DoesTony Abbott deserve to be called 'embarrassing'

[donnashuggy]

Is he living up to your expectations?

http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=944574&vId=

[donnashuggy]

I really like that pic icy, thanks for posting 🙂

[icyfroth]

my compliments, Donna!

There are plenty more...

[freakiness]

http://nofibs.com.au/2014/01/25/abbotts-slogans-fail-inspire-davos-e2mq173-comments/

Tony Abbott took centre stage at the World Economic Forum this week in Davos, Switzerland.  He was there to outline Australia’s vision for the presidency of the G20 and set the agenda for various G20 meetings and events during 2014, culminating with the Leaders’ summit on November 15 and 16 in Brisbane.

If the Australian Prime Minister was there to generate enthusiasm for the event, he failed miserably.  He delivered an uninspiring speech filled with contradictory ideas and dangerous oversimplifications. He told the audience that ‘Australia was open for business’, but indicated that ‘Australia is not open to serious discussion’.

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In 2011, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) praised Australia for its performance during the global financial crisis. It reported that; “The Australian economy has proven to be one of the most resilient in the developed world.  During the GFC, Australia experienced a shallower downturn with only a single quarter of decline in real GDP when most advanced economies were falling into deep recession.”  

However, rather than praise the former government for its fiscal responsibility during this time, Abbott politicised its actions and compared the former government to “addicts in search of a fix“.

Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglit praised Australia’s stimulus measures, arguing that conservative austerity had had devastating effects, especially in Britain, Spain and Greece, where the economies have been pushed deeper into recession- an approach that has led to widespread public misery.

Those listening to Abbott at Davos must have been wondering if he had any idea of the social pain that Australia had avoided.

[***super_nova***]

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@icyfroth wrote:

"DoesTony Abbott deserve to be called 'embarrassing'"

No more so than the way Ms Gillard acted like a lovestruck calf to President Obama:

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They were laughing together, they were in noisy crowded place, they were comfortable together.  TA embarrasses every person he tries to talk to; there are so many pics of people pulling away from him in horror.  He is a joke.  Gillard is widely respected around the world; why do you think she is being invited to speak?  As far as Rudd and his salute goes, it was more wave than salute; like "Hi friend", and Bush responded with big smile, and they exchanged some friendly words.   Nobody seemed particularly embarrassed about it, I did not see anybody shrinking in horror.

[boris1gary]

Icy,

I don't think that these pictures are relevant in anyway at all, they do nothing that question either politician's credentials on the world stage, they do nothing that puts our relationship with our neighbour's in jeopardy - they are just photo's.

[**meep**]

"TA embarrasses every person he tries to talk to; there are so many pics of people pulling away from him in horror. "

[*crikey*mate*]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

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I was talking about this today with some Economics academics.

They all agreed that the theory behind the $800 (or whatever it was) that was given to everyone was brilliant.

But where they said that it became ineffective was that in many cases, rather than spending the money in "little shops" etc, the money was used to buy big ticket items and so largely lined the pockets of the really big businesses such as Harvey Norman etc. It was also said that it went towards overseas holidays etc, so not even supporting Australian consumerism.

lots of other scenarios like that.

They felt that the money should have been a administered a little differently with perhaps restrictions on what the money could be used for considering the intention was to stimulate our economy.

Just their opinions I guess.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

And did you notice the word "balance" in that quote from the IMF?

Not hold onto your money and never spend anything on essential services in order to build up a massive surplus whilst the country's infrustructure falls appart ala Howard.

Balance.

Rudds projection went beyond the short term GFC spending. The governement, and economists, talked about getting back to surplus once the the crisis was over and there were policies in place for this.

He did what had to be done at the time.

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ok, so Mr Rudd "talked about" getting back into surplus, so why didn't he? and how did it come about that he was replaced by Ms. Gillard? and even more confusing to me, how come she was in turn replaced by the reinstatement of Mr Rudd?

[*crikey*mate*]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

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@icyfroth wrote:

"DoesTony Abbott deserve to be called 'embarrassing'"

No more so than the way Ms Gillard acted like a lovestruck calf to President Obama:

---

They were laughing together, they were in noisy crowded place, they were comfortable together.  TA embarrasses every person he tries to talk to; there are so many pics of people pulling away from him in horror.  He is a joke.  Gillard is widely respected around the world; why do you think she is being invited to speak?  As far as Rudd and his salute goes, it was more wave than salute; like "Hi friend", and Bush responded with big smile, and they exchanged some friendly words.   Nobody seemed particularly embarrassed about it, I did not see anybody shrinking in horror.

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If Ms Gillard is so highly respected, then why was she replaced by Mr Rudd, and why did she not go on to lead the Labor party to leadership again at the last election?

and FTR, I've been at functions where Warrick Capper was invited to speak.

[boris1gary]

I don't understand what your post's have to do with the topic, the topic isn't about internal ALP decisions, or what the now opposition did or did not do.