# "Naaaaaaaaay, Abbott...!" / Brilliant Aussie PM Voted Out Today **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 14, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197 "2015-09-14T12:44:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/21 "2015-09-15T05:18:58Z")
Didn’t Italy used to do this all the time, before Berlusconi? Really, it’s a feature of the system, not a bug. Make some popcorn, or beetroot sandwiches, whatever you eat over there, and enjoy the show. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/22 "2015-09-15T05:44:38Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Technically yes, but I think for most swing voters the personality of the leader is a major consideration. People are supposed to vote for who they want to represent their local electorate. I can’t say I have much sympathy for swinging voters who vote on this basis. We’d be better off without them. If the current leadership changes get it through their skulls that they are in substantial part voting for a party - with deep and consistent policy biases - and not for the charisma of the latest leader, that would be great. I’m not holding out much hope though. Also, it’s doubtful that many swinging voters voted for Abbott based on personality. The polling before the last election showed consistently that the Liberals were doing OK, but _in spite of_ rather than because of Abbott himself. Abbott’s personal approval rating was consistently in the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/23 "2015-09-15T12:09:38Z")
My only disappointment with Abbott being deposed is that I didn’t get to see the bastard cry. The man is a pugilistica-dementia suffering, god bothering oaf. He has a simean gait. He eats raw onions. He knights princes. He struts around in speedos, firefighting uniforms and personalised Border Farce leather jackets. He collects his parliamentary travel allowance while doing charity cycle rides. He’s a bully and a coward, who no doubt dreams of Putin kissing him forcably on the mouth. I’m _ecstatic_ that he’s gone. I love the poetic justice of how it happened. Abbott personified the peurile, snout-filled trough of the parliamentary system, was a Rupert Murdoch suckhole, and a dangerously ignorant social and environmental liability. I have issues with Turnbull, I have issues with the policies; but he’s a self-made, educated, articulate and presentable man. And when you have no idea where the fuck you’re own country’s going and are onto your fifth prime minister in 8 years, you at least need someone to whom most people are prepared to listen. Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t make me want to throw up, and that’s a good start. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/24 "2015-09-15T12:13:41Z")
BTW, good list **Count Blucher** and that ain’t the _half_ of it… Funny. I used to laugh at lists like that for you Merkins. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/25 "2015-09-15T12:16:36Z")
Turnbull and I probably wouldn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things but bear in mind he lost the leadership of the opposition last time because he wouldn’t back down on his support of the carbon trading scheme. There’s not many politicians who will lose their position rather than give up on something they think is good long term policy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/26 "2015-09-15T13:09:51Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > My only disappointment with Abbott being deposed is that I didn’t get to see the bastard cry. > > The man is a pugilistica-dementia suffering, god bothering oaf. He has a simean gait. He eats raw onions. He knights princes. He struts around in speedos, firefighting uniforms and personalised Border Farce leather jackets. He collects his parliamentary travel allowance while doing charity cycle rides. He’s a bully and a coward, who no doubt dreams of Putin kissing him forcably on the mouth. That…is awesome. I stand (well, sit) in appreciation. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/27 "2015-09-15T13:27:04Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > That…is awesome. I stand (well, sit) in appreciation. I keep imagining Margy wailing, “But I just picked the curtains, TONY! THE CURTAINS!!” and them both falling to the floor blubbering and praying. He should’ve just let me _see_ him cry. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/28 "2015-09-15T22:00:36Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > BTW, good list **Count Blucher** and that ain’t the _half_ of it… > > Funny. I used to laugh at lists like that for you Merkins. I could only find Some of them, sorry. No, I should really just be sorry that you’ve had to live under him up until last week. Australia: Truly the most patient & tolerant people on Ogs Green Earth. > [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > My only disappointment with Abbott being deposed is that I didn’t get to see the bastard cry. > > The man is a pugilistica-dementia suffering, god bothering oaf. He has a simean gait. He eats raw onions. He knights princes. He struts around in speedos, firefighting uniforms and personalised Border Farce leather jackets. He collects his parliamentary travel allowance while doing charity cycle rides. He’s a bully and a coward, who no doubt dreams of Putin kissing him forcably on the mouth. > > I’m _ecstatic_ that he’s gone. I love the poetic justice of how it happened. Abbott personified the peurile, snout-filled trough of the parliamentary system, was a Rupert Murdoch suckhole, and a dangerously ignorant social and environmental liability. In 'Merica, we start kickstarter campaigns to “support” idiots who refuse to marry people, in accordance to the tennets of the job which they refuse to do, but are MORE than happy to cash paychecks from. In reality, I’d love to see a Kickstarter campaign to either grant you a nice celebration keg party… or to tie 50-lb test fishing line at regular intervals 4 feet up between trees on roads Abbott rides his motorcycles on. Granted, if all of Sydney could kick him square in the balls once each instead (penalty kick style, until you actually DID make him cry), it would also be a worthy substitute. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/29 "2015-09-15T22:31:35Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > BTW, good list **Count Blucher** and that ain’t the _half_ of it… > > Funny. I used to laugh at lists like that for you Merkins. I always kind of suspected that Australia elected Abbott mostly to help us feel better about electing Bush… ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/30 "2015-09-15T23:14:32Z")
I watched the New South Wales Parliament in performance at question time from the pubic gallery yesterday. Of course, the performers there all know both Abbott and Turnbull, because they are both Sydneysiders. My impression is that the Liberal State Government generally likes the change, because they’ll find Turnbull easier to deal with at Commonwealth-State meetings, On the other hand, the Labor opposition is not so happy, because it will be harder to win the next federal election. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/31 "2015-09-15T23:32:53Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Didn’t Italy used to do this all the time, before Berlusconi?.. A very, very old joke: Two Italian MPs are sitting on the back benches, very bored, as a parliamentary debate drones on around them. One says, “I think I’ll take a little nap.” The other nods. “Of course, Giorgio.” Awhile later, Giorgio wakes up, looks at the clock and is surprised to see that nearly an hour has passed. The debate is still droning on. He stretches and yawns. “Did I miss anything?” he asks his seatmate. “Not much,” the other man says. “But you were Prime Minister twice.” ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/32 "2015-09-16T09:39:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I always kind of suspected that Australia elected Abbott mostly to help us feel better about electing Bush… I like to think that too, **Miller** but you should never feel better about that. Abbott’s party was elected through a series of unfortunate events - people voting. I don’t know any of them, but apparently they were there. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/33 "2015-09-16T11:43:14Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I can’t say I have much sympathy for swinging voters who vote on this basis. We’d be better off without them. If the current leadership changes get it through their skulls that they are in substantial part voting for a party - with deep and consistent policy biases - and not for the charisma of the latest leader, that would be great. I’m not holding out much hope though. > > Also, it’s doubtful that many swinging voters voted for Abbott based on personality. The polling before the last election showed consistently that the Liberals were doing OK, but _in spite of_ rather than because of Abbott himself. Abbott’s personal approval rating was consistently in the toilet. Well you will always have the swing voters I guess, and I imagine they collectively have the controlling vote more often than not. I take the points that all who have quoted me have put forward. I guess I am just very unimpressed that we don’t seem to be able to form a truly stable government ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/34 "2015-09-16T11:50:59Z")
…_aaaand_ it gets better…[he resigned by fax](http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/dumped-prime-minister-tony-abbott-resigned-via-fax-20150916-gjnmz5.html). His courier pigeons must’ve been busy expediating CVs to the UK. To the Queen, I mean. On account of the favour he did for Phil. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/35 "2015-09-16T12:09:53Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > …_aaaand_ it gets better…[he resigned by fax](http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/dumped-prime-minister-tony-abbott-resigned-via-fax-20150916-gjnmz5.html). He leaves big shoes to fill. Or maybe it just smells that way. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/36 "2015-09-16T13:34:01Z")
**Count Blucher** you’ve just made me realise what the corridors of parliament smell like. Tears and shit. And $6 crispy skinned duck. True to form, Abbott is a coward in hiding - and it does make me wonder what two Bishops involved in bringing down an Abbott _does_ to a seminary man. I tells ya, this Abbott saga has it all - I just want David Attenborough narrating the wild animal documentary in my head where a silver fox kills a chimpanzee. The chimpanzee’s pretty docile though. Aggressive, but docile. And the fox doesn’t have to try very hard. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/37 "2015-09-28T22:05:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Spent $24 billion on new, spontaneously combusting fighter jets, already years behind schedule, which aren’t going to be built in Australia. The jets can’t run off warm fuel from a truck which has been sitting in the sun (since the fuel tank is used as a heat sink). The software for firing the guns won’t be ready until 3 years after deployment. Each plane holds less than 3 seconds of ammunition for the guns. Well that’s just not going to work at all when your military has to go up against kangaroos with AA tech. > **[Were Armed Kangaroos Added to a Military Combat Simulation Program?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/shoot-me-kangaroo-down-sport/)** > > Did Australian programmers add armed kangaroos to a military defense simulation program? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197/38 "2015-09-30T19:37:39Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > (bolding mine) > > How is that even possible? 😕 Is this an actual Act of Parliament, or just a proposed bill? I’m pretty sure he’s talking about the TPP. In America, at least, it will be made public before it is officially voted on, but it’s nearly impossible for it not to pass–because there is only a simple up and down vote, and much of it will probably be very good things. And renegotiation is unlikely. It’s actually the reason I went from liking Obama to thinking the Republicans are right for calling him “King Obama.” Too bad they’re the ones going along with him, while the Democrats are trying to kill it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naaaaaaaaay-abbott-brilliant-aussie-pm-voted-out-today/731197.md?page=1)