her to govern our country with the honesty & integrity she showed in this press conference.
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I don’t care what happened 17 years ago either. But I do care about her carbon tax lie. That lie helped decide my vote.
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Agreed, that will come back & bite her, she had made Labor untrustworthy, regardless of who is leader at the next election. Unfortunately the Liberals will keep TA who I expect to be a pretty mediocore PM, but he has been one helluva opposition leader.
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Swinger – are you really that upset that a politician lied? Name me one leader who hasn’t.
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Question to anyone who accuses Gillard of lying about a carbon tax – listen to the interview again and hear in her next breath that she was determined to price carbon. That’s exactly what she did. No lying.
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so saying ‘there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead’ was not a lie. Wow, you are a spin master there Archie, there would surely be a position for you in the ALP machine.
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Like little Johnny Howard’s non-core promise to us? “No GST. Never, ever.”
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The sexist attacks Julia Gillard has had to put up with from comments about her figure to being labelled a bitch have been appalling and she has dealt with it with the utmost of dignity, so good on her for calling out the “misogynists and nut jobs ” for what they are! Hopefully the issue has now been put to rest and she can actually get on with her job and run the country!
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So, out of interest, what might one have called the people calling Howard Bush’s bitch, a baby killer (re the war) and showing images of him having sex with Bush. I assume that is ok, because it wasnt directed at a woman?
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I for one would find calling Howard “Bush’s Bitch” just as wrong. I think there is a line to be drawn with political commentary and satire. I am all for ridiculing untenable political positions, relevent personality flaws or public political gaffs but I find anything that uses sexist/racist/homophobic etc. slurs as completely unacceptable no matter who they are directed at. I would also include personal attacks or attacks on the family of a politician as crossing the line.
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exactly, lets call anything innapropriate for what it is. Lets not fall into the trap of calling everything ‘sexist’ jsut because it is a women on the receiving end.
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Ash, I’m feeling a little light headed here, so I’m going to clear up a few misconceptions that are rolling around in my noggin.
Is sexism gender specific ?
Does criticism become a sexist attack only if directed at a female.
I feel now is the time to see that the situation becomes salient, and you’ve scored the job of educating the ignorant masses.
I appreciate your time.
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Mammamia’s comments under any political articles are becoming nasty and more and more like ‘the HeraldSun’ websites comments every day. If this is meant to be a dinner party, can I get a doggy bag? I wouldn’t sit opposite people with such vitriol at a table; I might get indigestion. There’s no reasoned discussion, just screetching.
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I have been pretty critical of JG/Labor. Here is something in JG’s defence that has been missing from the last few posts and is important:
One of the main drivers recently on the JG/Boyfriend ‘scandal’ is a man named Liam Pickering. He is a cartoonist and convicted fraudster, conman and criminal. He is posting highly defamatory cartoons and articles about her on his blog. JG apparently won’t sue him because he is a bankrupt and in general it is just not worth it.
When people say they don’t see the sexist side of the attacks on JG you need to see what is happening on the internet. The mainstream media wouldn’t dare go too far, but on Liam Pickering’s website it is appallingly sexist. There are jokes along the lines of the PM being like a KFC dinner with two big juicy thighs. Just one of many examples.
The PM should be not be forced to defend herself against misogynistic defamatory bloggers out to get her simply because they don’t like her. And the mainstream media should not be picking up on some fraudsters fake allegations. See News Ltd unqualified retraction yesterday?
JG has plenty to answer for in a crappy government but the stuff that these men are doing to her online is out of order.
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Agreed.
I’m looking at his site now and it is quite disturbing. He seems to have a real hatred of Gillard which seems unwarranted, even if he thinks she is the worse PM ever.
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Ive seen some emails along this line and memes on Facebook. Generally I delete or ignore them, but a couple of times I’ve asked people not send them to me.
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I think you’ll find his name is Larry Pickering. The same Larry Pickering who was a cartoonist at The Australian for something like 20 years. And who as a national cartoonist had a huge profile. And I believe one of the reasons he filed for the bankruptcy was to avoid paying child support.
I had a look at his website following yesterday’s media conference and was shocked. It is appalling.
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He may have worked for the Oz but he far from legitimate now. And you are right, it is Larry not Liam, my bad.
As for bankruptcy it is for more than something relatively common in bankruptcy like child support. He should be exposed for what he is – a conman and criminal. He is bankrupt because he fleeced $15million from people in a highly sophisticated con involving, I believe, horse racing betting software. As a bankrupt the investors can’t get their money back.
People should Google him and see who this man really is, who parts of the media have been trusting for information. His credibility is worse than zero. He should be in jail.
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SO happy that you’ve covered these stories.
Go Mummamia integrity !
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Anyone else see the irony in that last sentence?
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Um, no. But if you replaced Mamamia with and Murdoch I sure would.
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Me thinks that one went over your head Nicki.
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Well can you please explain the intended irony for those who don’t get it?
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Jamila, why do you keep deleting the name of the website?
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Sorry Merri, no idea what you’re talking about?
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Kangaroo Court of Australia
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Sorry, still got nothing!
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I saw that link disappear too. However, people do tend to be writing about Kangaroo Court on here as if it were gospel. It is one guy with a very clear agenda. I’m not saying he is completely wrong on things but I take one man on a crusade with a very large grain of salt.
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A general comment: Are any of the people commenting on this article paid up members of a political party, or even those paid to review media sites and provide biased comment? This sounds like suspiciously professional commentating to me…..perhaps we could have people who are paid members of a party, or who fund raise for a specific party, etc acknowledging this in their responses to a specific political article..
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I’m not. I’m just an an ex labor voter who now hates their guts. When they said they were going to target the ‘mummy bloggers’ because they’re ‘soft targets’ I decided that I wasn’t going to keep my mouth shut any longer.
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“hates their guts”….? Weird.
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Hey Sharon,
Mamamia is open to everyone – we’ve got no problem with members of political parties (of any persuasion) commenting. So long as comments are respectful and polite then we’re more than happy to hear everyone’s opinions. Also – I’d just add because this is a pet peeve of mine that just because you join a political party doesn’t make your opinion any less valid.
Cheers,
Jamila
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I am not saying that people from political parties should not be able to comment
it is always fascinating and challenging to read what people say. And there are brilliant politicians from all parties at the moment and some maybe not so good…….
I was more interested at the level of sophistication of the comments, and that lead me to wonder if there was some “politics” going on…
I do believe that people who comment on a specific subject eg politics, abortion, religion etc should disclose any conflict of interest for that specific topic. After all, this helps all of us to place their comments in context..
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Tony Abbott the 1950′s called, they want their attitude to women back.
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Old Timer, there was a good article on “The Punch”yesterday, written by TA former cheif of staff, Kate Miranda, about how he surrounds himself with strong & capable women.
There is the link if you are interested:
http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/i-worked-with-tony-abbott-he-doesnt-care-about-gender/
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Jackie, dont try and let facts get in the way of a good line around here.
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I love mamamia. And I totally get that abbot doesn’t appeal to women. But I do think there have been enough requests from readers for you to offer the other side of the story. This isn’t like the vaccination debate. There are always two sides. Please mamamia, for the sake of your own credibility provide some balance on political issues or perhaps think twice about publishing so many. I clicked on this link hoping for a balanced story but was again disappointed.
I heard Mia mention on the today show the other day that she had a sit down with abbott after writing an unflattering article about him and he had shown himself to be a perfect gentlemen with some salient points. That I would be interested in hearing about. How Julia and tony both appear so very unpopular with people and yet by all accounts are quite personable one on one. While Kevin Rudd appeals to the public but is not likeable in person, (according to reports).
Many of us are genuinely interested to learn and you do have an opportunity to inform. I would have thought the number of comments asking for balance would have been enough to encourage mamamia to cater to their audience and report more than one opinion.
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Hi Mum of 2 (great name btw!)
We’ve run a lot of political opinion on Mamamia over the years and I think those issues have been canvassed and will be canvassed again.
I understand that some readers are concerned about the fact we run more op pieces from Labor politicians than Coalition.
That is completely legitimate but the simple truth is we have gone out of our way to try and get more content from the Coalition on the site.
Labor have been a lot more willing to engage with an online audience and particularly a female one. Having said that, we are not giving up and shall keep bashing down the Coalition’s door to try and get them writing for us.
Points taken also that you’d like to see more conservative opinion (not necessarily from politicians) and more general political analysis of polling and public personas on the site. We’ll see what we can do.
Jamila
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Are you seriously saying Malcolm won’t speak to you?
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Thanks Jamila, I would be genuinely interested to read that. Not because I am necessarily conservative, but because the argument is always more interesting when both sides are discussed.
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Agree! As jam said, we try sooo hard to get conservative and coalition voices on the site but they are elusive and don’t appreciate the benefit of engaging with women as much as the ALP and Greens do…
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How about getting someone like nick Xenophon on?
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I would like to see comment not necessarily from TA but people like Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop & Chris Pyne, & naturally the Lib left poster boy Malcolm Turnbull.
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Or just a commentator like Jamila from the other side? Not necessarily a politician, (although I love the joe hockey idea!) please excuse my caps lock not working properly!!
I love that you guys respond to comments by the way, it is quite unique to be able to have somewhat of a dialogue with some of the writers. I often notice Jamila, Mia and Bec’s comments.
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It has to be said that I really love the fact that you, Mia and Bec, (and probably others), actually comment on and respond to comment. It is a real point of difference to be able to have a dialogue with some of the authors of the articles and you guys are really diligent at it.
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Great comment. We’re trying!!!
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When it comes to the way you treat political subjects on here, I would have to agree with you there Mia.
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I remember reading the article Mia wrote about her one-on-one with Tony Abbot on this site. It might be 8-12 months ago, but have a search through the articles and it might pop up.
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Finally Abbott is being held account to his fear campaigns.
And it is not fashionable to say, but Gillard has been subjected to the most sexist & unfair treatment from the media.
I think history will look at her and what she did in a positive light. Check your facts people!
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How exactly has the media been sexist. Just because people take her to task does not imply it is gender based. God, Abbott gets it 10 times as much as she does from the majority of the media, and I dont call them misandrist as a result.
Any Prime Minister, Male or Female, needs the backbone to cope with media. They do the same to every Prime Minister. God, remember how Howard used to cop it. Or that justified in your eyes I supose.
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give me a break, you think similar or worse hasnt been thrown at Tony or Howard. What about the constant humiliation he gets for having dared to wear speedos for a triathalon – can you imagine if a media person dared do that regarding a female pollie. What about the mockery of his faith. It works both ways.
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Whenever a famous female is sighted in swimwear all manner of photos are splashed across magazines with her appearance and weight subject to a thousand graphic, sexual descriptions that do not compare with the affectionate, ‘Aussie budgie smuggler’. It does not work both ways.
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Well I don’t remember anyone calling him a ‘bitch’.
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Or saying he has a fat ass
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yeah, because the way he is constantly mocked for daring to wear appropiate swimwear for swimming is fine isnt it. Open your minds, see the full picture. You go looking for a sexist agenda, you will see it in almost everything, even when it doesnt exist.
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Sorry, but you’re original comment was about Howard and how he used to cop it.
You can’t change your mind now and talk about Abbott, using this as your defence. You were comparing Howard to Gillard.
I agree Howard copped it, like all PM’s do. However it does really appear, to me anyway, that the attacks on Gillard are much more hate-filled and disturbing.
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read the second sentence of my original comment. And to say Gillard cops it more, you have a short memory indeed obviously, and fail to recall the cries of baby killer, Bush’s Bitch and the images showing howard being f**ked by Bush. Nothing close to that has been directed to Gillard. But you see it how you want to.
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Just as John Howard was mocked for his trackie dacks.
I mean, really? If Julia Gillard was doing media appearances in her togs, she would be equally mocked.
Don’t try to compare apples with oranges.
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yeah, heaven forbid he is approached by cameras jsut after getting out of the water. He should be shamed, and the world would have no problem at all if they constantly reminded a female pollie of how they looked in togs.
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I don’t remember any journo or media referring to the PM as a bitch or making mention of her buttocks.
Please supply data. I’m always ready to be corrected when I get it wrong. So, the ball is in your court. Shoot…….
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The media now extends to online. Bloggers who draw pictures of JG pregnant, having an abortion, or with a strap on (yes a strap on) are beyond the pale.
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Bradley, I can’t see your response to this very clear and succinct reply. What’s up pussycat?
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Please provide some hard evidence that Abbott gets it even half as much let-alone “10 times as much as she does from the majority of the media”.
I think you’re confusing the little media flak Abbott gets because of his misogynist views OF WOMEN with all the flak thrown at Gillard because she IS A WOMAN.
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Exactly. A great article from Lenore Taylor today in SMH right on point ie, all that pain and suffering the carbon tax is meant to have caused hasn’t happened. She says “Perhaps, instead of searching for signs of carbon tax devastation, the Coalition leader could explain how he would deal with a slowing mining boom, or how he would reform the regulation of the electricity industry, or how his own ”Direct Action” policy – in its present form regarded with incredulity in the business community – could be made to work. It would be better than insulting our collective intelligence with his wrecking ball mantra.”
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/lack-of-carnage-abbotts-inconvenient-fiscal-truth-20120824-24rkr.html#ixzz24WcM0bKs
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I am assuming that you will choose to ignore the new statement made by BHP CEO, Marius Klopper, overnight in relation to investment in Australia, and more specifically how the two new taxes have affected our business/employment landscape.
Are you even aware?
I will assume you will choose to ignore it even happened; if you have any semblance of journalistic credibility you will address this immediately, I also assume Leigh Sales will not address this either.
Rather than jumping on the ABC band wagon, this is a turning point for Mammamia to make a decision on whether you want to be taken seriously by the intelligent, erudite and discerning public in Australia (yes, we do actually exist).
What is your position now?
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Agree, zen. Absolutely agree. Jamila, you do your career as a serious journalist a great deal of harm if you ignore the issues and pander to feminist media clique.
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There is a feminist media clique? I want to meet them
I enjoy writing about feminist issues Merri and I don’t mind if people label me because of that – I know where I stand. Though it may be worth pointing out that this post isn’t from me, its from the Team.
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Get a life Merri
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Is that the best you can do?
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Tony Abbotts interview was terrible for the simple reason that I could answer the questions he was asked off the top of my head in a way that are in line with his political stance. As the Leader of the Opposition he should be able to do this. For example:
The fact BHP made billions of dollars in profit was brought up by Leigh Sales which is true. Tony Abbott need only point out that the data she was using was pre carbon tax and economic data for the first quarter since carbon tax was introduced wont be available until the end of the year.
He was also asked if he accepted that seeking asylum in Australia is legal under international law. It is. He should have stated that he does. That was a no-brainer. Accepting that would not have impacted upon his point that asylum seekers have passed by other countries where they could have claimed asylum.
He was asked what questions he would like Julia Gillard to answer in regard to her involvement with setting up a fraudulent organization for her former boyfriend and union leader in 1995. Considering this is decades old and that the Liberal party have been pushing this issue he should bloody well have been able to answer that question.
He was also asked about policies he would implement to help business. This would have been a perfect platform to put forward some economic policies and let the viewers know what the liberal party intends to do. Instead he fumbled the question and said nothing of substance.
It was just a terrible interview and it didn’t need to be. Tony Abbott was not forthright and not at all media savvy. He looked incompetent.
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I’m asking this question with all sincerity- What was the statement, where was it made, who was it made to and where can I find it?
This is all I have seen:
EMMA ROWLEY, THE TELEGRAPH: Back to the Olympic Dam again, sorry. How much has Australian mining tax played into that decision?
MARIUS KLOPPERS: It is not subject to mining tax. Mining tax is only on coal and iron ore, nothing to do with that. This is about capex escalation and efficiencies that have made that an unviable project.
EMMA ROWLEY: I have seen some commentary and the political reaction.
MARIUS KLOPPERS: I have seen that. I am just stating the facts as they are.
This is an escalation in capex, driven by labour efficiencies, tight labour market, tight supplier market, high exchange rates and high diesel costs, which has made a concept we thought would work unviable.
If he has made another statement overnight it would seem that he has made several contradicting statements.
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Or this a bit further down:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-24/marius-kloppers-on-australian-commodities/4220828?section=business
EMMA ROWLEY: There have been reports from Deutsche saying that Australia might be heading into recession. Do you have a view on that?
MARIUS KLOPPERS: I do think that what I am seeing on the Eastern Seaboard in Australia is that the coal industry has been very heavily impacted by lower prices, higher operating costs, carbon taxes and increased royalties.
I must be missing something. Point us in the right direction would you zen?
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Why should Leigh Sales address this? She was only referring to Olympic Dam in her interview with Abbott, not all of BHP’s business interests. It was clear that Tony Abbott was only trying to push his own agenda, not honestly answer the valid questions being asked of him.
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I don’t really care. I don’t believe a word she says so I’ve stopped listening to her. I’m just waiting quietly now. One year to go.
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what had happened to Lauren, who used to write the political stuff? i liked her
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Hi Abby
Lauren hasn’t been able to write of late because of her full time employment arrangements. We’d welcome her back though
Jamila
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A great article looking at both the interview and the press conference:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-24/cassidy-gillard-abbott-hours-of-maddness/4220582
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Funny how I can never recall this site drawing our attention to the very many media fails from Julia, but as soon as you have something on Tony, you not only make one post about it, but now 2. Anyone would think you had a left leaning bias and agenda MM. Or is it just because Julia is a woman (yay, go team girl and all that).
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I actually think Mamamia is going to have to switch to a .com instead of .com.au to cater for all the readers who have said they are going to leave the country when Tony Abbott becomes PM.
Huge gap of MM’s audience won’t be reading in the Australian time zone anymore!
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And Abbott supporters won’t go near the site so the MM team could be in for slim pickings!
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Leigh Sales for co anchor with Will McAvoy, hahahaha
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Tony Abbott, done like a dinner. Love it.
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Thanks mamamia for putting this article on your website!
I notice a lot of people have been talking about how “biased” Leigh Sales appeared to be while interviewing Tony Abbott. I think it’s sad that people have become unable to recognise hard-hitting interviewing at its best.
I think this entire AWU issue is a complete blow-up and distracts from the more important political issues at hand in the present day! We need to stop worrying about what she did 17 years ago because all the evidence points to it being a big blow up and completely untrue!
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Emma, we have the AWU and the HSU under fire. Bill Shorten tells us that union corruption isn’t wide spread. Do we just take his word for it? Who are these people? Who ordered the shredding of evidence in the Heiner Affair and why? Just who are UnionLabor and who are they accountable to?
Bob Kernohan was BASHED because he was a whistleblower who refused a seat in Parliament to shutup!
Something is going on and we can only see the tip of the iceberg.
Underbelly Labor
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I can see by comments below that you definitely know way more of the facts than I do Confused Newbie!
But what I don’t understand is if there seems to be so much evidence implicating the “dodgy union people”, why have all the articles published about the PM and this issue been retracted and apologised for? Surely if The Australian had enough evidence in 1995 (correct me if this is the wrong year) and, more recently, this past week they would not have retracted their articles and apologised for the issue?
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The PM appears to be innocent of that specific allegation.
The issue is a bit broader. Union corruption is not just about that one guy and Julia. The unions are being revealed to be incredibly corrupt in general. I don’t think HSU is some exception, I think many of them are terribly corrupt.
The link to Labor and the PM is that the unions are the base of Labor and have enormous influence in who gets elected. Many former union leaders (like Bill Shorten) are in government. Julia Gillard was heavily supported by the unions to take over from K Rudd, who wasn’t as close to them. JG comes from a union lawyer background.
For me it is guilt by association a little bit. JG is happy to accept their support and in return she is pretty weak on cracking down on corruption in the unions. Her responses to the HSU scandal have been tepid and she only moved on Craig Thompson when her hand was more than forced.
I don’t think she is a bad person or there is anything really specific to pin on her, but I do think she is willing to sacrifice a hard line on corrupt unions in return for political support.
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‘Confused Newbie’ I would love it if Underbelly TV series took on the union corruptions scandal.
It is not dry stuff at all. Perfect for the series: brothels, hookers, stripper, employing family members to do fake jobs ($34 an hour to ‘archive’ stuff that never got archived), subcontracting to your own business for inflated prices (600k to produce a yearly newsletter or some such), livin’ large on salaries of between 200k-500k while union members earn 38k, BMW’s, violence, threats (the shovel on that woman’s doorstep was a classic), politicians, union thugs, connections to the underworld, cash slush funds. It’s all gold for the Underbelly series.
But hey you won’t really read about union corruption and it’s strong ties to Labor on here. As a Labor voter I find it revolting. MM touched a little bit on Craig Thompson but aside from issues involving him directly you won’t read about how rotten the unions are and how they have a massive influence in the Labor party.
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I agree the corruption exposed in the unions today is disgusting and embarrassing. But it shouldn’t diminish and I hope it doesn’t overshadow the many things they fought and won for us which we take for granted today.
My father is a trade unionist and he is so sad when I (openly) renounce my faith, because he lived through many of the triumphs: the maternity leave, annual leave, holiday pay, equal pay for women, safety legislation, penalty rates, banning asbestos etc.
I think he must see me the way I see a modern woman who announces she is not a feminist – after everything they did for us. But then again, maybe the ‘feminist’ image today is as unsavoury for them as the ‘union’ image is for me.
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Confused newbie, my arse.
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This strong confident Julia is the one Australia needs to see more of!
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Thanks, I’ll pass.
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But you are an expert on the matter?
What would you have asked?
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The general consensus is that the journalists had no real grasp of the AWU issue and didn’t ask the questions they should have. Perhaps, Ms GIllard would like to call in here for another cuppa and we can put them to her?
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Some people are never satisfied! As long as you realise that these shortfalls have nothing to to do with JG and she could only answer the questions put to her…
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But you are an expert on the matter?
What would you have asked?
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I think this covers most of it.
’1. You said yesterday that you paid for your renovations. Why then did you previously say you couldn’t be certain that you did?
2. You said you believed it was “slush fund”. As an industrial Lawyer did you seriously not know a “slush fund” could in no way be an Association?
3. If you believed it was a “slush fund” why did you print on the Application Form that its intended role was to facilitate “worker safety and training”?
4. Is it true that the four people present in the room when you drew up this document were yourself, Ralph Blewitt, Bruce Wilson and Senior Equity Partner, Bernard Murphy?
5. An Association requires, by law, to have at least five members. Who did you nominate?
6. When you drew up a power of attorney for your friend Bruce Wilson to act for Ralph Blewitt, why did you not inform Mr Blewitt of the mortgage, now in his name, subsequent to going to buy the house with Mr Wilson?
7. When conducting the firm’s conveyancing (again pro bono) for the purchase and sale of the Kerr Street house, did you take note of where the money was coming from and going to?
8. Why were the Association, the bank account, the purchase and sale of the house and the mortgage kept secret from the AWU.
9. How could the purchase of a house be consistent with either a “slush fund” or “worker safety and training”?
10. Why did you attempt to deliberately mislead the WA Commissioner for Corporate Affairs when setting up this Association?
11. Why did you not inform your firm’s boss or your firm’s client, the AWU, of any of your actions?
12. Do you agree it is your handwriting on the fraudulent form?
13. When the AWU discovered the fraud, why did that union’s boss, Ian Cambridge, immediately sack Slater & Gordon and call for a Royal Commission?
14. Why were you asked, by your employer, for a taped interview?
15. After you were dismissed why did you not renew your Practising Certificate? Did you beieve you would be unable to practise again?
16. Why is the six months subsequent to your dismissal missing from your CV?
17. Why did your boss, Styant-Browne say, and I quote: “…the company took a very serious view of these and other matters and accepted her resignation”?
18. What did Mr Styant-Browne mean by, “…a serious view of these and other matters?
19. Is Mr Styant-Browne, or Mr Gordon correct?
20. Why was Senior Equity Partner Bernard Murphy asked to make a settlement and leave at the same time as yourself?
21. When your ex-Attorney General Rob McClelland stated in Parliament, “…a third party may have benefitted from…”, was this “third party” he referred to, you?
22. What did you mean by, “I was treated shabbily”, when you were asked to leave the firm?
23. You refuse to make a statement in the House. Is it true you realise it would be illegal to lie when so doing?
24. And finally Ms Gillard, how can you profess to be a champion of the working class when you have clearly been complicit, with your boyfriend, in stealing their money?’
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Actually confused newbie, if you go back and listen to the press conference again I think you will find our Prime Minister dealt clearly (and in times repeatedly, yet consistently) with your questions. If fact, I thought I would use your questions as a guide in my class room for students to listen to the interview and identify the Prime minister’s responses and then discuss why it might be that even though she answered these questions there are people demanding she re-answer them again in a tone that suggested she *didn’t* answer these at. Interesting, isn’t it?
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That list has gone viral, CN. It was in my inbox too. Snoozy mum, see my comment above, that website has heaps of info for your students.
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see all i see is ‘blah blah blah’. another attempt by the LNP to distract the public from what an amazing job the ALP is doing.
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Amazing job? The ALP? Bwaahahaaha. I say that as a Labor voter. They have been rubbish.
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How so rubbish? Strong economic growth, low unemployment, an emissions trading scheme finally in place….seem to be doing all the right things to me.
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