Mega Thread All things Tony Abbott

[SBD Gonzalez]

I wouldn’t call being PM nothing, but it’s true that 99% of honour recipients are basically being backslapped for doing a job they were already very well paid for.

That said, orders of chivalry were literally invented to backslap politicians so I have no idea why people get so upset about it every six months.

Much as I loathe Tony Abbott, the gong that truly flabbergasts me is Graeme ******* Richardson. Was there ever a more cynical politician than Graeme ******* Richardson?

What a ******* joke!!!

 

[Doss]

I think it is fair to say that Abbott devoted a lot of time and attention to indigenous affairs, over a very long period - perhaps more than any other PM. He has spent a lot of time in remote communities (both before, after and during his tenure at the top), and he was the first PM to elevate it to a PMC level portfolio in the inner Cabinet.

Whether that time and attention resulted in good outcomes is another discussion. Certainly a lot of his decisions as PM come across as rather strange for someone who purports to care about indigenous affairs - cutting funding to remote communities is only the most obvious. Most indigenous leaders have little love for him.

Abbott is like that, though. A lot of his actions are hard to square with one another, and his public and private personas often seem at odds.

Most of Abbott's 'solutions' to problems in indigenous communities carried an all too strong whiff of top-down to them, not bottom-up. That's likely neither effective in producing good outcomes, nor likely to get the communities on-side in the longer term. I agree he did put a lot of time in, but the execution always struck me as way off.

 

[Gough]

Most of Abbott's 'solutions' to problems in indigenous communities carried an all too strong whiff of top-down to them, not bottom-up. That's likely neither effective in producing good outcomes, nor likely to get the communities on-side in the longer term. I agree he did put a lot of time in, but the execution always struck me as way off.

Abbott was like Rhodes. Living on country is a lifestyle choice and most solutions to closing the gap could be found if the natives found god and behaved like good white people.

 

[Caesar]

Abbott was like Rhodes. Living on country is a lifestyle choice and most solutions to closing the gap could be found if the natives found god and behaved like good white people.

Whilst I don’t necessarily agree with the whole ‘assimilate or perish’ mentality, it must be said that nobody has come up with a way to enable indigenous culture and modern Australia to effectively coexist.

It’s a problem with post-colonisation First Nations the world over. The reality is that many aspects of hunter-gatherer cultures are fundamentally incompatible with the way a modern industrialised economy has to operate.

I don’t think anyone knows what to do. It is easy to look back at history and conclude that full assimilation is the only thing that has ever been effective when one society conquers another. On the other hand ‘full assimilation’ has inevitably gone hand in hand with ethnic cleansing and genocide.

I guess we just keep trying to do what we can and improve here and there. But realistically, I don’t see the gap ever fully closing.

 

[Northalives]

Nice melt.

Why do you care so much about an award that comes automatically to every PM? Morrison will get his too, as will whichever empty suit follows him.

It’s just political backslapping. It doesn’t mean anything.

There is this thing called principle and unfortunately, because people are just dismissive of principles as being "old hat", we see knobs like Abbott and Bishop get away with s**t and are given awards.

Is it any wonder that Ministerial responsibility no longer exists and Morrison can lie through his teeth about wanting his mentor and pedophile protector, Brian Houston to be invited to the White house and then later, when the fires are raging and everyone's mind is otherwise occupied, he whispers that he did ask the White House to invite him after all and no-one seems to give a s**t!

He has lied through his teeth about Sports rorts but who gives a s**t and in my estimation, this has become common place because we've just dismissed upholding principles as old fashioned and as a consequence, Turnbull, Morrison and Abbott have trashed our Parliamentary traditions and conventions.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

There is this thing called principle and unfortunately, because people are just dismissive of principles as being "old hat", we see knobs like Abbott and Bishop get away with s**t and are given awards.

Is it any wonder that Ministerial responsibility no longer exists and Morrison can lie through his teeth about wanting his mentor and pedophile protector, Brian Houston to be invited to the White house and then later, when the fires are raging and everyone's mind is otherwise occupied, he whispers that he did ask the White House to invite him after all and no-one seems to give a s**t!

He has lied through his teeth about Sports rorts but who gives a s**t and in my estimation, this has become common place because we've just dismissed upholding principles as old fashioned and as a consequence, Turnbull, Morrison and Abbott have trashed our Parliamentary traditions and conventions.

Bugger Morrison and Houston (actually, I’d prefer you didn’t). What about Abbott and Pell!

 

[Northalives]

Much as I loathe Tony Abbott, the gong that truly flabbergasts me is Graeme ******* Richardson. Was there ever a more cynical politician than Graeme ******* Richardson? What a joke!!!

Did that rat get one as well? Bugger me! They should give one to Brian Burke for services to honesty. Graham Richardson - slimy, sleazy, self serving mongrel whose only "cause", is himself. If you shook his hand, you'd have to count your fingers afterwards to see if they were all there.

 

[Northalives]

Bugger Morrison and Houston (actually, I’d prefer you didn’t). What about Abbott and Pell!

Yeah. Our Australia has sunk just so low.

 

[Northalives]

Abbott was like Rhodes. Living on country is a lifestyle choice and most solutions to closing the gap could be found if the natives found god and behaved like good white people.

Nailed it Gough.

 

[Northalives]

Most of Abbott's 'solutions' to problems in indigenous communities carried an all too strong whiff of top-down to them, not bottom-up. That's likely neither effective in producing good outcomes, nor likely to get the communities on-side in the longer term. I agree he did put a lot of time in, but the execution always struck me as way off.

He saw it as Missionary work Doss - all in the name of Christ.

 

[Donakebab]

I think it is fair to say that Abbott devoted a lot of time and attention to indigenous affairs, over a very long period - perhaps more than any other PM. He has spent a lot of time in remote communities (both before, after and during his tenure at the top), and he was the first PM to elevate it to a PMC level portfolio in the inner Cabinet.

Whether that time and attention resulted in good outcomes is another discussion. Certainly a lot of his decisions as PM come across as rather strange for someone who purports to care about indigenous affairs - cutting funding to remote communities is only the most obvious. Most indigenous leaders have little love for him.

Abbott is like that, though. A lot of his actions are hard to square with one another, and his public and private personas often seem at odds.

lol, the time and attention he devoted to indigenous affairs mainly consisted of funding cuts and poor governance. His spending time in communities meant sweet * all when he did a whole lot of talking and very little listening. It's absolutely disgusting that that it has been included as a reason for this honour being awarded.

I've worked with people from Indigenous Affairs/NIAA within PM&C, I can guarantee you, no one is singing his praises there.

 

[Caesar]

It's absolutely disgusting that that it has been included as a reason for this honour being awarded.

It’s just how it goes. Ex-PMs traditionally get an AC, and the reasons traditionally include their major or defining policy areas.

Howard got his for economic and social policy reform, Rudd got his for international relations, Gillard got hers for promoting the interests of women.

A value judgement about whether their policy was good or bad has never really entered into it.

 

[Power Raid]

thanks.. so what were the outcomes?
What action was taken ? He was in politics for decades - he was PM, there must be a policy, programmes, something for this award?

He cut funding and said stupid comments like “lifestyle choices”. At the moment it seems farcical he was awarded for anything.

Aboriginal elders have spoken about the dangers of "sit down money" and the damage to their communities. So I wouldn't consider cutting "sit down money" as a negative, rather it might be a directive from elders.

I don't follow Abbott's aboriginal engagement but ABCs insiders has commented on a number of occasions his commitment to indigenous communities and personal work.

What is clear though is Abbott is a divisive character and anything to do with him will reflect that in social media. For me, it would be interesting to hear from elders and communities he has worked with rather than those squawking about "sit down money". Perhaps the squawkers are squawking about the loss of a bucket they were trying to siphon at the cost of aboriginal lives.

 

[AM]

Bingo!

 

[Caesar]

Bingo!

All that tells me is that Amy McQuire hasn’t done much research into some of the crooks who’ve been inducted into the Order over the years.

 

[Pie eyed]

lol, the time and attention he devoted to indigenous affairs mainly consisted of funding cuts and poor governance. His spending time in communities meant sweet fu** all when he did a whole lot of talking and very little listening. It's absolutely disgusting that that it has been included as a reason for this honour being awarded.

I've worked with people from Indigenous Affairs/NIAA within PM&C, I can guarantee you, no one is singing his praises there.

A travesty Abbott even mentioned his alleged record on indigenous matters.
His AO is solely for his "contribution to Trade" which is a backhander at best.
His award is nothing more than a "participation award" and was probably "promised".

 

[DaRick]

I've worked with people from Indigenous Affairs/NIAA within PM&C, I can guarantee you, no one is singing his praises there.

His trip to Cherbourg wasn't exactly met with universal acclaim from the locals.

Quite the opposite, really.

 

[AM]

All that tells me is that Amy McQuire hasn’t done much research into the other people who’ve received ACs over the years.

The whole awards adjudication is a joke. If they kept strictly to only giving the award to people who make an "exceptional and remarkable difference", as the guidelines say, the names would be lucky to fill a page in the tissues. Nonetheless she makes a valid and telling argument.

 

[Northalives]

His trip to Cherbourg wasn't exactly met with universal acclaim from the locals.

Quite the opposite, really.

Didn't the Monster of Manly say that the first thing he'd do if elected as Prime Minister was to go and spend time with Aboriginals? His interest in Aboriginal peoples were purely paternalistic.

 

[JackOutback]

All that tells me is that Amy McQuire hasn’t done much research into some of the crooks who’ve been inducted into the Order over the years.

To be fair, the awards largely do go to deserving people. There were more than 900 awarded this year, the bulk of which go to volunteers and the like who have done some amazing things in their community or wider. Unfortunately, the headlines focus on the two or so dozen 'big' names, which are usually politicians and sporting types

 

[Northalives]

To be fair, the awards largely do go to deserving people. There were more than 900 awarded this year, the bulk of which go to volunteers and the like who have done some amazing things in their community or wider. Unfortunately, the headlines focus on the two or so dozen 'big' names, which are usually politicians and sporting types

Yes, you are right mate. The undeserving ones hog the limelight.

 

[Caesar]

To be fair, the awards largely do go to deserving people. There were more than 900 awarded this year, the bulk of which go to volunteers and the like who have done some amazing things in their community or wider. Unfortunately, the headlines focus on the two or so dozen 'big' names, which are usually politicians and sporting types

I dunno. The AOs and AMs I know are mostly medicos and lawyers who got it for ‘services to the profession’. Same goes for the public servants.

It seems mostly to be a gong that goes to certain elements of society for doing a job that was fairly well paid already.

 

[Gough]

My uncle got an MBE for dealing with dipshits in the Devon probation service for 45 years.

 

[Caesar]

My uncle got an MBE for dealing with dipshits in the Devon probation service for 45 years.

I must admit that OAMs seem to be handed out to a lot of genuine worthies - i.e. solid community-level toilers who don’t get a lot of financial reward for what they do.

But I have attended a couple of AM investitures and I’d be hard pressed to say the recipients on display represented the rich tapestry of our island story.

 

[AM]

To be fair, the awards largely do go to deserving people. There were more than 900 awarded this year, the bulk of which go to volunteers and the like who have done some amazing things in their community or wider. Unfortunately, the headlines focus on the two or so dozen 'big' names, which are usually politicians and sporting types

I guess it depends on your definition of deserving in this context. In my view these awards should be reserved for those who make an exceptional and remarkable difference. Not for doing little more than your job well, perhaps with a little community service thrown in.

Not sure how you could say Abbott could be considered to have made an exceptional and remarkable difference. That is in a positive sense. Keep in mind Abbott got an AC.

On the other hand, Bishop and Ruddock were most deserving!