The Gillard Government

[sails]

Very difficult to arrive here on earth without two parents...

There may have been dads who would have liked to know their child. I don't think Abbott was out of line at all.

 

[Julia]

What would have been better for him to say ?

Fairly obviously to just refer to the mothers which was what the issue was all about.
Gillard managed to do it pretty well.
That's not a comment on her sincerity or otherwise, but recognises her capacity on this occasion to understand what her audience wanted to hear. Imo Mr Abbott should have done likewise.
Seems like an unimportant issue to most of us, but it was hugely important to that group of women who have waited fifty years for the apology and who travelled from all points to Canberra for the occasion.

 

[Julia]

Very difficult to arrive here on earth without two parents...

Sails, you're of an age when you should clearly remember the stigma attached to unmarried mothers.
Usually, the father of the child was nowhere to be seen, and the girl bundled off somewhere to endure her pregnancy and the birth out of the public eye. Some of these young girls were forced to have their babies locked alone in a broom cupboard, such was the punitive nature of the social mores of that time. Then they were not allowed to see their children after the delivery, despite their wish to keep them. I'm not sure, but I don't think there was any single mother's pension in those days. Certainly there was a widespread stigma attached to any young woman bearing a child without a husband.

Just contrast that with how much welfare is available to single mothers these days. Not to mention publicly funded IVF for lesbians etc.

Don't you think those young mothers of fifty years ago are due some sort of apology for the inhumane way they were treated?

I'd hate to think some of the judgements being made now, and on this thread, relate to an ongoing moral condemnation of young women who made a mistake in a time when reliable contraception was unavailable.

 

[Calliope]

If Christine Milne hates Martin Ferguson, then that in my opinion is a ringing endorsement for him. Ferguson is the only ex-union official in the party who refuses to indulge in class warfare.

The Greens welcomed the departure of Mr Ferguson, their long-time nemesis, saying the fossil fuel industry had never had a greater advocate in cabinet than the former minister.

“His departure offers Labor the opportunity to embrace the renewable energy age and fix the mining tax,” Greens leader Christine Milne said.

“This is Labor's chance to halt the expansion of coal ports in Queensland, the on-rush of coal seem gas and the destruction of James Price point in the Kimberley.”

Senator Milne also claimed the Greens would attempt to unseat Mr Ferguson at the next election in his Victorian seat of Batman.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...-leadership-coup/story-fnhqeu0x-1226603503254

 

[Miss Hale]

You think it was OK for him to refer to 'birth parents' when the issue was all about single mothers?

Actually it wasn't the word 'parents' instead of 'mothers' it was the use of the decriptor 'birth' that caused offence apparently. The fact that you are defending the objection to what Abbott said on different grounds demonstrates to me how ridiculous this all is. No offence was intended and heckling someone in this situation shows a lack of manners, he wasn't doing a stand up comedy act and this was a bi-partisan event.

 

[drsmith]

If Christine Milne hates Martin Ferguson, then that in my opinion is a ringing endorsement for him. Ferguson is the only ex-union official in the party who refuses to indulge in class warfare.

Class warfare serves the Greens purposes.

Whether it's Christine Milne or Bob Brown, the Greens have no grace along with no interest in the wellbeing of our nation.

 

[Julia]

Actually it wasn't the word 'parents' instead of 'mothers' it was the use of the decriptor 'birth' that caused offence apparently.

Really? Do you have a link that affirms that? It's not as I heard it. This is from today's "The Australian".

TONY Abbott has been heckled at today's apology to victims of forced adoptions after he used the terms "birth parents" and "relinquished", which members of the audience considered offensive.

Which is pretty much what I commented on originally.
I agree that their heckling was unforgivably rude and unnecessary.

FWIW, I think any apology is about as useful as the Rudd apology to aboriginals for the so called stolen generation.
But obviously it means a great deal to the people concerned, and I don't see why - if politicians are going to make any sort of apology/comment - they wouldn't be at pains to ensure it couldn't possibly offend anyone.

Let's just be realistic about the preciousness of the society Labor has created. We are all, apparently, very easily offended and always ready to demand an apology. I heard earlier today that the group concerned here is now demanding an apology from Simon Crean for spoiling what should have been their day with his interruption of the leadership spill.

Yes, it's unreasonable. But these people vote. In addition to having sympathy for what these women went through fifty years ago, my main point is that surely it's better to make a speech which cannot offend anyone if you want their vote.

 

[drsmith]

Laurie Ferguson in a scathing attack on two more Rudd supporters is not satisfied with the Labor blood already spilt (ABC).

 

[drsmith]

Let's just be realistic about the preciousness of the society Labor has created. We are all, apparently, very easily offended and always ready to demand an apology. I heard earlier today that the group concerned here is now demanding an apology from Simon Crean for spoiling what should have been their day with his interruption of the leadership spill.

Yes, it's unreasonable. But these people vote. In addition to having sympathy for what these women went through fifty years ago, my main point is that surely it's better to make a speech which cannot offend anyone if you want their vote.

They're not a majority and it's hard not to offend anyone in the preciousness of today's society that you describe. Coal mining offends the Greens even though that was the fuel of the industrial revolution.

It's impossible to be all things to all people.

 

[Miss Hale]

Really? Do you have a link that affirms that? It's not as I heard it. This is from today's "The Australian".

No link, but I heard someone say it on the radio (ABC)

Yes, it's unreasonable. But these people vote. In addition to having sympathy for what these women went through fifty years ago, my main point is that surely it's better to make a speech which cannot offend anyone if you want their vote.

Judging by their reaction, I don't think these people were ever going to vote for Abbott.

 

[Calliope]

Judging by their reaction, I don't think these people were ever going to vote for Abbott.

The mistake Abbott made was to be a party to this ridiculous "black armband" apology. What does it achieve? Now some are complaining that they can't get "closure" because the Rudd/Gillard fiasco spoiled their day. Can anyone really believe that a Julia Gillard apology has any meaning apart from being politicaly motivated? It was probably McTernan's idea.

 

[YMI]

...Don't you think those young mothers of fifty years ago are due some sort of apology for the inhumane way they were treated?...

I agree absolutely!

But here is something that attracted my attention, however a bit off topic. Of course it is a nice gesture to say sorry. Sorry for the abducted babies, sorry for the stolen generation... The next prospective PM could maybe say sorry for extinguishing Tassie’s original inhabitants. I am sure that will also bring many votes.

A few days ago I read a story about a hacker who deliberately unveiled a security risk by obtaining 100k email addresses of iPad users in a fairly easy way. Now he goes to jail for 3.5 years and pays $73,000 in image damage although his intention was to do something good – it’s an US story though and a court decision not government, I just try to put the sentence in proportion.

They call that to make an example as a warning.

If a government destroys lives and families, they simply say sorry.

So, to commit a crime it’s better to become a politician first

But again, I am not sure this came now just to gather more votes and I really do think it was a nice gesture of her.

 

[banco]

I'll be very surprised if Ferguson doesn't go to work for mining interests after he leaves parliament.

 

[noco]

The mistake Abbott made was to be a party to this ridiculous "black armband" apology. What does it achieve? Now some are complaining that they can't get "closure" because the Rudd/Gillard fiasco spoiled their day. Can anyone really believe that a Julia Gillard apology has any meaning apart from being politicaly motivated? It was probably McTernan's idea.

Just another diversion again from the real issues.

The boats keep coming and the debt keeps rising $100 million per day.

 

[MrBurns]

The mothers are due for an apology fair enough, but would you actually go to a meeting specifically for that ?
No me neither, the sort of person that does is a little extreme in their views and would hate Abbott anyway, Gillard would find it a piece of cake to win these people over..........just a little false empathy practise for her.

These mothers deserve more than an apology there should be a department set up to try to find lost kids, assess their situation and see if it's appropriate to reunite.

 

[pilots]

The mistake Abbott made was to be a party to this ridiculous "black armband" apology. What does it achieve? Now some are complaining that they can't get "closure" because the Rudd/Gillard fiasco spoiled their day. Can anyone really believe that a Julia Gillard apology has any meaning apart from being politicaly motivated? It was probably McTernan's idea.

This post has hit the nail on the head, she we will do anything to stay in power.

 

[Miss Hale]

No link, but I heard someone say it on the radio (ABC)

The Age:

Coalition leader Tony Abbott's response, while personal and considered, was unfortunately controversial. He caused grievous offence by referring to ''birth parents'', a bureaucratic terminology that has the effect of denying mothers and fathers any role beyond the moment of birth.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/ed...worst-enemy-20130321-2ginc.html#ixzz2OFveyB6k

The mistake Abbott made was to be a party to this ridiculous "black armband" apology. What does it achieve? Now some are complaining that they can't get "closure" because the Rudd/Gillard fiasco spoiled their day. Can anyone really believe that a Julia Gillard apology has any meaning apart from being politicaly motivated? It was probably McTernan's idea.

Agree. This apology was pointless and uneccessary IMO and was nothing other than a chance for easy political points to be scored by Gillard and as we now know a chance to try and further blacken Abbotts name.

 

[Calliope]

This post has hit the nail on the head, she we will do anything to stay in power.

Credit where credit is due, the Prime Minister's inner circle knows how to prop its candidate up internally. They may not be much good at running a government, but they sure can count the numbers and strategise how best to time a ballot to maximise Gillard's chances of survival.

We'll see how in awe the caucus is of these skills come September 14, when Gillard and her team go up against the most unpopular opposition leader in Australian political history, and are comprehensively demolished.

Think about it.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opi...nst-than-sinning/story-fn53lw5p-1226603733638

 

[drsmith]

Paul Kelly's insights are always an interesting read,

Yet, in another sense, it cannot be over. This saga will be over only when Rudd or Gillard leaves the parliament. While Rudd says there are "no circumstances" in which he will return to the leadership, he has nominated for the next election. So the broken Gillard-Rudd saga will limp into the future.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opi...rty-is-fractured/story-e6frg74x-1226603793449

Meanwhile, the further blood Laurie Ferguson would like to see spilt,

While Mr Bowen, Mr Carr and Martin Ferguson resigned yesterday, there was no statement from Mr Albanese, despite speculation from his colleagues that he would have to go because he was implicated in the attempted challenge.

Similar questions were raised about Mental Health Minister Mark Butler.

Western Sydney MP Laurie Ferguson, a Gillard supporter and Martin Ferguson's brother, posted a Facebook message yesterday calling Mr Albanese and Mr Butler "gutless" for not resigning.

Mr Albanese's office made no comment last night.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...-of-courage-rudd/story-fn59niix-1226603806937

 

[dutchie]

Australians saw another shamozzle from Labor last week.

Party division that will continue no matter what Kevin and Julia might claim.

Inept governance. The attempted muzzling of freedom of speech by Conroy was a political disaster. But alarmingly a continuation of past form.

Front bench ministers resigning or being sacked.

How on earth can Australians have any confidence in the Australian economy with this lot in charge.

The national debt out of control ($270 billion and rising - the interest alone is about $7 billion a year).

There will be no change of this lack of confidence till the Government is changed. If Labor can't see this then they are bigger fools than they have shown over the last 5 years.


Another kick in the guts for confidence
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/bus...s-for-confidence/story-e6frg9if-1226603804049





Bring on an early election - "its the right thing to do"