Tony Abbott for PM

[dutchie]

Poor show by LNP for not initially giving Michelle Rowland a "pair" to attend her sick child.

 

[Calliope]

Poor show by LNP for not initially giving Michelle Rowland a "pair" to attend her sick child.

The LNP was not involved, it was the Coalition whip.

Michelle Rowland tells us that the opposition are heartless because it has blocked her from returning home to her sick child. Her husband has time off from work to look after the sick child, it should be in good hands.

The child became sick on Mother’s Day, Sunday the 12th May, with a fever and vomiting. She did attend parliament on Tuesday. Why the fuss now, except maybe it is a misandrist ploy to paint Abbott as a misogynist, using a woman and sick child as bait in a feeble attempt to yet again smear.

UPDATE

The ABC’s The World Today makes this the top item of its political coverage. Naturally.

And again, Rowland is still there, giving interviews. Why hasn’t she gone home to her sick child?

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/...oes_to_fairfax_when_she_could_have_gone_home/

 

[FxTrader]

I'd argue management in most industries - especially IT and white collar - are the main impediments to productivity improvements.

Hmm, most of the IT workers I know are working long hours with no extra pay, no overtime etc. and are under the constant threat of having their jobs offshored or outsourced. Hard to see how one can be any more "productive" in such an environment.

Clearly then many jobs so go to the lowest cost country or providers, but what jobs would be left in Australia - the poorly paid service sector. If you want that kind of society then the U.S. is your model where the middle class has been destroyed with huge wealth disparity as a consequence.

 

[moXJO]

Poor show by LNP for not initially giving Michelle Rowland a "pair" to attend her sick child.

Meh, using your baby to score political points is moving from the gutter to the sewer.
Labors latest slogan: "A Liberal ATE MY BABY"
FFS is anyone stupid enough not to see the labor sneak attacks to discredit the libs any way they can. During the local election here labor was up to its eyeballs in dodgey goings on. Just get to the election already

 

[Intrinsic Value]

Hmm, most of the IT workers I know are working long hours with no extra pay, no overtime etc. and are under the constant threat of having their jobs offshored or outsourced. Hard to see how one can be any more "productive" in such an environment.

Clearly then many jobs so go to the lowest cost country or providers, but what jobs would be left in Australia - the poorly paid service sector. If you want that kind of society then the U.S. is your model where the middle class has been destroyed with huge wealth disparity as a consequence.

The US is not the only place this is happening it is also well underway in Europe and set to become more pronounced as budgets shrink and recession bites deeper.

The inevitalbe result of a globalised economy is a shrinking or disappearing middle class with a small percentage of the middle class managing to transistion to the rich class with the rest going onto struggle street.

Labour is a globalised commodity and there is no protection for many workers because companies can go offshore and get their labour cheaper elsewhere. Unless you have a special skill or you are in a niche area then wages long term are really going only one way.

Australia because of the mining boom and its geographical isolation have been somewhat protected from this trend but this wont last forever. But even in Australia there is plenty of evidence to suggest that this trend is well entrenched with polarities in income increasing over the last 10years or so. Further many so called middle class people really struggle to keep their heads above water and one good recession could see some major hurt across Australia.

 

[Calliope]

I thought Abbott did a good job tonight. He started off a bit flat but he warmed to the job. The sour faces on the opposite bench showed that he was hitting the target. As Joe Hockey remarked the other day the best cuts are the ones Gillard and Swan have made for you.

 

[Julia]

Poor show by LNP for not initially giving Michelle Rowland a "pair" to attend her sick child.

You'd think so if you just listened to the initial item on the ABC. But in fact, the child became sick last Sunday, was taken to the doctor, appropriately diagnosed, and given antibiotics. She then improved and had stopped vomiting and was eating again. Ms Rowland disclosed that she was 'very lucky to have such a supportive family who were caring for the child when she was not able to be there.'
If she so badly needed to be with the child, why did she not request leave when the child was actually sick, i.e. say Monday, rather than apparently just deciding she'd rather be at home than listen to the Coalition leader's Budget reply speech several days later?
Yet another ploy to paint the Coalition (not the LNP!) as heartless toward women.
What rubbish.

I thought Abbott did a good job tonight. He started off a bit flat but he warmed to the job. The sour faces on the opposite bench showed that he was hitting the target. As Joe Hockey remarked the other day the best cuts are the ones Gillard and Swan have made for you.

I agree. I did like his approach of addressing his remarks to the electorate which was in stark contrast to the government's "we have done this" etc., particularly the Treasurer's defensive remarks when delivering the Budget.

In Mr Abbott's comments where he identified with much of the voting population, he was imo factual and pretty straightforward. There was enough to give a broad outline of the approach the Coalition would take if they win government.

All up, I'm pleasantly surprised by Mr Abbott's apparent maturing and can even begin to feel some element of confidence in a Coalition government.

 

[waza1960]

I was always confident Abbott would make a good PM but the last few days I have been wondering about the make up of his government.
If he wins by a landslide I hope he doesn't have too much dead wood .Are there any Craig Thompsons or Slippers about to get elected . Newman obviously had a few duds to contend with.

 

[Julia]

I was always confident Abbott would make a good PM but the last few days I have been wondering about the make up of his government.
If he wins by a landslide I hope he doesn't have too much dead wood .Are there any Craig Thompsons or Slippers about to get elected . Newman obviously had a few duds to contend with.

Newman's landslide inevitably contained a large number of completely inexperienced people, so it was probably inevitable that a few would turn out to be duds.
Let's hope the same doesn't apply to an Abbott government.

I'm actually encouraged by the performance thus far of the shadow front bench. Joe Hockey especially is proving more sure footed than I'd have imagined.

 

[Tink]

Yes, I thought Abbott did a good job too, very refreshing to hear.

 

[dutchie]

Watch our economy and confidence jump out of the box after September 14th.

 

[Ijustnewit]

Watch our economy and confidence jump out of the box after September 14th.

Totally agree , just like Japan has now with a new government in control , after putting up with years of leadership with similar attributes to our Labor mob.

 

[sydboy007]

Watch our economy and confidence jump out of the box after September 14th.

Depends. Seems like the housing ponnzi scheme is just starting to rev up, so you might be right, but I'm still inclined to think that whoever's in power next year is going to have to face the first technical recession in a couple of decades.

 

[sptrawler]

Depends. Seems like the housing ponnzi scheme is just starting to rev up, so you might be right, but I'm still inclined to think that whoever's in power next year is going to have to face the first technical recession in a couple of decades.

I agree with you Syd, we will be very lucky if we miss a recession. As you righly point out it will be the first recession since Labor were last in office.

 

[sydboy007]

What I don't get is why Tony is being such a wuss. What's better, to be the small target and have a pathetically timid first term ala O'Farrell in NSW with a huge majority, or go to this election with a decent reform agenda, though with a smaller though still decent majority?

I'll admit I'm not fond of Tony, but they way he's running his microscopically small target campaign turns me off him even more. Where's a politician these days with the cajones to stand up, tell us what they will do if elected, and give us a choice. Where's the politician that doesn't run things through a focus group 5 times before it's presented to the public?

By Tony's argument that he will do his tax review and present ny changes for the 2016 election, so as to have a mandate, provides the ALP and independents plenty of ammunition to say he has no mandate for his first term to really do anything.

Maybe I expect to much, but I'd just love an opposition of any ilk to provide a reasonable level of detail on their policies, at least to the level they seem to demand of the opposition when they're in power.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

It is heartening to see so many positive posts on this thread about Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott has long been on my radar as possibly one of the best prime ministers we will ever have.

He and the Coalition are treating the Sept 14 Election as lose-able, and fighting a political battle primarily, for each and every polling booth and electorate, rather than a policy battle. There is policy, but after the shambles of this parliament it is essential for the Coalition to win.

When I first started this thread it seemed nearly impossible that he would win the leadership of the Libs.

He did and he has proven to be a good leader.

As he will for Australia, if he is elected.

The latter is up in the air and will not be decided until Sept 14.

And it will be much closer than people expect.

Should there be a landslide, there will not be as many muppets get in as did on the tailend of the LNP Qld. landslide. The LNP have learnt from their experience in Queensland.

There has been a closer vetting of candidates.

The policy announcements will come, after the writs are issued.

gg

 

[Calliope]

It is heartening to see so many positive posts on this thread about Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott has long been on my radar as possibly one of the best prime ministers we will ever have.
gg

Many conservatives on this thread have had their doubts about Tony Abbott's leadership abilities, including myself. Your support has never wavered, and at last I am reaching the conclusion that your confidence is fully justified. I thought his budget reply was very good and showed political nous and maturity.

All Labor has left is the implementation of a strategy to try to expose whether he has clay feet. McTernan will be delving deeply into his **** bucket now to provide some dirt for the usual suspects to throw.

 

[Julia]

What I don't get is why Tony is being such a wuss. What's better, to be the small target and have a pathetically timid first term ala O'Farrell in NSW with a huge majority, or go to this election with a decent reform agenda, though with a smaller though still decent majority?

I'll admit I'm not fond of Tony, but they way he's running his microscopically small target campaign turns me off him even more. Where's a politician these days with the cajones to stand up, tell us what they will do if elected, and give us a choice. Where's the politician that doesn't run things through a focus group 5 times before it's presented to the public?

By Tony's argument that he will do his tax review and present ny changes for the 2016 election, so as to have a mandate, provides the ALP and independents plenty of ammunition to say he has no mandate for his first term to really do anything.

Maybe I expect to much, but I'd just love an opposition of any ilk to provide a reasonable level of detail on their policies, at least to the level they seem to demand of the opposition when they're in power.

There are four months to go, for goodness sake!
And clearly, sydboy, you so dislike Mr Abbott that whatever he did you'd find it worthy of criticism.

 

[MrBurns]

Many conservatives on this thread have had their doubts about Tony Abbott's leadership abilities, including myself. Your support has never wavered, and at last I am reaching the conclusion that your confidence is fully justified. I thought his budget reply was very good and showed political nous and maturity.

All Labor has left is the implementation of a strategy to try to expose whether he has clay feet. McTernan will be delving deeply into his **** bucket now to provide some dirt for the usual suspects to throw.

Agree with all of that though I never really had doubts about Abbott, he has an awkward manner but I believe him to be a decent person which is more than I can say for Gillard and those around her.

 

[MrBurns]

There are four months to go, for goodness sake!
And clearly, sydboy, you so dislike Mr Abbott that whatever he did you'd find it worthy of criticism.

I think sydboy fails to understand that it's at the point where no one cares what the Lib policies are, within reason, we just have a desperate need to rid ourselves of Gillard ASAP.