Don't Cut Aid to Palestine Mr Abbott - Cut Immigration

Tony Abbott is back in front of the media today sharing his opinion on cutting aid to Palestine. Mr Abbott is having a lot to say recently about things he wasn’t prepared to do when he was PM. Wise after the event it appears. But on this issue I disagree with him.

In the case of aid to Palestine we are talking under $50million. In the scheme of government spend not a huge amount.

Australia is a supporter of the two-state solution. To a layperson as I am, that seems to me to be a sensible solution to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. But I can’t see that ever happening whist Israel keeps stealing land. Whilst the population isn’t as large as it was it is not just Muslims who suffer as a result of Israeli insurgence and sanctions. Palestinian Christians suffer as well. 

The latest issue of aid is mired by the possibility that aid is funnelled to terrorists. Who would know? FM Julie Bishop has previously cut aid to World Vision due to accusations (strenuously denied by them and currently before the courts) that aid was ending up in the hands of terrorists. It will be interesting to hear the court ruling which if memory serves me correctly is due in February.

I don’t think we can ever guarantee that not a single dollar from foreign aid will end up in the hands of terrorists. The same applies to any other group intent on rorting our goodwill for that matter; foreign or local. So before we jump on the bandwagon consider this.

Spending money on foreign aid does actually have the potential to reduce our costs due to fewer refugees. If we provide aid and protection to displaced persons in their own or neighbouring countries it is far less costly than providing support here. In fact it makes sense to increase aid and cut all humanitarian immigration; at least for the time being. Aid, also has the potential to reduce the volume of illegal asylum seeker traffic intent on making it to Australia. Whist this is under control now it certainly won’t be if Labor were to win the next election.

My second point is possibly the more contentious of the two. If you drive a car, rely on public or commercial transport or use products that contain oil, then the chances are we too will have inadvertently funded terrorism. The world of Middle East oil trading is extremely shady. We know from reports that ISIS has sold stolen oil to Middle Eastern countries who on sell to the west. In addition to selling to those developing countries where a lot of foreign goods come from. We also know or suspect that some of the biggest traders also fund terrorists. I suspect that trade is far more lucrative for terrorists than our foreign aid to Palestine. Think about that next time you buy your new phone or laptop; and even your cosmetics.

In cutting aid, it might make some of us feel better but it is people, including many children who will suffer. As for those who say if we cut this aid we won’t have to slug pensioners. I think that is a bit short-sighted. The changes to pensioner entitlements aren’t just about cutting current costs. They are also setting the groundwork to reduce rapidly increasing future costs and breaking the middle class welfare mentality.

This piece about aid to Palestine comes directly from the government website.

"The PTs (consisting of the West Bank and Gaza Strip) is one of the poorest regions in the Middle East. The 2014 United Nations Human Development Index, measuring life expectancy, standard of living and education, rated the PTs 107 out of 187 countries. Some 22 per cent of the Territories’ people are food insecure, 26 per cent live in poverty and 25 per cent are unemployed. These figures have all deteriorated over the past 20 years, leading the United Nations to refer to the PTs as having undergone a process of 'de-development'. 

The PTs face formidable constraints to economic development including the physical separation of territory, a lack of control over territorial borders and key natural resources such as land and water, restrictions on movement of goods and people, and the ever present threat of violent conflict. The Gaza Strip experiences development constraints akin to the West Bank but is further challenged by extreme population density, heavier restrictions on the movement of people and goods and a tiny land mass."

I’ve also read to extremely confronting and enlightening pieces recently which have influenced my views.

Palestinian Christian: Western Christians Don't Understand Gaza/Israeli Conflict

Why I am anti-Zionist Jew

The people of Palestine are prisoners. Whilst I have the same concerns about terrorism as anyone else, I simply can’t condone cutting funding to these poor people. For those who suffer the most are the old and defenceless and the children. They deserve better.

So no Mr Abbott, we should not be cutting aid to Palestine. Perhaps we should be increasing our aid budget and stopping immigration. That would save us I suspect a lot more in the long run; economically and socially.

18C & The Rise of Pauline Hanson

There was a very interesting column in The Australian today. It was written by Matt Ridley titled- Stop the shouting: if we don’t tame Twitter, we’ll face mob rule. The first line in particular resonated. 

“Schisms of hatred seem to be fracturing the political landscape wherever you look.”

How true. I would add, destroying tolerance along with it. Every word is analysed by someone looking for something to attack or have a go at others over. 

Like many I’ve been disturbed by the rise of Pauline Hanson in the political arena.  I personally don’t like her brand of politics. If we had to have an anti-Muslim party in Canberra I think we would have been much better off with the ALA. At least the ALA representatives understand the issues. They have done their homework on topics such as Halal. Hanson’s knowledge when tested is very thin in all areas related to Islam, Halal and Sharia law. Hanson trades on fear on not facts. 

After reading another column in the Australian today related to Hanson, “Distortion of rights ‘helped Pauline Hanson.’ I posed this on Twitter. “If Tony Abbott hadn't wimped on 18C I wonder how different the outcome might be.” I was accused of Abbott bashing. Seriously. 

Many Liberals were very disappointed when Mr Abbott wimped on proceeding with 18C legislation. Fact. It lost him support. Also fact. So rather than ‘bashing’ Mr Abbott I suspect if he had proceeded with changes 18C he may still be in Government. The debate would certainly be different and people would feel free to speak their minds on topics that concern them. 

Then Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson said at the time he was: ‘‘Disturbed to hear the government has backed down on 18C and will keep offensive speech illegal. Very disturbed.’’ 

He also stated source Fairfax media: 

“The racial discrimination act significantly restricts free speech in a way that all other anti-discrimination laws do not and the government seems to foolishly think that backing down will assist them or be in the best interest of the Australian population.”

Mr Wilson said there should not be a situation where select legal privileges are enjoyed by some and not by other people.

“The Prime Minister said that he wants to unite team Australia. I agree, which is why we should have laws that apply for everybody consistently,” he said.

“There is nothing more dangerous to a multicultural Australia today than the idea that some people have legal privileges on the basis of their race which do not exist for other people.”

This is where the likes of Pauline Hanson rise. She did it before by inciting people's fear over Asian gangs. She is doing it in 2016 in capitalising on people's fear of Islam and Muslim’s. When people feel they can’t openly voice their concerns they turn to people like Hanson. 

I still believe in Free Speech. I will continue to voice my opinions (perhaps forthright at times) and if others choose to look for reasons to attack and admonish me, that is their problem. But I will call them out. My tolerance level is shrinking at a rapid rate when people try to turn comments into something they clearly are not. 

I suspect I won’t receive any acknowledgement when I pointed out the obvious in stating I wasn’t bashing Abbott. I was merely posing a question.  I do think the situation might have been different if Mr Abbott hadn’t reneged on the promise and backed down on 18C. It certainly would have removed one of the major opportunities for Hanson to capitalise on.  The suppression of the right to speak your mind regardless of perceived ‘hate speech.’ 

I read this, this morning. “The challenge is not just to kick Hanson out of the Senate. Her political career is mostly unsuccessful, and it is unlikely she will be there for too long. The goal should be defeating her agenda.” We do that by allowing people to speak openly and freely about the things that concern them. By having sensible debate and not making people feel threatened or excluded. The question is, are we adult enough to do that? At times I seriously doubt it. I hope I’m proven wrong. 

18C needs to be back on the agenda. 

Election 2016: Is It Time To Call A Truce?

We are a little less than two weeks away from the election. Many people are still making up their minds who they will vote for. For those who have, the polls are close. A hung parliament is looking like a real possibility. Fantastic I say, another three years of chaos. 

From the liberal/conservative side of politics the lead up to this election has been like no other I’ve experienced. Conservatives attacking conservatives. The far right beating the c##p out middle to left conservatives. Abbott supporters attacking Turnbull and party supporters. Labor supporters haven’t had to do anything. They must be in hysterics over the land mining that has gone on within the conservative supporters groups. 

I will ask the liberals and conservatives who support the conservative side of politics to call a truce. These are my reasons. I believe we have stuffed up the last three elections. Wait! Yes we did vote the LNP into Govt but it wasn’t a parliament that enabled the Govt to do their job properly. So let's drop the, it was an overwhelming victory for the Abbott Govt. It wasn’t. It was the worst senate result for the LNP for many years. That is fact.

So what are those choices? 

We return the LNP to Govt. This allows them to continue on their path of economic reform, and debt repair. To make sure our borders are protected and to deal with climate in a responsible way. Plus, deliver on the rest of the initiatives in the policy plan. But to do that they must be given a parliament that works. Not one based on ‘hedging bets’ which will deliver an unworkable senate controlled by Labor/Greens, single issue parties and untested and untried new comers. 

The electorate DID NOT give Tony Abbott a workable parliament in both houses. Instead, they delivered a senate controlled by Green's and cross-benchers. I use the word “they” because I voted for the Liberals in the upper house. I marked one above the line because I did not want to preference any party. I will be doing the same thing again this election.

People can continue with their ‘strop’ over Malcolm Turnbull and vote informal. Or vote for new parties like Xenophon, ALA etc. Palmer is back running candidates in the senate. We have dozens of opportunists running. There are choices but I urge people to think about that and the likely outcomes of voting for these people. It's important to check policies. I know for a fact many people don’t. They protest vote. Not smart people. There are nasties hidden in many of the policies dependent on your views. I've discovered a few. Policies that true LNP supporters would not support. Check who they are giving their preferences to and who they will favour out of the major parties. I’ve been surprised by a couple when I’ve checked. Although with Xenophon who would know. He won’t give us that information. But from Xenophon’s own policies we find this.

I read an interesting comment to a column by Paul Kelley in the Australian. It was from one of the ALA supporters. His sole argument for recommending the ALA was the candidates had real jobs. Any job is a real job? It's a stupid term. Anyway, how does a ‘real’ job translate into a good politician. There was no mention of policies. There was no mention of who the ALA will preference. It's a worry. There are some concerning policies within the ALA suite. Their senate preferences in NSW are enlightening to say the least.

Another example I recently read. “I want to protect what is left of the Liberals, so I’m voting for Bill Shorten.” It's not the only comment I’ve read along those lines. Beggars belief and graphically highlights the lack of intelligent thought applied by this voter. He isn’t a lone wolf. 

Ex Libs you can vote for Labor or the Greens. But let's get serious. We are talking politics so let’s dispense with the I couldn’t live with myself if I voted for Turnbull BS. It’s a choice between communism/socialism or capitalism. It's that simple. The electorate has already tested six years of Labor. Let's not forget how painful that was. Apart from new leaders, it's the same bunch you are voting back in. You are placing a lot of trust in their ability to have ‘gone to Jesus’ in three short years. I belief we've had a glimpse of what the next Labor Govt will look like thanks to Daniel Andrews and Victoria. The unions control the puppet Shorten and the left are poised for a take-over. 

I have read many comments urging people to destroy the Libs in a vain hope Labor will be defeated in three years. Well, they weren’t last time. Labor carried on with another three years of destruction and chaos. Regardless, they can do a lot more damage in three years. As for a new conservative party rising from the ashes that could take years and years. I don't hold out much hope for that.

Whilst many cannot stand Malcolm Turnbull he is but one man. If conservatives do the right thing, we will have a good mix of liberals and conservatives in a new Govt. I’ve said before I am not a big fan of Malcolm Turnbull. I wasn’t a big fan of Tony Abbott either. I vote for the party. It’s very important that Barnaby Joyce retains his seat. He brings balance. I would much prefer a Turnbull led Govt over the possible alternatives any day. We can deal with Turnbull. It will take three years perhaps more to remove what replaces the LNP if it comes to that.

Malcolm Turnbull has shown a lot of courage. He could have called an election earlier when his stocks were significantly higher than they are now. He didn’t. Anyone who believed Turnbull’s approval rating would stay in the 60’s plus for any length of time has rocks in their head. Malcolm Turnbull knew that and his advisors encouraged him to go earlier. He ignored that advice. Gutsy decision. 

Kitchen Cabinet this week with Senator Cash was interesting. Her comment to the question about Malcolm Turnbull just implementing Tony Abbott’s policies was spot on. Michaelia Cash pointed out, they are the policies of the party. It was a fair point. They are the policies of the party.

So to summarise the choice is:

A Liberal National Government.

A Labor / Greens Government. 

A hung parliament controlled by who knows who. It could be the Greens or Xenophon or a combo. It's the walking the plank solution.

I’ve said before when I asked the question, can we afford to gamble in this current climate with so much uncertainties. I believe the answer is a resounding no. I want no part in delivering chaos.

What the rest of you do is your decision and your business. But, I sincerely hope we can unite and call a truce until after the election when the LNP is hopefully returned? 

History teaches us that unity is strength, and cautions us to submerge and overcome our differences in the quest for common goals, to strive, with all our combined strength to make our nation stronger. That’s what is really important. What is in the best interests of the country and therefore our future.

Doesn't Tony Abbott Deserve Better?

Tony Abbott as the deposed Prime Minister has put his unseating behind him. So why is Mr Abbott’s supporters campaigning against him? Urging people not to vote for the LNP. Urging people to vote for new micros and even worse telling them to donkey vote. Isn’t that another slap in the face and the ultimate betrayal? 

Mr Abbott still believes in the Liberal Party. His supporters say he is a man principle. He is encouraging people to stick with the party so it's safe to assume he believes the basic principles haven’t changed. 

Perhaps he’s reflected on when Bob Menzies was removed as Prime Minister by his party back in 1941. Menzies claimed the crown back in 1949 (after the conservative parties of the day merged to form the current Liberal Party). Or perhaps he knows more about the risks than we do. 

Mr Abbott has even declared he will work during the campaign to undermine Bill Shorten’s claims of a “civil war” within the Liberal Party. Mr Abbott was hurt. Understandable when the majority of your team informs you they longer wanted you as their leader. It’s a confronting thing to face. He did things following the change I suspect he’s come to regret. We’ve all been there. But Mr Abbott knows politics. 

Mr Abbott well knows the mess the Liberal National government  inherited from Labor. He’s experienced the impossible task of dealing with a senate that is obstructive and totally unpredictable and illogical in their behaviour and their decisions. He knows what potentially lies ahead if the Liberal National government is wiped out and replaced with an alternative. My God just consider for a minute what the alternatives might look like.       

• A Shorten led Labor government staffed with predominately the same group as last time. High taxing, high spending give, give, give party. We haven’t recovered from their last rounds of feckless spending and they want to inflict more on us? Their class warfare surfaces the worst in society; greed and envy. It's shameful. 

• A hung parliament with the Greens holding the balance of power? Open borders, high taxing, increased asylum seeker intake to 50,000 per year. Closing down the coal mines putting another 50,000 out of work.  This list goes on. 

• A hung parliament in the lower house. Greens holding the balance of power. A senate stocked with independents, and micro fringe parties holding who ever wrestles power in the lower house to ransom. We’ve had close to three years of the government being thwarted in delivering on their policies. Surely no one wants the same or an even worse outcome after this election.

Even Mark Latham was pleading with voters last night to pick either Labor or the LNP and give them a workable parliament in both houses. Mark Latham also understands the looming chaos if we get this wrong. 

Tony Abbott understands what it is at stake; communism and social engineering, restrained capitalism or chaos. No prizes for betting on what Mr Abbott is campaigning for. 

Back in 2009 Mr Abbott led the revolt against Malcolm Turnbull. Mr Abbott disagreed with the Turnbull lead opposition supporting Labor and their ETS/Carbon Tax. The Abbott led team upheld
their principles and opposed the direction the opposition was going in. In doing so he and his supporters were prepared to resign. Now that is standing up for your principles. 

In 2015 Mr Abbott chose to stay in government. He is still there in 2016 doing everything he can to help secure a victory for our government. I read that as confirmation Mr Abbott supports the current direction and current policies. Let's face it, with a few tweaks here and there nothing much has changed in key areas like; Sovereign Borders (nothing has changed) climate (minor change) and addressing debt. Tony Abbott has proven he was prepared to resign on principle when he fundamentally disagreed with our policy direction. This time he is staying, so that is good enough for me. 

So back to my original question. Why are the exLibs, basically Tony Abbott supporters doing everything in their power to undermine him, undermine the party and support sinking the government? It's a question that intrigues me. In particular given the often quoted justification, "it's a matter of my principles."

I think Tony Abbott deserves better, but that's just me applying my principles. But more importantly for me it's following what Joseph Heller said. "Rise above principle and do what is right."

The Liberal Party Terrorists

If I was in Barnaby Joyce’s shoes, I’d be tearing my hair out over what is going on within the Liberal Party. As a member of the coalition group, The Nationals fortunes to a large degree rely on a strong and united Liberal party.  Instead, the Liberal Party are beset with infighting, and accusations of disunity and divide. We have the ex-Prime Minister who takes every opportunity to stick in a barb despite stating he wouldn’t do that. We have a Prime Minister who appears to not be able to reign Abbott in. We have media who feed off this stuff and the willing leakers who are providing them with anything that will create a negative headline. I don’t mind admitting that as a member of the Liberal Party, I am tearing my hair out and I know for sure I’m not the only one. 

After years of relative stability and prosperity we plunged into the dark ages of six years of Labor. I won't rehash their failings they are well known. It was with a sense of overwhelming relief that the LNP coalition sweep into power in 2013. It wasn’t long before key election commitments were delivered. Boats, Carbon Tax, Mining Tax gone. Then came the budget and the ‘ship floundered’. We were paddling madly to stay afloat. 

Progress was stalling and every little glitch, stumbled word, fleeting glance was front page news. Relationships that were tenuous unravelled before out eyes. Internal power plays became the standard game. In February 2015 a message was delivered to Tony Abbott; take control of the bridge, get back on course or face the consequences. 

The next seven months were a low point in our Liberal history. The accusations and infighting continued. The get squares and removal or sidelining of anyone who posed a threat to positions of power was par for the course. “You leak and blame the other guy” strategy was in full swing. We continued to flounder. The parliamentary party said enough and in September we had a new leader. Once more there were signs of relief but this time we also had the insidious declarations of open warfare. It took no time and we were back where we started. The architects of the destabilisation were still there. Only their motivation had changed. This time their sights are set on bringing down the so called usurper Turnbull and with it, the  Liberal party. 

Had the ship had been in good shape in 2015 there wouldn’t have been a ‘mutiny’. But it wasn’t. While change was needed there is a group in the parliamentary party that did not, will not and cannot accept that. The same applies to the anti-Liberals within the community.

The upshot of that is we now have within our parliamentary ranks a destructive rogue gang. Some label them the Liberal Taliban. I think that's an accurate description. They are hell bent on wrecking the Turnbull Govt and along with it the country. 

Over the coming weeks there will be more and more destabilisation. We are hearing and seeing the commentary around the so called rift between Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. Much has been made over Scott Morrison’s exclusion from the PM’s inner sanctum meeting on Sunday night. The Telegraph and Australian both ran stories today stating who and isn’t in the inner sanctum. The laugh is, they have different lists. I think the leakers need to liaise more before they feed this stuff to the press. 

We can expect to see an increase in contradictory statements made by the rouge group to those made by Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison and the rest of the cabinet.  There is a deliberate strategy to distract the media and the public from the key message, to spook the electorate and fire up the disenchanted. 

Two of our female Ministers will be key targets. Don’t be surprised if there are more leaks relating to our subs contract. That's part of the get square. People within the rogue group will do everything within their power to thwart the DD strategy. They are still hanging onto the feigned hope of an Abbott resurrection. Winning government from a DD hurts their cause. 

The puerile campaign to let's make Malcolm look stupid is underway with the ridiculous stories, cartoons and media comment associated with his “Continuity and Change” comment. Claims it was stolen from Veep highlights the lack of intelligence of those pushing it. The study and adoption of Continuity and Change strategy has been around well before some cheap comedy. India and Russia have included “Continuity and Change” as a Foreign Policy foundation for years. It's frequently used in academic texts, including here. Religions use it as do businesses. A quick Google check proves it. For the record Veep used “Continuity With Change.” I think is a great vision statement but we do need to see what the plan is to achieve it. The budget and election policy plans should make that clear. If it doesn’t yet it needs to and it needs to. 

So folks batten down the hatches we are in for a rocky ride. It will get dirty. The true nature of the rogue gang will be evident. The usual line up of media bile pushers  will be out in force salivating over every bit of juicy gossip. 

In the meantime Bill Shorten and Labor are going about their business, largely unchallenged and just sticking their heads up from time to time to point the finger; hey look at that lot over there. 

That we have people within our own Liberal parliamentary ranks who’d rather destroy the party instead of our opposition I think is reprehensible. No wonder Labor are laughing at us. Let's just pray they don’t take the rest of us down with them. 

Have We Forgotten that Labor Is The Opposition?

When Tony Abbott lost the leadership of the LNP back in September I had mixed feelings. I don’t believe I am in any way unique in not gaining any joy out of witnessing someone's downfall. On the other hand, it was obvious to anyone other than the rusted on, that there was something badly amiss within the party room and within the electorate when it came to support of Tony Abbott. So, whilst I was saddened by Mr Abbott’s downfall, I was also relieved that something had happened and I was looking forward to the LNP gaining the upper hand once more. 

I had no idea how Tony Abbott would respond, what he would do and how he would conduct himself after the shock of being dumped had worn off. I was delighted when he came out and stated that he would not snipe or white-ant and that he would continue to work in the best interests of the party. He even encouraged people to get behind the Turnbull Government. So how disappointing that he has very quickly plummeted to the level of chief sniper attacking in particular Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop. Two people who were  loyal to him despite a working relationship that become more and more problematic after the February aborted spill. 

I’ve recently become a fan of the ABC program Kitchen Cabinet. My ABC viewing is restricted to dramas, but a friend suggested I watch the Ricky Muir appearance on Kitchen Cabinet so I did. It was enlightening. Hence, I’ve been working my way through past episodes on iView ever since. Last week, I watched the Bob Hawke episode. He made a comment that stuck in my mind because it reminded me of Tony Abbott. It was, “You have to have the capacity to hate to be a good opposition leader. You have to have the ability to bash the government.” I think that was a pretty good description of Tony Abbott and few would deny I suspect that he was an extremely good opposition leader. Bob Hawke went on to say that, that doesn’t always make you a good government leader. 

Tony Abbott was a very effective opposition leader but he was not a good Prime Minister, so perhaps Bob Hawke as right. Great opposition leaders do not make good leaders of government. Tony Abbott was warned, about his leadership. He did not heed the warning. He chose not to do what was necessary to fix some of the challenges he faced. He alone did that. He was removed. 

Now we find that Tony Abbott is the one who is sniping despite declaring he wouldn’t. He now claims he doesn’t remember discussions with people. People within his own ministry who were trying to help and indeed warn him. Given the circumstances, it’s almost beyond comprehension that Tony Abbott has no recollection. No one else is claiming they don’t recall, only him. Does Mr Abbott’s apparent loss of memory explain his reliance on Peta Credlin and his insistence that she attend all meetings and functions?  Does he suffer from a retention problem?  It might explain some of the behaviour that others struggled with. 

That aside, it is time to move on. I don’t want t see a repeat of the first nine months of 2015. The country needs the government to get on and do its job. If there are people in Canberra including Mr Abbott who can’t and who are intent on sniping and destabilising then they need to get out and to let those who are focused on fixing up the mess do it. Labor is the opposition, let's not forget that. 

A Leopard Never Changes Its Spots : Not True

The narrative is repetitive when the knockers are trying to denigrate others, "A Leopard never changes its spots". Meaning that people do not change. Not never. Now even the most resistant change to some degree, although they will never admit it. 

The meaning of the phrase is that things cannot change their innate nature came from the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."

True a leopard can't change its spots, but they can and do change their behaviour dependent on their circumstances. Even down to their coats, dependent of their location. 

But people are people and it simply isn't true that people never change. They change all of the time. It's only natural and we can't help but change through our life experiences; needs, wants and desires. If we don't want change, we never develop, or grow or mature. And if we don't, we become stagnant and eventually irrelevant. 

Just because we liked and believed in some yesterday doesn't mean we feel the same today. Only those who continue to live in the past hang on to the belief that a "Leopard never changes its spots". 

So don’t believe it when people point the finger and say someone will never change or can’t change, that this is the way they are. It's not true. 

And with regards to the latest claims that Malcolm Turnbull can't change his spots, have you ever considered that it was perhaps Tony Abbott's unwillingness to change and to listen that lead to his demise? It would be very foolish of Malcolm Turnbull removed once because his ideas did not fit with the general opinions of the public to repeat the same mistake. 

TONY ABBOTT A QUESTION OF LOYALTY

A lot has been said about Mr Abbott and loyalty. I've referred to it myself, many times. But as I'm prone to do, I analysis things to death and as a result, a few of the claims are not working for me anymore. As a result, I'm beginning to wonder if Mr Abbott really was that loyal or was it simply a matter of stubbornness, distrust, self protection, not having your successor to close or simply politics. Or combinations of all of them. 

I'm not making a judgement because, like many, I'm still a bit confused. I'm merely trying to rationalise things in my mind and to try and make sense of all of this. In doing that, I've looked at past actions, related some current actions to personal examples and asked myself some tough questions. I find committing things to paper and seeking input from others helpful, hence this update. 

Let's look at the Treasurers role. 

Mr Abbott was strongly advised to make Malcolm Turnbull treasurer. Scott Morrison as treasurer came much later. Whether you like him or not Mr Turnbull does have a sound economic brain. He sits much further to the right on economy than Mr Abbott. He comes from the business side of the divide. He isn't a career politician and he is certainly not a union plant. He is popular with the broader community (albeit he is extremely unpopular with the right side of the Liberal ledger). Mr Turnbull is a masterful orator (watch question time) and he can sell a vision. But it would be fair to say he has always posed a threat to Mr Abbott. So why give him the portfolio that would allow him to shine. So you keep your likely successor at arm's length? This happens a lot in business. So could this happen in the biggest business of the lot; government. It wouldn't be the first time it did. 

After the February challenge Mr Turnbull was branded 'turncoat' Turnbull. History will show that he wasn't, not then, but that is for another day. Turnbull was damaged. But Mr Morrison's star was rising. Brilliant job on border control. Although some are suggesting now that he really just reintroduced Howard's plan (I shake my head). But as usual, I've digressed. Despite pleas from inside and outside the party, Mr Abbott persisted with Mr Hockey and whilst the second budget was reasonably well received, we soon lost momentum and never really capitalised on the uplift. Remember, Mr Morrison was openly being spoken of the future PM. So once again, perhaps there was a reluctance to place Mr Morrison in the Treasurers role. The closest role to that of Prime Minister. 

Mr Morrison was left in the Social Services Portfolio. Nothing gets much profile, there anymore. However, the night of the spill, Mr Abbott offered Scott Morrison the treasurer  role. He turned it down. I would have as well given the circumstances. So was that offer merely an act of self-protection by Mr Abbott? He had defended Joe Hockey to the hilt for months but he was prepared to throw Joe Hockey under the bus at the last minute. So the question is. Protection v's Loyalty? Up to you to decide what you think. 

Poor Bronwyn Bishop. Now we have a new speaker who is doing a brilliant job we realize that Bronwyn wasn't the best speaker we've ever had. But did she deserve to be 'thrown under the bus' for doing what it seems nearly every other politician does. By the way I'm not condoning ripping off the tax payer, merely stating fact. Bronwyn's executioner Burke did far, far worse and unlike Mrs Bishop he never paid they money back. Mrs Bishop was Mr Abbott's friend. He executed her in the most brutal way and he lost a lot of respect from the middle of the road conservatives in the process. That could have been handled so much better but because in the end Mr Abbott was forced to act more as a result of Labor attacks, Bronwyn was just chopped; razored. So the question is. Self preservation v's Loyalty? 

Then we come to the Father of the House, Philip Ruddock. Another good friend who was dumped in the most humiliating fashion for supposedly not warning Mr Abbott of the level unrest. I think I can safely say, it wasn't for the want of trying on Mr Ruddock's part. So the question is. Retribution v's Loyalty? 

People had spoken at length about the dysfunction and leaking from the PMO. Ms Credlin was openly and behind closed doors discussed as being a problem and that she needed to go. Now some chat may be just that, chat and stirring. But when the chat reaches the level of an avalanche you have to start to think it's more than just chat. Mr Abbott refused to act. In fact he threatened others. He shut the door so to speak. The question is. Protection vs Stubbornness v's Loyalty? 

I don't profess to have the answers. I'm just looking a various scenarios and trying to make some sense of all this. To help me understand why certain actions were taken and when they were taken. And more importantly, why. I'm not sure if I am any clearer, but it helps to write it down. 

The question is loyalty, stubbornness, self-protection, retribution or simply politics. And why was loyalty afforded to some but not others. Loyalty does imply you don't act. You can be loyal and still deal with problems. The key is why, how, when and for what purpose. And most of all respect. 

LIBERAL PARTY, LABOR PARTY: NO COMPARISON

Day two under the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull and the social media trial continues. The witch-hunt for the ‘turncoats’ is in full swing, ably supported by the shock-jocks. The opposing Liberal camps are ripping into each other. I have a personal view that some of the comments would probably be best left unsaid, but expression is good and we do believe in free speech. 

What is really interesting, is the tactics now being used by our Labor chums. They are doing their level best to compare the Labor years to what happened on Monday. For them to suggest there is any comparison between Rudd-Gillard-Rudd and Turnbull-Abbott is ludicrous. But, it’s a deliberate tactic to brand Liberals as no better than Labor. We must not let them get away with it. Mr Abbott’s situation is very different. 

In February, Mr Abbott survived, as one journalist described as a ‘near death experience’ when MP’s called for a change of leader. This challenge came after months of the government's inability to gain support for key budget measures and to explain their vision to the electorate. People were also becoming frustrated with what they perceived were broken promises. Whilst I understood the reasons for actions taken, it would be fair to say the government did a very poor job of selling the reasons to the electorate. The electorate was very angry including many staunch Liberal supporters.  

I remember having discussions with some LNP social media activists. We were trying to defend broken promises, but we were losing the battle. The communications from HQ was almost non existent. Polls were declining and our elected members of parliament were trying to deal with the disenchantment in their electorates. Months of this finally led to the demand for a leadership spill as referenced. Mr Abbott survived, but he had received the most public and direct warning possible from the party room that he had to change. Mr Abbott was given six months.  

Over the ensuing months little improvement has been made. Mr Abbott has received multiple warnings of the potential consequences of failure. Elders of the party, i.e. Former Prime Minister John Howard (who by the way was an advocate of carbon pricing, but who had a change of heart), Peter Reith and Peter Costello also pleaded him to change and to make changes. Mr Abbott refused. 

I am well aware of some of the substantial help and advice that was offered to help bring the two warring camps together. Likewise, advice was given to change the line-up so that some of the performance gaps could be closed. That was also ignored. 

Mr Abbott’s stubbornness got in the way of good judgement. The merciless media attacks on him continued and the white-anting from within, grew in intensity and frequency as anxiety levels increased because nothing was changing.. Now, I am not supporting white-anting, but I do understand the frustration felt by many. 

Mr Abbott could have made necessary changes, but he didn’t. Not because he couldn’t but because he chose not to. I’ve read all sorts of comments related to the swiftness of the spill, but once again it was Mr Abbott, who called the vote for Monday evening, a few hours after Mr Turnbull made his announcement. Mr Abbott could have delayed the spill motion to give his supporters more time, but he didn’t. Unlike the first spill that Mr Abbott won, he was unfortunately not victorious a second time. 

Now we have an active campaign by some Liberals to paint Mr Abbott as a victim. He wasn't and isn't a victim. I'm sure he wouldn't want to be remembered as a victim either. And we have Labor and their ‘pointing the finger’ campaign; “see, see your party is no better.”

I’m sure Mr Abbott was deeply hurt by what happened on Monday. No one likes rejection. But as we would expect from him, he was gracious in his departure. And, he would NEVER do anything to wreck his party. We should respect that. We owe him that.

And, the next time someone from the Labor side tries to tell you the Liberal Party is as bad as Labor, put them straight. There is NO comparison, not even close. Assassinating someone behind closed doors is very, very different to extending the courtesy of giving someone six months to fix the problem, knowing full well what the consequences of failure are. 

As for the view, that the only the public should have the right to decide the fate of a Prime Minister, that simply isn’t how the process works. The Prime Minister isn’t The President. The Prime Minister's electorate vote him in, we vote for our own candidates, their party policies and local issues. The party room appoints the Prime Minister. If people vote for a party based solely on the leader, that probably explains more about them and their lack of understanding of the Westminster system than anything else. And it clearly explains how we ended up with the Rudd Labor government. We know how that worked out. 

One last comment. I happened to pick up 2GBS Alan Jones comments about both Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten last night. I was frankly disgusted. That sanctimonious so call 'King of Radio' branded the  The Prime Minister hypocrite over what he said about Mr Abbott when addressing the parliament. It might pay Mr Jones to play back some of the things he himself has said about Mr Abbott. 

What really sickened me was Jones fawning over Bill Shorten!!!!! The same Bill Shorten who played a major role in knifing, not one but two Prime Ministers in a most sinister manner. Who himself has said some dreadful things about Mr Abbott. So if we are handing out Hypocrite Awards I think Mr Jones and Mr Shorten might be very worthy recipients. 

LIBERAL PARTY: DENIAL, ANGER & ACCEPTANCE

“Shooting the messenger is alive and well in Australia.” Some of the ‘darlings’ of the conservative movement are now being attacked and vilified because they supported Malcolm Turnbull. Hitlist’s of the ‘traitors’ are being compiled and circulated. Even one ‘shock-jock’ in Sydney was outing people today and he even resorted to hanging up on one MP who would not confirm who he supported. 

Like many, I was very disappointed with the dumping of yet another first team Prime Minister. However, if you read my Reflections Blog, you will be aware that I for one have been pleading for a number of things to be fixed or changed. And, I have warned that we were losing the support of moderate conservatives who, frankly, had simply had enough of the destabilization, the white-anting and the failure to cut through. 

Once people stop listening and simply turn off or turn away, then you have to take stock. We can blame and attack the media (as I regularly do) and we can attack the opposition and blame those groups for everything. We can blame the weak kneed within our party (I’ve done that as well)  but at the end of the day what was still missing was a change in OUR  tactics. 

Our communication has been appalling. We simply weren’t capitalising on Labor’s own failing, things such as; their leadership tensions, the Burke travel expenses affair, Shorten’s personal disclosures at TURC, Shorten’s & Union assault on the Royal Commissioner, Shorten & the Union’s ChAFTA campaign, Shorten’s 50/50 Climate blackhole (the list is endless). Despite this ‘gold mine’ our Liberal fortunes have languished badly in the polls. This has been going in for months. We can whinge all we like about poll driven politics, but that is the reality. We simply weren’t getting the message through, we weren’t lifting the needle and there was an overwhelming fear that the position was terminal. 

Tony Abbott is a genuine and loyal Liberal and a very loyal friend. He was a formidable opposition leader and as Prime Minister, he delivered some outstanding results in very difficult circumstances. Even John Howard said, Mr Abbott delivered on things he thought were almost impossible to do. But, Mr Abbott was not a good ‘team leader’ and he couldn’t win over the hearts and minds the electorate. He wouldn’t make the necessary changes to remove the deadwood within the party; be that backroom or ministerial.  As in business, if the leader fails, the team fails and the leader has to go. That’s often unfair and unfortunate, particularly when the leader is a nice person. But that’s the reality. 

Sadly, Mr Abbott has paid the price. He could have taken action, he didn’t. He let his loyalty get in the way of common sense and good judgement. He was far too passive for his own good. Sitting members were angry because the things he promised were not forthcoming; like greater consultation, and as an example more and inclusive decision making. I know the advice Mr Abbott was given was dismissed and ignored. So all the positive things that were happening and in fact did happen, were overshadowed by the relentless negativity. 

“If you don’t cut the snake off at the head, you run the risk of it whipping around and biting you.”

I’m no fan of either Malcolm Turnbull or Julie Bishop. I hope & pray that Malcolm has indeed learnt from his past failures and that he will in fact stick to the agreed plan. But what he can do, that Mr Abbott couldn’t is sell a vision and a strategy. Malcolm is the consummate debater. If you watched him in question-time today, he was masterful. He just beat the opposition off and highlighted their own incompetence in the process.  

Malcolm has been a very successful business man and he is no fool. Whilst his personal leanings tilt further to the left than Tony Abbott, I seriously doubt he will make the same mistakes twice. That said, we need to hold him to that commitment. Whilst many of the more active right wing social media, posters claim he’ll only pick up left supporters, that simply isn’t true. He will also pick up a lot of the middle ground we have lost and that is crucial. 

There are three things that are clear to me. We’ve been in denial for far too long. Our problems have been there for all to see, we had our chances, we didn’t take them. Like many, I’ve been hoping and praying things would pick up. Week after week my heart has sunk further and further. That has come to a head this week. 

Many of us moved quickly to the anger stage. I understand that. I’m angry. I’m angry with Mr Abbott for not taking action. I’m angry with the swiftness and the timing. I’m angry because I was hoping for a miracle that wasn’t forthcoming. But I know something had to change. 

So for me, I’m moving on to acceptance. The deed is done, now I’m focusing my time and energy on defeating Labor and the Greens. If others want to spend their time destroying the Liberal brand, so be it. I want no part of it. There is far too much at stake. The party is bigger than one man. 

We Have A New Leader

After waking to yet another Monday morning of media leadership spill speculation headlines, I pleaded with the party via my blog, to Put Up or Shut Up. Little did I know, when making that impassioned plea, we would end up with a new Prime Minister by day's end. 

Malcolm Turnbull called for a spill. Sitting Prime Minister Tony Abbott moved quickly to bring the spill on and he lost the vote to Malcolm Turnbull 54-44. A sad day for Australia and a sad day for many conservative Liberal supporters. But that said, something had to be done to bring the leadership issue to a head and whilst I am extremely disappointed with the outcome, I am relieved that it has been sorted. 

The reaction from many conservative voters is to be as expected. They are deeply distrustful of Malcolm Turnbull, and they did not want to see their party sink to the same lows as the previous Labor Government. They are very angry with regards to timing, with the Canning by-election this coming weekend. And they are deeply distressed that Tony Abbott has been executed by a previous failed leader who was ably assisted by a deputy who is looking very much like ‘the teflon princess’, never to be Queen. But the deed has been done, and the question is now, what do we do. 

A number of people have declared they are resigning from the Liberal Party. Others have declared they won't be voting for the Liberals at the next election. An understandable response. Perhaps just not the best one given the alternative; a Labor Government come the next election. 

Malcolm Turnbull’s press conference to announce his spill motion wasn’t inspiring. His underhanded swipes at Tony Abbott were disappointing. And I suspect Turnbull's comments about the Prime Minister only add to the distrust people have of him. That said, Turnbull's address to the press gallery following the spill was more positive toward Tony Abbott if somewhat full of hubris.

I don’t trust Malcolm Turnbull, I’ve made no secret of that. I trust Julie Bishop even less. Her doe eyed flirty looks at her ‘very dear friend’ Malcolm as he addressed the gallery after the spill were nauseating.

As mentioned, I’m disappointed with the result. And, I’m angry about the timing? But I won’t knee-jerk and cancel my membership or threaten not to vote for my sitting member. I will wait three months before I pass judgement. I expect Malcolm to his promises to support the agreed climate policy, stand by the commitment to hold a SSM plebiscite, stick with the existing immigrant policy and control of our borders, improve the economy, and to have articulated a clear strategy and vision for the country. 

For this leadership change to be successful and to start to go some way toward mending the bridges that have been broken, Malcolm Turnbull has to swiftly and decisively; 

Pick the right team. The team capable of delivering ‘the message to the electorate’ and the team to get this country moving again. He has to bridge the gap with the conservative arm of the membership base. He has to negotiable an agreement with the Nationals who are clearly fed up with the infighting and destabilisation of the previous regime. He has to prove to conservative voters that we can trust him. The trust element also applies to Julie Bishop. She lost a lot of support yesterday. Turnbull has to unite the team and with 44 MP’s not supporting him that won't be easy. He has to seek the cooperation of a feral senate and he has to stop the media assaults. Most important of all he has to turn the poll results around. 

There has been a very obvious, active and vicious anti conservative campaign being run by the media in this country. It destroyed Tony Abbott. Of course, it wasn’t the only cause of his downfall, but it did play a significant role. I expect Turnbull will be given the expected honeymoon. But if Turnbull does deliver a new style of leadership from his previous very green stance and he moves to the centre / slightly left of centre ground we may end up back where we started. Only time will tell. 

First things first. We have to win the seat of Canning on Saturday. We need a public declaration of peace from those MP's who supported Tony Abbott. And, we need to see the promised unity. For now, I'm looking forward to questiontime today. I expect it will be facinating to watch. 

What Crime Has Tony Abbott Committed?

If you believe the polls, Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a dead man walking. This viewpoint is promoted at every opportunity by our salacious left leaning media and the fickle among the middle to right journos. Given these unrelenting attacks. More and more Liberal supporters are starting to waver and to doubt Mr Abbott’s suitability to lead. In all truthfulness, I’ve had my doubts, but something always brings me back from the brink. That one thing is, Tony Abbott’s ability to withstand these unrelenting attacks and to stick to his guns. That takes guts and courage. 

Now, some will interpret that as stubbornness and unwillingness to listen. I dispute that. He has listened and backed away from a number of proposed initiatives; example GP tax. There have been others.  But on those things he promised to deliver, he has stuck to his guns. That says a lot about character. A very important element in a leader. 

No one can be stabbed in the back day in, day out and not wear some scars. After the new government came to power, in 2013 it didn't take long for the left brigade to start their attacks Tony Abbott. They were swiftly joined by the media. They attacked him over boats, removing carbon and mining taxes and trying to deliver economic reform. The very things that the majority of people voted for. He also stated SSM marriage wasn't on the agenda this term and there would be a review into unions. Of these things he has delivered or is delivering. So he is doing what he said he would do. Hence delivering what the electorate asked of him. 

Tony Abbott has ‘put his neck on the line’ over thorny issues in the past; the Republic debate and Climate Change being two of them. The media were extremely vocal in expressing their views that the public wanted a republic and the media supported the climate change myth (they still do). The media said YES, the public said NO. Tony Abbott was right. Interesting given the questions over his judgement of late. Now of course, if you believe the polls we believe climate change is a big issue and we want  more stringent targets than the government has suggested AND we want a tax on carbon. Really? Have we really come a full circle in less than two years? 

I have said before, It was NEVER going to be easy for Tony Abbott. The opposition and the media were never his friends. It was made much harder by a bunch of new, inexperienced MP's to parliament and as has been proven,  a bunch driven by self interest fuelled by massive egos. The moment the attacks on Tony Abbott, started they went to jelly. They jump into the dump with the knockers. That was the cue for the ego driven opportunistic's within the inner circle to start their divide and conquer. What astounds me is, our party and elected representatives have learnt nothing from Labor’s downfall.  After spending six years in opposition and a large portion of that attacking Labor’s instability, they have quickly degenerated to the same level. The one person who has maintained their resilience, determination and loyalty is Tony Abbott. 

Tony Abbott has attempted to clear the decks so he can focus on those things that will continue to make a difference.

1. Jobs growth

2. National security

3. And, the economy

The soft issues like SSM marriage will be  up to the people to decide. Polls indicate people want this and the only question is timing.  Climate will be dealt with and supported by a sensible plan that will cost between $3 to $4 billion per annum, not the unsustainable Labor plan. He is putting the economy ahead of the climate.  

The Prime Minister is standing firm with regards to the Royal Commission and given the Unions and Labor are fighting so hard to stop him, you know there are more dirty dealings to emerge. For what it is worth, I applaud this initiative. Protecting employees should be paramount. 

So, given Tony Abbott has delivered. What exactly are we 'hanging' him for. It can't be for not getting things done. So is it down to? 

Is it because he is a bit clumsy and awkward?  Hardly a hanging offence. 

Is it because he holds christian values and won't cave in to social reengineering bullies? Doesn’t make him a criminal. 

Is it because he put some things out there in trying to balance the books that weren't popular? You would have to be very foolish not to think this would be an outcome given our welfare dependant society. 

Is it because he can't sell a vision? Fair enough, but who else has stepped up to help? Great teams use their strengths for better outcomes and if the leader isn’t the strongest at selling the plan those who can step up. Unless of course there are hidden agendas driven by self-interest. 

Or, is it because as someone suggested to me, that he has become a laughing stock. Why? Because the media jumps  on every little word stumble? Big deal, we all do it. Is it because he is a volunteer firefighter and he does a lot for charity? Is it because he loves his wife and daughters? Is it because he goes to church?   

I'm struggling to find the hanging offence. Perhaps I’m missing something. I’d love to know what it is. 

“The ego is one of the biggest barriers to people working together effectively. When people get caught up in their egos, it erodes their effectiveness. That's because the combination of false pride and an overactive and over inflated ego gives people a distorted image of their own importance. When that happens, people see themselves as the centre of the universe and they begin to put their own agenda, safety, status, and gratification ahead of those affected by their thoughts and actions.”

It Was NEVER Going To Be Easy

If you are a conservative, it takes nerves of steal to read and listen to the day in day out attacks on the government. Nerves of steel to hang in there, and not bail out as some have done. But remember, these are not just attacks on Tony Abbott and the LNP, they are attacks on us as well. So unless we are doubting our convictions we have no choice but to stand up and voice our opinions and call out BS when we see it. 

When we voted the LNP into government in, in 2013 we did so on the basis that we could no longer afford an out of control dysfunctional Labor government. We demanded change and we wanted pressing issues fixed.

* Carbon Tax gone

* Boats stopped 

* Mining tax gone 

* Start to bring debt under control 

One - three have been resolved and four is being addressed. Whilst our debt continues to increase (largely in part as a result of a rapidly declining resources market and funding previous government commitments), the level at which the debt has grown has been reduced due to a lot of hard slog led by Treasurer Hockey.  

Since 2013, the government has been under unmerciless attack from a Labor, the Greens and the ever increasingly left leaning media.  The anti government cheer squad at the ABC and Fairfax leading the chorus. Recently however, some journalists in the Murdoch press have joined the yapping ABC & Fairfax, supported by many from Sky, SevenNews, Nine and 10. 

Through this attack Tony Abbott has maintained dignity. Not involved himself in mudslinging, certainly hasn't screamed discrimination like a previous PM. He has stuck to the course. He's bumbled along the way. His mere gesture of a wink causing a media meltdown and yet the blatant corruption of the opposition leader hardly rates a mention. 

We've been through the recent travel rorts where Tony Abbott has borne the brunt of the Bronwyn Bishop disclosure. Yet, Bill Shorten walks away from the ten times worse Tony Burke disclosure. It's hard to comprehend that could be the case, but sadly it is. 

Now we are facing attacks on the Trade Union Commissioner Dyson Haydon. Accusations based on acceptance to deliver an address (2 years ago) that was timed to take place after the commission was completed. And which the commissioner has now declined, for the very reason the commission is still sitting. Nothing corrupt or sinister in that. The story was timed, to try derail the commission before the next appearance of Bill Shorten. 

Make no mistake, this commission will snare the opposition leader Shorten and his union buddies. This cynical attack, launched by interested parties, is a collective endeavour, to try and maximise the damage to both the commission and the PM and it's nothing more than desperation. Tony Abbott had the guts to kick off this commission and he is hated for it by powerful union bosses and their political and media allies.  If they didn't have anything to hide they wouldn't be trying so hard to stop it.

I'm not a Tony Abbott groupie. There are many things I don't like about him. BUT I admire courage and decency and he has that in spades.  He has the courage to stand up to bullies and he has the courage to drive the necessary change to get this country back on an even keel. That won't make him popular, but it will make him effective. 

I know what it is like, after spending years driving change in business. I have some empathy for Tony Abbott because of my experiences. It's a very lonely path at times, and even some of those who supported you in the beginning bail out when the going gets really tough. So, as stated at the start, you have to have nerves of steel to complete the course. 

"You don't have to be liked, you just have to be effective"..  Abbott is effective. 

The Dirty Game of Politics

I wonder how the thousands, who have died on the battlefields of war, fighting for the rights of others, would feel now when they see the rights of Australians being trampled in such a shameful way.

They would never have envisaged that the day would come, when the Prime Minister of this country in standing up and saying "Let's ask the people" would result in him being vilified and laughed at for doing so. And sneered at and criticised by some lily-livered weaklings in his own party. It's a shameful, shameful day.

I'm sorry my relatives sacrificed so much, only to have their legacy trashed by selfish, self-serving, self-interest groups and individuals. And by politicians who seek to play politics at the expense of our rights; our right to voice our opinion. And yes, I’m angry, very angry.

Those chanting ‘but the polls say the majority of Australians want same sex marriage legalised”, are doing so on the result of some newspaper poll. Or privately funded political poll. A few thousand people voicing their opinions!!!!  The only true measure of what the people want,  is to ask the majority. If you had listened to the media and snap polls on the recent Goodes events, claiming booing was racially motivated and that the majority vote agreed, then that was proven wrong yesterday by an Essential Poll highlighting the majority didn’t think that. You can’t trust polls as a reflection of a true pulse check.

Make no mistake,  there is a very dirty game plan being played out in this country. I for one am sick of it. I’m sick of the hypocrisy. I’m sick of my rights to hold an opinion being trampled. I’m sick of the bullying. And, most of all I’m sick of the lies.

Those who are reacting in such a vicious way to the LNP party room decision of yesterday, don’t want you to have your say. They merely want their way. Stuff you. So now,  opportunists who sit on the opposition benches, ably supported by their left-wing media buddies, will be actively spreading the leadership rumours. They will be pushing the ‘divide and conquer’ card as hard they can. Don’t fall for it.  It’s a cynical game using same sex marriage as the wedge. It’s not about championing minority rights it’s about politics, destabilisation and deflection.

A wise colleague said to me yesterday “unity is living, divide and you are dead”.. He is right.

The Electorate: Misogynistic : Double-Standards

Questions:

• Is the electorate becoming increasingly misogynistic? 
• Or do people on all sides of the political divide simply treat Conservatives significantly harsher than Labor or Greens? 

I'm struggling to work out which one it is. Or, perhaps both apply.

I expected the polls to reflect the electorate's anger over the travel expenses scandals. 

What I didn't expect, was for them to unleash their anger on PM Tony Abbott and to reward Bill Shorten. The latest Newspoll was the final straw for me. So consider this. 

The argument that the electorate is increasingly misogynistic. 

Examples of two women; Julia Gillard and Bronwyn Bishop, hounded, attacked and abused over the same issues as men who survive.

Julia Gillard was not a very good PM and she certainly was not to be trusted, but people hounded her over a $5000 brown bag payment. The combination of that and her performance finally cost her, her job. 

In comparison, we have Bill Shorten. With a far, far worse footprint. Unions bully, adulterer, accused rapist and he has demonstrated vicious behaviour toward an innocent female shop owner. He has taken money, at the expense of workers, for self gain and only disclosed it when 'forced' to do so. There are very serious questions arising in the Royal Commission about his conduct and honesty. Yet, in the latest Newspoll taken over the weekend, Shorten's stock rise against a PM who has none of those shadows hanging over his head.

Bronwyn Bishop.  Foolishly took a $5000 helicopter ride. She was attacked unmercifully. She has been humiliated, abused and finally hounded out of office. Hounded out for excessive spends that pales into insignificance to Labor's Tony Burke her chief assassin. Burke is even given a free pass by none other than Christopher Pyne (who himself we discover has pushed the expense envelope) 

Tony Burke, is a serial expense abuse offender. He was Labor's attack dog, ripping into Mrs Bishop daily. However, over the past week, Mr Burke's own gross abuse has been highlighted. Flying girlfriends 1st class, business class holiday flights for his children, holidays for himself, $10,000 a day jaunts in Europe, lavish parties and $20,000 drinks bills. He's accepted free gifts; travel, entertainment, accommodation.  Fifteen times he had paid back travel claims. The list goes on and on and on. But, Burke  is considered to be operating within the rules, but Mrs Bishop isn't.

Mrs Bishop paid back the $5000 plus a fine. Burke under pressure is reimbursing one lousy ComCar bill. So why was Mrs Bishop treated so harshly when a serial abuser of expenses like Burke survives? Could it be because she is a woman. I'm rapidly reaching the conclusion that is the reason.  

Are Conservatives held to a significantly higher level of professional standards than Labor. 

Tony Abbott's personal ratings are down Bill Shorten's go up. That is almost inconceivable when you think about it. Now, there are those who are very suspicious of polls. Funnily enough, that usually only applies when they go against their preferred party, yes I am guilty as well. There are those who will say; but they only target Labor electorates.  I suspect in some cases pollsters pick and choose BUT surely decency and personal standards should be above political preferences when it comes to people.

Tony Abbott has worn the wrath of the electorate over Bronwyn Bishop. His ratings went down. 

Bill Shorten was unscathed over Burke. Shorten's ratings went up, astounding. This is despite the very serious accusations levelled at Mr Shorten at TURC. This is despite Mr Shorten's disclosure that he took a $40,000 payment from an employer and used that money to fund his political campaign. AND, kept it quiet for years. Let's face it, if it hadn't been for TURC that payment would never have been disclosed. None of these serious failures of personal conduct have been levelled at Mr Abbott, yet his ratings go down. 

So, as I've been committing my thoughts to paper I've now reached my conclusion that as an electorate, we are collectively guilty of both: 

1. We are becoming more misogynistic although many will dispute that 

2. We most certainly hold the Conservatives to much higher standards than Labor 

I will confess, I’m becoming increasingly disillusioned with society. We appear to be losing all sense of fairness. We punish people for other people's misdemeanours and we are inconsistent in our judgement. In Tony Abbott's case, the achievements of his Govt are ignored and he is attacked based on personality.  That is grossly unfair in my opinion.