Slippery Pete

[dutchie]

Emma exposed the hypocrisy of this government.

These are some of the questions Emma asked Plibersek:

Now that Peter Slipper has resigned do you think it was wrong for the Prime Minister to defend him so vociferously in the House today?

Do you think members of public would have been happy to see this man remain a Speaker, second to the Prime Minister, the highest office in the House of Representatives?

Do you regret Julia Gillard’s decision to install Peter Slipper in the Speaker’s chair in the first place for what were purely political purposes?

How can the electorate now ever respect Julia Gillard’s judgment again after this?

Today in the Parliament, Minister, the country’s first female Prime Minister and her female ministers were there defending the indefensible. Many women in this country would no doubt be feeling pretty outraged about that?

It’s hard to escape the impression, Minister, that within the Labor Party, keeping your jobs is more important than protecting the integrity of the Parliament.


I would like to see the female Labor members answer any of these questions without using the word "Abbott"

Not a chance.

 

[MrBurns]

These are some of the questions Emma asked Plibersek:

.

She did well, revived my faith in the ABC.....

 

[Aussiejeff]

One saving grace...he never mentioned "dying of shame" in his texting.

View attachment 49281

SHAM* on you for mentioning the now-unmentionable word $ham*.

That disgusting word has henceforth been stolen from our vocab and is now associated forever with a certain politician and un-mentionable event.

Bit like the "gay" word. Overt meaning changed forever. Except at least you can still say "gay" in Parliament without being lambasted.

What a crying $ham* this all is.

 

[Aussiejeff]

These are some of the questions Emma asked Plibersek:

Now that Peter Slipper has resigned do you think it was wrong for the Prime Minister to defend him so vociferously in the House today?

Do you think members of public would have been happy to see this man remain a Speaker, second to the Prime Minister, the highest office in the House of Representatives?

Do you regret Julia Gillard’s decision to install Peter Slipper in the Speaker’s chair in the first place for what were purely political purposes?

How can the electorate now ever respect Julia Gillard’s judgment again after this?

Today in the Parliament, Minister, the country’s first female Prime Minister and her female ministers were there defending the indefensible. Many women in this country would no doubt be feeling pretty outraged about that?

It’s hard to escape the impression, Minister, that within the Labor Party, keeping your jobs is more important than protecting the integrity of the Parliament.


I would like to see the female Labor members answer any of these questions without using the word "Abbott"

Not a chance.

Actually, Plebersic seemed wont to harp on about some terrorist fella called "Abbott" who seems to be intent on "blowing up Parliament" and "smashing/destroying our democracy". Over and over she said it. Of course, she has a licence to slander however she sees fit. Say now, was she having a fit? A fit of pique? How amusing.....my faith in pollies is finally restored.

 

[basilio]

I thought yesterday was an excellent piece of political work by Julia Gilliard and the Independents over the Peter Slipper affair.

After the Peter Slipper texts came out it would have been impossible to continue having him as Speaker. However it was also unacceptable to have him sacked without due process and certainly not at the hands of Tony Abbotts "dying of shame " comments.

So the clever trick was having the Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott tell Peter Slipper that unless he agreed to resign they would vote him out. This at least gave Peter a more dignified exit and avoided the situation of Parliament summarily sacking the speaker without due process.

Tony Abbott then walked into the trap of continuing his personal abuse of the PM and giving her the opportunity to dismember him piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables.

Clever, ruthless work in getting the best out of an appalling situation...

__________________________________________________ _____________________________

The Age story today suggest this strategy.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/pol...010-27c5u.html

 

[Calliope]

I thought yesterday was an excellent piece of political work by Julia Gilliard and the Independents over the Peter Slipper affair.

After the Peter Slipper texts came out it would have been impossible to continue having him as Speaker. However it was also unacceptable to have him sacked without due process and certainly not at the hands of Tony Abbotts "dying of shame " comments.

So the clever trick was having the Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott tell Peter Slipper that unless he agreed to resign they would vote him out. This at least gave Peter a more dignified exit and avoided the situation of Parliament summarily sacking the speaker without due process.

Tony Abbott then walked into the trap of continuing his personal abuse of the PM and giving her the opportunity to dismember him piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables.

Clever, ruthless work in getting the best out of an appalling situation...

Your continual refusal to criticize Slipper's disgusting misogynist texts, but readiness to falsely accuse Abbott of "personal abuse of the PM," gives a good indication of your ethical standards. Shame on you!

 

[basilio]

Further thoughts after my previous comment.

Ok lets accept that after the Peter Slipper texts came out his position as Speaker of the House should be reviewed. In the current social climate it was just too tacky (even if he was doing a fair job as Speaker)

A bi-partisan approach would have seen all parties have a quiet talk to the Speaker and offer him the opportunity to resign with some dignity. In that context we wouldn't have seen the Tony Abbott assault, Julia Gilliards ferocious counter attack and the public trashing of the Parliament. Instead the public would have viewed a constructive approach to keeping respect for the centerpiece of our parliamentary democratic system.

Would have been a better look wouldn't it ?

And on a broader note how many Parliamentarians on either side of politics could afford to have private emails, texts and comments publicly vetted for "being nice" ? How many of us could face similar scrutiny ? Would we expect to be summarily dismissed from our positions because some nasty piece of work chose to publicise the less attractive comments we made at some time in some place ?

 

[drsmith]

I thought yesterday was an excellent piece of political work by Julia Gilliard and the Independents over the Peter Slipper affair.

After the Peter Slipper texts came out it would have been impossible to continue having him as Speaker. However it was also unacceptable to have him sacked without due process and certainly not at the hands of Tony Abbotts "dying of shame " comments.

So the clever trick was having the Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott tell Peter Slipper that unless he agreed to resign they would vote him out. This at least gave Peter a more dignified exit and avoided the situation of Parliament summarily sacking the speaker without due process.

Tony Abbott then walked into the trap of continuing his personal abuse of the PM and giving her the opportunity to dismember him piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables.

Clever, ruthless work in getting the best out of an appalling situation...

__________________________________________________ _____________________________

The Age story today suggest this strategy.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/pol...010-27c5u.html

deja vu

 

[moXJO]

Further thoughts after my previous comment.

Ok lets accept that after the Peter Slipper texts came out his position as Speaker of the House should be reviewed. In the current social climate it was just too tacky (even if he was doing a fair job as Speaker)

A bi-partisan approach would have seen all parties have a quiet talk to the Speaker and offer him the opportunity to resign with some dignity. In that context we wouldn't have seen the Tony Abbott assault, Julia Gilliards ferocious counter attack and the public trashing of the Parliament. Instead the public would have viewed a constructive approach to keeping respect for the centerpiece of our parliamentary democratic system.

Would have been a better look wouldn't it ?

And on a broader note how many Parliamentarians on either side of politics could afford to have private emails, texts and comments publicly vetted for "being nice" ? How many of us could face similar scrutiny ? Would we expect to be summarily dismissed from our positions because some nasty piece of work chose to publicise the less attractive comments we made at some time in some place ?

I understand what you are saying, but watching labor pull the sexism card in parliament to vilify someone who not only has three daughters but surrounds his office in women in the top job really puts a bug up my ****.
To me you are basically saying:
"you hate your daughters because they are women".
Misogynist is been banded about as a weapon in the same way the word pedophile was used to scare men into being uncomfortable around children. It is a vile label to score points on. Its even worse when used as a tool to deflect criticism of government performance. A PM playing the victim in such a way is new ground.
However I don't have a problem with it been used where A Jones is concerned.

Here's the rub, polling suggests if you win over the women before an election the men follow. Hence labors attack. The facebook society seem to be dumb enough to think Gillards speech was 'awesomely asskicking'. But I think labor just became a minor party in the long run. Labor is better than this and personally I regret Kim beazley never getting a chance to be PM

 

[Julia]

The facebook society seem to be dumb enough to think Gillards speech was 'awesomely asskicking'. But I think labor just became a minor party in the long run. Labor is better than this and personally I regret Kim beazley never getting a chance to be PM

I hadn't thought about Kim Beazley for a while, but you're quite right. He had the standards of a civilised person. Perhaps that's why he didn't ever cut it as a Labor leader.

 

[Ruby]

I thought yesterday was an excellent piece of political work by Julia Gilliard and the Independents over the Peter Slipper affair.

After the Peter Slipper texts came out it would have been impossible to continue having him as Speaker. However it was also unacceptable to have him sacked without due process and certainly not at the hands of Tony Abbotts "dying of shame " comments.

So the clever trick was having the Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott tell Peter Slipper that unless he agreed to resign they would vote him out. This at least gave Peter a more dignified exit and avoided the situation of Parliament summarily sacking the speaker without due process.

Clever trick? Oh, come on Bas - their backs were hard up against the wall and they were scrambling in desperation!!

Tony Abbott then walked into the trap of continuing his personal abuse of the PM and giving her the opportunity to dismember him piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables.

Clever, ruthless work in getting the best out of an appalling situation...

I watched the exchange - Abbott did not use "personal abuse", and I hardly think Gillard dismembered Abbot "piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables"...... she has no powers of rhetoric or oratory, and just sounded like a screeching fishwife - as usual. She and all members of the government should be ashamed - and I have no hesitation in using the word - for their grubby tactics and appalling hypocrisy.

 

[MrBurns]

Clever trick? Oh, come on Bas - their backs were hard up against the wall and they were scrambling in desperation!!

I watched the exchange - Abbott did not use "personal abuse", and I hardly think Gillard dismembered Abbot "piece by piece in what will be remembered as a classic turning the tables"...... she has no powers of rhetoric or oratory, and just sounded like a screeching fishwife - as usual. She and all members of the government should be ashamed - and I have no hesitation in using the word - for their grubby tactics and appalling hypocrisy.

Exactly she was hysterical to push a point as it it was valid but in fact it wasnt, she's unfit for office.

 

[Calliope]

Good demolition of basilio's post Ruby. As usual you got it right and as usual basilio got it wrong.

 

[Tink]

Agree with your post moXJO -- this is just getting ridiculous.

I cant believe she can stand up there and say the stuff she said about women, yet she was quite happy to accept these people to stay on.
Everytime Abbott speaks she is going to go on about this rubbish

She wants him out and this is how she is playing the cards.
The polls are talking and she is not happy.

 

[MrBurns]

Well it seems all your posts expressing respect for Slipper resigning we're misplaced as he was actually forced by Oakschot and Windsor
It took an hour for them to convince him
There's no honour there at all but that's consistent with everything else he's done

 

[MrBurns]

Well it seems all your posts expressing respect for Slipper resigning we're misplaced as he was actually forced by Oakschot and Windsor
It took an hour for them to convince him
There's no honour there at all but that's consistent with everything else he's done

Correction, Oakshott, couldnt correct the typo on the iPhone.

He came out this morning and said Slipper wasnt forced, what a load of BS, Windsor clearly said yesterday that they went to Slipper and said if he didnt agree to resign they would vote against him throwing him out anyway.
Oakshott is pathetic.

 

[drsmith]

He was forced by Oakshott (and Windsor) by Oakshott's own admission.

TONY JONES: But did Tony Windsor also say the same thing? In other words, two people came to him saying effectively they were going to vote for the no-confidence motion and he'd be removed under those circumstances, assuming the vote went as it did.

ROB OAKESHOTT: Yes, well, people can load up the two of us with all the power if they want to, but in the end we're only two members of Parliament. We chose, of all the options, not to grandstand on the floor of the Parliament and politically head kick.

We chose to try and do it with a bit of diplomacy and to give the Speaker and the human being involved in this situation the opportunity to have a bit of control over the terms and conditions on how they resigned.

ROB OAKESHOTT: He in the end drew his own conclusions. I in the end don't have 76 votes. So all can I do is draw conclusions as to whether the position is tenable or untenable. I drew the conclusion he was never going to return to the chair. Therefore I let him know man-to-man that that was my view, and therefore, what can we do about it to resolve the situation.

Oakshott and Windsor clearly usec their balance of power to force Slipper from the speakership. In effect, they showed him the political gun and the only choice he had was how the trigger was pulled.

In one sense, Rob Oakshott's admission above is extrordinary. In laying bare what little choice Peter Slipper had, Oakshott stripped away any dignity he gained from resigning the speakership.

In relation to Labor's support for Peter Slipper on the floor of the house, Oakshott and Windsor hung them out to dry. Their is however the question to which Labor hung itself out to dry,

ROB OAKESHOTT: Well those conversations were going on whilst the Prime Minister was on her feet, so I could hear that on in the television in the background. So, I'm not aware whether that message has made its way through.

There were - obviously Anthony Albanese was coming in and out of the room because he was trying to control the House - that is his job as Leader of the House - and trying to work out the nature of the conversation and the nature of the numbers. That's his job, as it is the Opposition House spokesman's job. And there were other MPs coming in and out like meerkats just to try and either provide some comfort to Peter Slipper through a difficult time or to try and manage the Parliament on a difficult day.

Did Labor seriously think that attempting to win a personal battle against Tony Abbott at the expense of fighting to the death over a lost cause was a good strategy ?

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3608160.htm

My bolds.

 

[Julia]

He was forced by Oakshott (and Windsor) by Oakshott's own admission.

Oakshott and Windsor clearly usec their balance of power to force Slipper from the speakership. In effect, they showed him the political gun and the only choice he had was how the trigger was pulled.

In one sense, Rob Oakshott's admission above is extrordinary. In laying bare what little choice Peter Slipper had, Oakshott stripped away any dignity he gained from resigning the speakership.

And that, imo, was part of the strategy of Oakeshott and Windsor. i.e. they created the impression, probably, with Slipper that the parliament and the public would be allowed to think the decision to resign was Slipper's alone, but they were both unprepared to let him off so lightly, so thus the interview with Tony Jones which was quite extraordinary for its candour on Oakeshott's part.

It was pathetic, sad really, to see Slipper dressed up in his formal robes to make the resignation announcement.

None of the above excuses Labor's hypocrisy in supporting Slipper.

 

[drsmith]

And that, imo, was part of the strategy of Oakeshott and Windsor. i.e. they created the impression, probably, with Slipper that the parliament and the public would be allowed to think the decision to resign was Slipper's alone, but they were both unprepared to let him off so lightly, so thus the interview with Tony Jones which was quite extraordinary for its candour on Oakeshott's part.

In doing so, he raises new questions about Labor's judgement and ultimately Julia Gillard's judgement.

Perhaps he's reached the point that he's now looking for a way out.

 

[drsmith]

The following piece from Fairfax puts some meat on the process by which Peter Slipper resigned from the speakership.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/amid-the-fury-a-quiet-execution-20121012-27i7t.html

Of interest, had Tony Abbott not moved the motion, Rob Oakshott would have continued to support Peter Slipper as speaker.

For Oakeshott, it was the moment Abbott moved the motion: "I'd been uncomfortable about Peter Slipper for a long time but I'd been in the camp of not making a political judgment on a court matter," he told the Herald.

"But his situation became untenable for me the moment Tony Abbott stood up in Parliament and moved a motion of no confidence against him."