# Julia Gillard rips into Tony Abbott **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228 "2012-10-09T16:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/1 "2012-10-09T16:40:40Z")
Wow. Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, [calls out](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-09/julia-gillard-attacks-abbott-of-hypocrisy/4303634) opposition leader Tony Abbott on his ongoing misogyny. I’m impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/2 "2012-10-09T19:11:03Z")
Was initially going to think this was a usual argy-bargy loads of non-content about a non-scandal (I have no idea of the context but that is what you would assume from politicians) but actually she did very well there, tears him apart and makes him look a right idiot 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/3 "2012-10-09T19:49:07Z")
Nice! She shreds her opponent on a topic you can tell she’s been looking forward to (and has THOROUGHLY documented), but then says that in dealing with this other guy who apparently sent offensive text messages they should wait for the court case to finish before deciding whether or not to give him the boot. I wish our current US politicians were that clear and open about their opinions, about their personal involvement in the matter, and about what they think is the best reasonable course of action. No doublespeak there! ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/4 "2012-10-09T20:38:31Z")
Well, actually the guy resigned later that day, or at least I surmise from the other videos! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/5 "2012-10-09T20:42:38Z")
I’m not hip to Australia’s system of government but I think he resigned as Speaker and resumed ordinary member of parliament status before what happened in the video went down. But then Abbott wanted to force him out of parliament altogether and that’s when Gillard went on the warpath. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/6 "2012-10-09T22:37:48Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I’m not hip to Australia’s system of government but I think he resigned as Speaker and resumed ordinary member of parliament status before what happened in the video went down. But then Abbott wanted to force him out of parliament altogether and that’s when Gillard went on the warpath. It was after. One of his staffers is taking him to court for sexual harassment, including the text messages, and Tony Abbott tried to have him removed as Speaker for this. The rant was at three o’clock, while the vote was at four. Gillard’s side won, but the Speaker stepped down an hour or two later. And that’s why I don’t respect Gillard for this. The _best_ interpretation of her actions is that the rant was meant to serve a political purpose, and she was trying to discredit Abbott in order to swing the vote in Slipper’s favour. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/7 "2012-10-10T09:59:46Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > And that’s why I don’t respect Gillard for this. The _best_ interpretation of her actions is that the rant was meant to serve a political purpose, and she was trying to discredit Abbott in order to swing the vote in Slipper’s favour. I will\* always\* respect a woman who can look a sexist idiot in the eye and tear him apart live on television. Oh, and never cross a Welsh girl, as my girlfriend likes to remind me. ---
**Author:** ![blueslipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@blueslipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueslipper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/8 "2012-10-10T17:49:44Z")
In Australia, Gillard is an embarrassment. She berates the leader of the opposition. She defends the speaker of the house who sexually harassed a gay staff member. The guy also is on charges of fraud and referred to female genitalia as similar to mussels. Yet Gillard defends this guy but lays into Abbott. Some critics in Australia on Gillard - [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/prime-minister-julia-gillard-is-a-woman-of-no-principle/story-e6frfifx-1226493235180](http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/prime-minister-julia-gillard-is-a-woman-of-no-principle/story-e6frfifx-1226493235180) [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/gillard-again-has-shown-poor-judgment/story-fn558imw-1226493128708](http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/gillard-again-has-shown-poor-judgment/story-fn558imw-1226493128708) > **[We expected more of Gillard](https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-expected-more-of-gillard-20121009-27bd6.html)** > > JULIA GILLARD confronted a stark choice yesterday - the political defence of her parliamentary numbers, or the defence of the principle of respect for women. ---
**Author:** ![blueslipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@blueslipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueslipper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/9 "2012-10-10T17:58:19Z")
If you do not want to read the links in full just go by the titles - “We expected more of Gillard” “Gillard again has shown poor judgment” “Prime Minister Julia Gillard is a woman of no principle” ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/10 "2012-10-10T21:37:39Z")
> [@blueslipper](#): > > She defends the speaker of the house who sexually harassed a gay staff member. The guy also is on charges of fraud and referred to female genitalia as similar to mussels. Yet Gillard defends this guy but lays into Abbott. Hm, that’s not what I took away from the video. She’s not defending the speaker, she says quite bluntly that his texts were offensive and horrible. She’s mostly tearing into Abbott for getting on his high moral horse trying to get the speaker thrown out when Abbot himself is just as bad. It sounds like she wants to wait for the court’s decision about the speaker before deciding what to do with him. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/11 "2012-10-10T21:48:13Z")
> [@blueslipper](#): > > In Australia, Gillard is an embarrassment. She berates the leader of the opposition. I would prefer that you not speak for me. I am an Australian, although do not live in Australia right now. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/12 "2012-10-11T00:54:21Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Hm, that’s not what I took away from the video. She’s not defending the speaker… I think it’s because you’re looking at it out of context. Given the timing (just an hour before a vote on whether Slipper should remain as Speaker), my interpretation of Gillard’s actions is that it’s as much about discrediting Slipper’s attacker as it is about attacking a misogynist. I do not believe that she spent fifteen minutes of parliament time attacking Abbott’s character _just_ because he’s a douchebag. If it was me, I’d use a more reasoned argument for or against Slipper remaining as Speaker, and only blast Abbott after the vote was over - but that’s because I consider Gillard’s attack a non sequitur. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/13 "2012-10-11T01:10:28Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Nice! She shreds her opponent on a topic you can tell she’s been looking forward to (and has THOROUGHLY documented), but then says that in dealing with this other guy who apparently sent offensive text messages they should wait for the court case to finish before deciding whether or not to give him the boot. **I wish our current US politicians were that clear and open about their opinions** , about their personal involvement in the matter, and about what they think is the best reasonable course of action. No doublespeak there! It’s unusual for Australian politicians as well. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/14 "2012-10-11T01:12:32Z")
> [@blueslipper](#): > > **In Australia, Gillard is an embarrassment.** She berates the leader of the opposition. > > She defends the speaker of the house who sexually harassed a gay staff member. The guy also is on charges of fraud and referred to female genitalia as similar to mussels. Yet Gillard defends this guy but lays into Abbott. > Some critics in Australia on Gillard - > > [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/prime-minister-julia-gillard-is-a-woman-of-no-principle/story-e6frfifx-1226493235180](http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/prime-minister-julia-gillard-is-a-woman-of-no-principle/story-e6frfifx-1226493235180) > > [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/gillard-again-has-shown-poor-judgment/story-fn558imw-1226493128708](http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/gillard-again-has-shown-poor-judgment/story-fn558imw-1226493128708) > > [We expected more of Gillard](http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/we-expected-more-of-gillard-20121009-27bd6.html) That’s your opinion only. Many of us feel that Tony Abbott is an embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/15 "2012-10-11T01:15:51Z")
> [@blueslipper](#): > > If you do not want to read the links in full just go by the titles - > “We expected more of Gillard” > > “Gillard again has shown poor judgment” > > “Prime Minister Julia Gillard is a woman of no principle” You could find similar ‘news’ stories critical of Tony Abbott, or any other prominent politician if you wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/16 "2012-10-11T01:16:01Z")
This [blog](http://blogs.crikey.com.au/culture-mulcher/2012/10/11/a-drawing-a-day-redhead-strikes/) gathers lots of international reactions. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/17 "2012-10-11T02:06:25Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > That’s your opinion only. Many of us feel that Tony Abbott is an embarrassment. yeah those speedos are a bit suss. But Julia is my favorite red haired, atheist, prime minister ever! ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/18 "2012-10-11T02:07:30Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > That’s your opinion only. Many of us feel that Tony Abbott is an embarrassment. And how. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/19 "2012-10-12T04:34:55Z")
> [@blueslipper](#): > > In Australia, Gillard is an embarrassment. What drivel. You purport to make a statement - to a largely US readership - about what is happening in Australia without any attempt to be objective or factual. Instead you are being presumptive and misleading. Polling a few weeks back put Gillard’s [performance approval rating](http://boss.afr.com.au/p/national/gillard_up_as_abbott_down_poll_LPWxvsrGXiOAqLN3vRqgXI)at around 42% (compared to Abbott’s 36%). There is no way this has fallen to an extent that could possibly validate your statement that she is, in Australia, “an embarrassment”. She is certainly not universally loved (who is?) but your bald statement is simply a falsehood. As to your cites, two are from News Limited papers and are editorials. News Limited runs an editorial line so anti-Gillard it is like being in an alternate universe. Your final cite is from a Fairfax owned paper. It is the opinion of one man, and here’s [another Fairfax comment piece](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/out-of-touch-maybe-but-press-galleries-dont-laud-speeches-20121011-27frs.html)suggesting that the mainstream media had substantially misjudged Gillard and her speech. Personally, I thought Gillard’s speech was impressive and probably justified. I also thought it was probably cynically timed and arguably a bit hypocritical, in context. Whether you forgive her that, in the circumstances, probably depends on your politics. But either way, how about instead of telling these boards how it is “in Australia” you just express your opinion, or if you are going to tell us how it is, you make some small attempt at research and objectivity? > [@sisu](#): > > But Julia is my favorite red haired, atheist, prime minister ever! You left off “unmarried, partnered, childless…” ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/julia-gillard-rips-into-tony-abbott/637228/20 "2012-10-12T07:09:07Z")
This Tony Abbott/Leigh Sales interview tickles my fancy. I cannot link to it enough 🙂 [Leigh Sales beats Tony Abbott with the truth - YouTube](http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEQQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzXhbg80E2JE&ei=mr53UJb1GZCamQW92IDwCA&usg=AFQjCNHzz27kU6ySKTt2Re8DfPfFrxkaHA)