AUSSIE BLOOD SPORTS: Tony Abbott becomes the second Prime Minister to be ousted by his party in his first term, in the sixth leadership ballot on a sitting Prime Minister in just five years. He was defeated 54-44.
Tony Abbott, the man who helped defeat the republican referendum in 1999, the man who Paul Keating referred to as the Liberal party’s “resident nutter” and most importantly Australia’s current Prime Minister. Throughout his political career Abbott had been known to make gaffes. As Health Minister in 2004 he made the statement that “Abortion is the easy way out.” In 2007, he was heard swearing at his opposition counterpart Nicola Roxon during a debate and even as late as 2013 …
When I first heard this story I must admit the song that kept going through my head was that famous Morecambe and Wise sketch ‘There is nothing like a Dame’ Last week, the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott re-introduced the Knights and Dames system that was abolished by the Hawke Labor government in the 80s. This decision has been met with ridicule and general disapproval within Australia as event Abbott’s predecessor and avowed Monarchist, John Howard spoke of his belief …
Tony Abbott was officially sworn in as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia on Wednesday. While he grabbed headlines for appointing just one woman to his cabinet, there was another subtle change that caught my eye as he was sworn in. Under Prime Minister’s Paul Keating, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, the oath of allegience for ministers was changed from swearing an oath to Queen Elizabeth to; I, (Insert name), do swear that I will well and truly serve the …
We are sending enough our people there, so I thought I’d do up a blog post on the election that is happening tomorrow. Australia came to the attention of people here back in June when Kevin Rudd ousted Julia Gillard as Prime Minister. Well actually she ousted him first in June 2010 but anyway I shall not bore you with the intrigues of Australian Labor politics. Rudd was brought back to help raise Labor’s dire position in the polls. Under …
