Tones In Fairyland again -On 2GB

[Redneck]

Hey, Tony Abbott: take your own advice and do your job

Can someone gently break the news to Abbott that he's never going to be PM again?

Andrew P Street

The ongoing public tantrum that is the Tony Abbott Hurt Feelings Tour 2015 (extended despite popular demand) has erupted again in the safe Abbott-friendly space of 2GB.

And he was rolling out the classic hits and memories, starting with how unemployed and disabled people are a bunch of lazy scroungers.

"​If people are doing the best they can for themselves and for their families and it is literally impossible for them to find work, fair enough," he said of his government's attacks on people on the pension. "We were far too ready to put people on the [disability support pension], with bad backs, a bit of depression and so on. These are not permanent conditions… This idea that you can be unemployed on benefits in a town where you can't get fruit pickers, it's just wrong."

It was part of the popular and imaginary argument that there are thousands of jobs out there and anyone unable to find them is choosing to avoid them, rather than acknowledging that maybe, just maybe, people with no money might find it tricky to pick up and move temporarily to places where there's short-term casual labour.

And there are plenty of reasons why what Abbott said was, typically, nonsense. For a start, no one gets on the disability pension with "a bit of depression" - but thanks for bolstering the perception that mental illness is simply made up silliness by a pack of malingerers, Tones. As a person who lives (and works) with the condition, I especially appreciate it.

And not to state the obvious, but having a bad back is exactly the sort of thing that should preclude someone from a physically demanding job like fruit picking. In fact, if Abbott is so very worried about bad backs not being "permanent conditions", then he might want to consider whether it's a kick-arse idea to send people with existing injuries to go toil in the fields in the first place.

In any case, the ex-PM also seems to have mysteriously overlooked that tiny but relevant fact that his own government just (barely) passed a tax deal to make it easier for tourists to get those short-term jobs.

And while it's super easy for politicians to punch downwards at those at the bottom of the pile, it seems a little rich – or, more accurately, obscenely wealthy – to blast people with actual disabilities for languishing on the pension when perfectly healthy media figures like Abbott and fellow do-as-I-say-not-as-I'm-literally-doing-right-now-in-front-of-you former party leader turned walking punchline Mark Latham to sit on a six figure a year tax-free pension for their entire dotage, even as they castigate people doing it tough.

But the main thing that illustrates Abbott's tin ear is the way he blithely declared that "These might not be the jobs you want to do for the rest of your life but a job is a job … You have to take it, you just have to take it."

Fair enough, Tony. So: what say you follow your own advice and do your goddamn job?

You're not prime minister any more. You had that job, and you lost it because you were very bad at it. So bad in fact that your party dumped you before the electorate did.

Do you know how bad a PM you were? So bad that even now, with the current leader being mocked for constantly capitulating to your own faction within your party, there's still no one seriously talking about letting you have another crack at the gig.

More people are considering making Peter Dutton the next Liberal leader than are calling for your return. Let me say that again: you're a less inspiring leader than Peter Dutton. The man who just decided to throw a childish fit about secular songs being allegedly sung at Christmas. He's less of a joke than you are, and he can't even use his phone correctly.

You know what your job actually is? You're a backbencher as the Member for Waringah.

So before you start pontificating about how people need to do the job that's available to them, even if it's not the one they want, how's about you maybe do something – anything, in fact – for your electorate?

For example: before the election you were really talking up how you were confident that Northern Beaches motorway tunnel would be announced before the end of the year. How's that going? Because from the outside, it looks almost as though it's not happening.

Or how about that Northern Beaches train line you periodically mention around election time? After all, that "rapid" bus service thing has already run into serious trouble (starting with the removal of the "rapid" bit). Sounds like a local problem for a local member, wouldn't you say?

Basically, Tony, if you really want to lecture people about how they should stop whining and do the job that's available, no matter how empty and meaningless it is, maybe stop your hypocritical sniping and undermining and look at your own unsolicited, condescending advice.

After all, you have to take it. You just have to take it.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from ... tbmof.html

[IQS.RLOW]

Stupid Moaning Herald - try posting a real source instead of that regressive rubbish.

I cant wait for them to go broke and down the toilet where they belong.

[Rorschach]

Abbott needs to go he should have gone when he got rolled...
He is clueless... and has no medical knowledge either.

The sooner he goes the better.

[mantra]

He won't let go. He lives in hope. His wife said that losing the top job was the most devastating thing that had ever happened to him. Still - he's no worse than Turnbull and might just get another chance of a comeback one day. Never say never. I would prefer Abbott over Turnbull. He was still learning the job - the same way Gillard was.

[Rorschach]

Abbott and his loyalty and reliance on Credlin were part of his downfall. His Captain's Picks were a sign he was out of touch. I have seen nothing to show he has changed.

[mantra]

Abbott and his loyalty and reliance on Credlin were part of his downfall. His Captain's Picks were a sign he was out of touch. I have seen nothing to show he has changed.

Yes Abbott made some stupid decisions, but he seemed prepared to back down when they were brought to his attention. He was also closer to the people who were struggling unlike Turnbull who has now forgotten that he had pretended to be a moderate at one time and has reclaimed his rightful place in high society by supporting his wealthy buddies. The $50 billion he's found to gift to the corporate sector - has been taken from health and education which affect those who really need it. Most of these corporations don't pay tax. Instead of regulating this discrepancy - he's bleeding the ordinary taxpayer dry to indulge them further.

Now he's talking about a Republic again. Abbott started to grow on me - but it's been the opposite with Turnbull. The more he opens his mouth - the more his real snobbery surfaces.

[Black Orchid]

I think Abbott is true and honest kind of person. He made mistakes by listening too much to Credlin but he also accepted responsibility for them and took it on the chin.

I could never stand Turnbull and I can't stand his wife either. Now is definitely not the time to be bringing up the Republic debate as surely we have more pressing matters than that, same sex marriage, indoctrinating our kids with warped LGBTTQQIAAP agendas and every other minority whinge.

[Neferti]

I think Abbott is true and honest kind of person. He made mistakes by listening too much to Credlin but he also accepted responsibility for them and took it on the chin.

I could never stand Turnbull and I can't stand his wife either. Now is definitely not the time to be bringing up the Republic debate as surely we have more pressing matters than that, same sex marriage, indoctrinating our kids with warped LGBTTQQIAAP agendas and every other minority whinge.

I agree with all this, Black Orchid. Thank You!

[IQS.RLOW]

The problem with Abbott and the Libs is that they think that "governing from the centre" and appeasing the left will gain them cudos...it won't.
The Libs need to govern according to their strengths and conservative values and steam roll over any leftwing idea. Don't even entertain it.

Play the ball from a postition of strength and fuck the left.
Fuck them hard.

[Neferti]

The problem with Abbott and the Libs is that they think that "governing from the centre" and appeasing the left will gain them cudos...it won't.
The Libs need to govern according to their strengths and conservative values and steam roll over any leftwing idea. Don't even entertain it.

Play the ball from a postition of strength and fuck the left.
Fuck them hard.

I AGREE with this too. Thanks IQ.