Monday 23 April 2012

Abbott on Slipper in 2011 - "He's a mate of mine"


It is hard to see Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's recent statements concerning The Speaker Peter Slipper as anything other than hypocritical manufactured outrage, given he was still supporting this member of parliament during periods when other serious allegations had surfaced, including those mentioned in current court papers.


Abbott and Slipper posed photograph from Google Images


He’s a mate of mine
Abbott speaking at 7.32 mins on 2011 audio clip

QUESTION:
Are you concerned that Peter Slipper last night issued a statement threatening to resign from the Queensland Liberal National Party?
TONY ABBOTT:
Look, there are all sorts of issues at a local party level and they’re things that should be sorted out at a local party level.
QUESTION:
Will you be talking to Peter Slipper and Mal Brough to sort out their situation?
TONY ABBOTT:
In the end, they’re both loyal members of the LNP here in Queensland. Peter is a good, strong member of the Coalition down in Canberra.
[Tony Abbott Doorstop, 5 September 2011,transcript]

THE Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, is urging the Queensland Liberal National Party to show restraint amid a growing push for a quick preselection challenge against the federal Liberal MP and Deputy Speaker, Peter Slipper.
Mr Abbott and others in the Liberal Party feel that if Mr Slipper loses his preselection, he may quit the party and sit on the cross benches, costing the Coalition a precious vote in the finely balanced Parliament.
The Liberal Party federal director, Brian Loughnane, was making representations to the LNP state president, Bruce McIver, yesterday.
Sources said Mr Loughnane was trying to defuse the situation on behalf of Mr Abbott.
[The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 November 2011]

The leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, recently came out in support of Peter Slipper in an on-air interview with 101.5FM - 4OUR.
Mr Abbott said Mr Slipper was a "good bloke" and was loyal.
"He has been a good loyal servant of the Liberal Party, and more recently the LNP," Mr Abbott told the Morning Magazine in an interview. (Listen to the podcast below)
[101.5FM, Morning Mag, 24 November 2011]

Mr Speaker, we have known each other for many years. We have shared good times and not-so-good times. You have been an extremely effective and efficient Deputy Speaker of this parliament. You certainly have the technical skills and the knowledge of this parliament to be effective in this chair. We congratulate you. We wish you well and we express the hope and the confidence that you will serve without fear or favour. [Tony Abbott welcoming Slipper as The Speaker, Commonwealth Hansard, 24 November 2011]

UPDATE:

When Peter Slipper became an independent Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Tony Abbott-led Opposition began ‘leaking’ damaging documents to The Australian:


When this becomes common knowledge in April 2012, Abbott does not deny knowledge of the allegations or the leaks, but tries to spin the facts:


The only reasonable conclusion which can be drawn from this scenario is that the Liberal Party of Australia and Tony Abbott (both in government and opposition) concealed serious allegations from the Australian Parliament and voters in order that the Coalition could hold onto the federal seat of Fisher in Queensland, which was retained by Slipper in the 2010 federal election with a +2.28% swing.

Note:

Although Coalition political operatives were involved in approaching the media after Slipper became Speaker, Tony Abbott offers a carefully-worded denial of any Coalition involvement in preparing the Ashby sexual harassment case:

Mr Abbott says he has no knowledge of any coalition personnel helping to prepare the case against Mr Slipper.

Further update:

Slipper on Abbott via Twitter in April 2012.....

I have been a good friend of Tony Abbott even when he didn't have many. I even delivered him the key vote he needed to become leader!

#auspol Tony was an honoured guest at our wedding 6 years ago and it was great to have him and other friends and family there.

@AussiePlease#auspol That's true but if I had voted another way, he wouldn't have become Leader.

5 comments:

sue said...

It is amazing that you could find what all the Canberra Press, the Insiders, cannot, the hypocrisy of Tony Abbott

clarencegirl said...

Thanks, Sue ;-)

Anonymous said...

Anyone else notice that Slipper was Acting Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister John Howard from 14.3.02 to 7.10.03.
The same year so colourfully mentioned in current court papers.

Patriciawa said...

hypocritical manufactured outrage

Best description of Abbott's style I've seen. I'll use it myself, if I may!

Great post full of interesting info. As Sue says, the Canberra Press Gallery could have done all that before they rushed to join the lynch mob.

Anonymous said...

Why does this information not surprise me? And why am I also not surprised that the msm has chosen not to publish any of this information?

Well done clarencegirl, pity there aren't some of you in the msm. We might even be treated like adults.

Now that would be novel experience.