Tony Abbott - denies protest was against him, and denies telling tent embassy comment.

[markscott7777777]

he says that after 40 years " we have moved on.

but if that is true why is he expaining that he is still part of the authorities, when in actual fact all he is, is a lowly lowly public servant and overpaid at that.

peoples eyes are opening to these utter frauds posing as our representatives.

they are just a load of managerial tossers who tell you they care when they dont.

getting big kickbacks from their bankster and corporate friends, or is it bosses.

gillard is very ugly.

[AntipodeanStar]

Abbott = despot.

[razza100k]

Time again i believe to consider what I bring up every year: we can never claim to be inclusive of Australia's first people while we celebrate Australia day on the 26th January. They consider it invasion day, the beginning of the end for them, the start of the decimation of their people and their way of life and how could they possibly think otherwise?. Let's have a celebration of Australia of for all Australians on a different day.

[Samgam271]

@razza100k this person speaks sense, they consider Australia Day disrespectful as it is on the same day their country was invaded. Would it be too hard to move it one day forward to prevent further conflict

[Hoju95]

I'm struggling to find a problem with what he said and the problem that you had with what he said. I would summarise his argue by saying that Abbott believes that the Tent Embassy is less relevant now than what it was 40 years ago due to social and political change between then and now. Problem? Good.

[phonytonyabbott]

@Hoju95 - the answer he gave could easily be taken different ways.

However, when put into the context of the question asked: "Do you think it's still relevant or should it move?", his answer could be perceived to imply that it should be moved on.

That's certainly how the media took it as well.

Sky News reported: "Time to move tent embassy - Abbott".

The Courier-Mail reported: "Time for tent embassy to fold, says Tony Abbott".

Both media outlets reported this along with others.

[thearcher1980]

The day he is no longer Opposition leader is the day that should be declared a national holiday.

[phonytonyabbott]

@thearcher1980 - I'm inclined to agree with you on this. :-)

[phonytonyabbott]

@cookster121 - by the way, go cry me a river.

Perhaps you should have spent more time in school listening and learning.

Maybe then you wouldn't be such a racist imbecile.

[phonytonyabbott]

@cookster121 - If you're talking about DarthDavios's comments, he (or she) actually removed them.

And I have no idea why he (or she) removed them.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - comments are only deleted if they add nothing to the argument, are offensive or contain very naughty words.

DarthDavios's comments were very relevant and I learned something about Howard's personal (but not formal) apology.

On the other hand, your comments are offensive and add nothing.

Good-bye.

[markwhalanaus]

Hey @phonytonyabbott when this go viral, you will want to disable comments, and nominate some posters for the Ranty Awards!

[phonytonyabbott]

@markwhalanaus - ha, too true.

Cookster121 is shaping up for a ranty.

[AntipodeanStar]

Abbott pleads for fairness in interpreting his comments, believing himself to be unfairly judged. Then he walks down the street and blames the Prime Minister for a setup. He creates a whole conspiracy theory with the intent of smearing the Prime Minister and Government for political advantage. This philistine Abbott is below contempt. Whats worse is that millions of people in this stupid nation of mine believe him. I dont know who is worse. Him or them?

[phonytonyabbott]

@AntipodeanStar - Abbott likes to think he's the victim.

Growing up, I was always taught a little something called "personal responsibility".

It's a shame Abbott wasn't taught that - and if he was, he certainly doesn't practice it.

[phonytonyabbott]

@cookster121 - it's not just about an apology.

There are a whole range of issues that Aboriginals face every day that you - and I - will never understand nor appreciate.

It's easy to say "move on" or "get over it", but the fact is for them it's important.

And quite honestly, what the Aboriginal protesters did was not really any different to what anti-carbon tax protesters have done recently.

I've looked at a few different videos and there was hardly any violence - just shouts and scuffles.

[Coagmano]

All this video tells me is that (surprise surprise) the media is to blame for the incitement. Tony's response was actually reasonable and respectful (even though I disagree with it) and the media twisted it in a way that was scary and upsetting for those living in the Tent Embassy.

[phonytonyabbott]

@Coagmano - yes, the media definitely shares the blame.

The problem for Abbott is that his response was to a question about the tent embassy needing to be moved on, and his response could be taken as they should be moved on.

Interestingly, SkyNews removed their article - perhaps they are trying to cover up for their mistake.

[rjlives]

i am an indian and respect my brothers :( i might have some tears but i shall tell u to all aboriginals, "MY BLOOD".

[tiyen11]

This is why Julia Gillard is still the PM. It's not about taxes or gay marrige, its about respect, including respect for the Aboriginals. Julia would never make negative comments on Aboriginals. To Australians who thinks Julia is a bad PM as Margaret Thatcher, you're lucky that this Australia Day-ruining, pathetic, embarrasing opposition leader isn't our PM. Respect to the Aboriginals

[Schnappi1936]

@Darth Davies,

Rather keating than howard,

Howard was the worst treasurer and the worst PM,he had the biggest mining boom at his 11 years in office and would never have had a surplus if he had not sold telstra and also inflicked 6 levies on the taxpayer.also think he should be tried for crimes against humanity.

[wonderbouy]

@DarthDavios Howard was asleep at the wheel for most of his time as PM. Keating set up the good conditions for him, and the mining boom brought bucket loads of money in.....which he threw away as tax cuts rather than investing in national growth. Good riddance to bad rubbish, and the same goes for Costello.

[DarthDavios]

@wonderbouy and yet he was one of the longest serving prime ministers we've had, and talking about bad rubbish well we can throw in Gillard, Rudd and most of the current MP's we have at current

[wonderbouy]

@DarthDavios you forgot to mention Howard was one of Australia's only PMs to be voted out of his electorate....that's appreciation for you huh? He presided over one of the most stagnant periods in Australian history, and you want to go back there? Happy times!

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - [1] - I'm not sure how old you are, but if you were old enough to remember Keating, then you should also be old enough to remember the two pretty nasty recessions that hit during while he was Treasurer/PM.

I remember it quite well, because I was made redundant during the first major recession and there were no jobs.

Yes, Howard did pay back $96 billion, but it wasn't through economic mastery - it was through savage cuts, selling off assets and riding the resources boom.

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - [2] - By the time Howard left, Australia was already in a structural deficit and middle class Australia wanted more of the welfare that Howard had been handing out.

As for Howard's personal apology to Aboriginals - when did that happen?

Howard refused to apologise to Aboriginals - Rudd did.

In fact, John Howard stated in 2008: "I do not believe as a matter of principle that one generation can accept responsibility for the acts of earlier generation."

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - ahhh, yes, from the reconciliation meeting in Melbourne (1997).

As Howard states in Lazarus Rising: "I knew this meeting would be hard and though I intended to recognise symbolic sensitivities I was determined to avoid the abjectly apologetic language so often used by members of the Labor Party and others."

The problem for Howard was that it was a personal apology - it wasn't a formal apology on behalf of the Government, which is what they wanted, and Rudd gave.

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - [1] - Father Frank Brennan, who was at that meeting, later wrote to Howard about a more formal apology. John Herron, the Aboriginal Affairs Minister wrote back

His Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, John Herron responded: "The Prime Minister acknowledges and thanks you for your support for his personal apology to indigenous people ... However, the government does not support an official national apology."

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - [2] - "Such an apology could imply that present generations are in some way responsible and accountable for the actions of earlier generations; actions that were sanctioned by the laws of the time and that were believed to be in the best interests of the children concerned."

[wonderbouy]

@DarthDavios When did howard apologise to Aboriginals? He made a point of NOT doing it. Remember the Sorry day march? and the aboriginals all turning their back on him. It was Rudd who apologised.

Gov debt and unemployment were all going down when Howard took office, plus there was a mining boom. All he did was enjoy the ride.

Stagnation is not only measured in $ & employment. He was happily turning us into an inward looking, uneducated lot with no ambition & a cricket fixation.

[DarthDavios]

@wonderbouy read the message below this one that I posted it tells you when Howard apologised

[wonderbouy]

@DarthDavios I don't know what you're trying to cling to here. John Howard never issued an apology to the Aboriginal people on behalf of the Australian people. You can argue semantics here as much as you like, it never happened and you know it.

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - Howard used to hand out middle class welfare before every election and he would manipulate the media and the Australian people before every election.

For example, Children Overboard.

IT was an election that Howard was set to lose, but he managed to get the support of people who were outraged that asylum seekers would throw children overboard.

The problem is - it never happened. It was a lie.

That's part of the reason why Howard remained in the top job.

[phonytonyabbott]

@DarthDavios - Howard was PM for almost 12 years.

However, if you're saying that he only led Australia successfully for 9 out of those almost 12 years, then you could be onto something.

[Schnappi1936]

The libs pr machine is at work and help from hadley at 2gb alleginging that the PMs staff alerted the protesters to what abbott said,unfortunately some will believe ,and not know the various news media and of course good old word of mouth in that city would have made the protesters aware.

The point is abbott should have picked a different day,but common sense is not his strong point.

[Mischelle999]

Have you seen the comments supporting Abbott on Youtube? The most shocking racist comments I have EVER read..ALL Abbott supporters..Now this disgusting man is twisting it to suit his own personal political agenda..To LIE & CHEAT his way into power. He is vacuous and completely incompetent to lead my country.. the greatest spin merchant ever..He even brings up how good Ruddy was to keep stirring the pot about the leadership change. Can't people see through this mad man? Even Pine looked uneasy.

[SuperGerryGee]

Judging by the footage from that riot yesterday it seems that Tony Abbott dealt with it all by downing a few glasses of wine. If you found yourself in a glass-walled room with a crowd of angry protestors outside would you have another glass of wine? Or would you think that keeping a clear head be the way to go?

[SuperGerryGee]

Shit hits the fan. NO TICK, do we backpeddle? What dya reckon, Peta? invoke “shit happens contingency”

Send out Abbott the next day, with “look at my words, taken out of context, blah, blah, blah). TICK

Ok, so what is next on our agenda…….

[phonytonyabbott]

@SuperGerryGee - that sums it all up really.

Peta is very good at what she does.

The same can't be said of Tony Abbott, who is a complete disgrace.

[SuperGerryGee]

Here’s a conundrum for Abbott’s office. Modus operandi is:

Send Tony out with some (apparently) anodyne rehearsed statements – feed questions to compliant journos. Get it on the record. TICK

Background media with “real meaning” spin, thinking behind the statement, frame Abbottt’s statement. TICK

Compliant media reports story with spin; Exhibit A from Sky News (note time/date stamp – before demo – spun Headline, tough looking photo from archive, story content. TICK