Former "First Bloke" Takes Aim At Mrs Abbott

[icyfroth]

Tim Mathieson takes aim at Margie Abbott over charity work

Former first bloke Tim Mathieson has accused first lady Margie Abbott of not  doing enough charity work.

"I'm disappointed that she is not doing any charity work," he told News Corp  Australia.

"What is she doing? Because I did 60 charity events. I went out for three  full years.

"She has not contributed to any of them.

"The spouse of every prime minister since (Edmund) Barton has done charity  work."

But Mrs Abbott's spokeswoman on Saturday night outlined a range of charity  and community events the first lady had attended in recent months.

She said Mrs Abbott had a long history of community involvement and supported organisations including the Royal Blind Society and Girl Guides.

"This community involvement has been part of her life as she has worked  part-time at a local Sydney childcare centre and, along with Tony, raised their  three daughters," she said.

"Those familiar with Margie Abbott know her quiet and understated approach is  part of her genuine desire to draw attention to the charities and organisations  she is involved with rather than herself."

Mr Mathieson is an ambassador for Kidney Health Australia, a patron of the  Australian Mens Sheds Association, is involved with a national indigenous  diabetes association and mental health group beyondblue.

Article Here

The gall of the man!

[freakiness]

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@azureline** wrote:

It depends on how the question was presented. I read it very early this morning and can't recall where, it seems all the media links have conveniently left off that little fact.

Deflection?

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Where is he supposed to have said these things?  It seems odd that the tele woul hunt him out for an interview or that he would hunt them out. Is it second hand info?

[nevynreally]

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@debra9275 wrote:



All this nasty press stuff started when Abbott was in opposition, he went with it then and it looks like it's here to stay, maybe he created a monster?

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Will have another shot at it. All this nasty press stuff started the minute the press actually understood they are now redundant. People mostly get their news online, they go off willy-nilly on any tangent they choose. The press is going to go whereever they they think they may get more hits. And they all do it, so please don't bring up "credible" news sources. They are all competing with youtube and FB these days, and losing badly.

And why did my other post on this topic just disappear?

[cherry*135]

Freaki.. This is the only reference to a source I have seen.. SMH Fairfax press running the same story.

"Former first bloke Tim Mathieson has accused first lady Margie Abbott of not doing enough charity work.
"I'm disappointed that she is not doing any charity work," he told News Corp Australia.

[cherry*135]

"I’m disappointed that she is not doing any charity work,” Mr Mathieson told the Sunday Herald Sun."

Did the Herald Sun phone him? Did he contact them?

[nevynreally]

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@am*3 wrote:
"I’m disappointed that she is not doing any charity work,” Mr Mathieson told the Sunday Herald Sun."

Did the Herald Sun phone him? Did he contact them?

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Call him and ask him. 

You don't get it, they all ask questions to make people uncomfortable, they publish what works for them. And that's both sides of politics. 

Or maybe you do get it.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@am*3 wrote:
"I’m disappointed that she is not doing any charity work,” Mr Mathieson told the Sunday Herald Sun."

Did the Herald Sun phone him? Did he contact them?

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I suspect that NewsCorp was probably thinking what the rest of the country is thinking (that for a PMs partner, Margie is invisible in her role) but being NewsCorp they couldn't break the story themselves for fear of warth from the big man himself.

So they asked the question of someone who their readers would expect to reveal something unsavoury. Then they can blame Tim instead of being blamed for running an anti-Abbott story.

[i-need-a-martini]

Oh and by the way Icy, I totally agree with him. As has been discussed on here before, she is the only partner that I can recall not having an active role in the community or a visible role next to her husband at events and at time when he needs support.

And furthermore, after the flogging he got for his position from the LNP and the medis, this minor comment seems insignificant.

[azureline**]

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@freakiness wrote:

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@azureline** wrote:

It depends on how the question was presented. I read it very early this morning and can't recall where, it seems all the media links have conveniently left off that little fact.

Deflection?

---

Where is he supposed to have said these things?  It seems odd that the tele woul hunt him out for an interview or that he would hunt them out. Is it second hand info?

---

I read it online very early in the morning,  It clearly stated that he was being interviewed and was asked what he thought about Mrs Abbott's  contribution to charity work in her role as PM's wife.

I can't , no matter how much I try, recall what it was and where but I know I read it. All articles I find have dropped that first paragraph.

[icyfroth]

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@nevynreally wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:
"I’m disappointed that she is not doing any charity work,” Mr Mathieson told the Sunday Herald Sun."

Did the Herald Sun phone him? Did he contact them?

---

Call him and ask him. 

You don't get it, they all ask questions to make people uncomfortable, they publish what works for them. And that's both sides of politics. 

Or maybe you do get it.

---

The phrase "both sides of politics" absolutely hits the nail on the head.

News corporations will publish whatever get them the most hits it it's online, or sales if it's newspapers. Sensational headline first, apologes and retractions can be made later

[icyfroth]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

Oh and by the way Icy, I totally agree with him. As has been discussed on here before, she is the only partner that I can recall not having an active role in the community or a visible role next to her husband at events and at time when he needs support.

And furthermore, after the flogging he got for his position from the LNP and the medis, this minor comment seems insignificant.

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The point being, Martini, that he had no call going after Mrs Abbott, for any lampooning he may have received at the hands of the LNP. Did the LNP actually lampoon him or was the actually the press?

Mrs Abbott never criticised him any way, and to my knowledge, neither did Mr Abbott.

To her credit, Ms Gillard never attacked the Abbott family in any way, either.

If he wanted to revenge himself, go after the people he felt he was wronged by.

And as for Mrs Abbott not having an active role in the community, I'll post this once again (3rd time):

"Since the election last year, the Prime Minister's office said Mrs Abbott had increased her community work and has attended a range of recent events for organisations including: KidsExpress children’s charity, the Royal Easter Show Society charity lunch, personally launching the story of breast cancer advocate Mrs Krystal Barter The Lucky One, the Deb Bailey Motor Neurone Disease Foundation, two charity bicycle rides, a citizenship ceremony, a commissioning service for religious teachers and volunteers, three local ANZAC Day service, an ethnic business awards dinner and a local multicultural festival.

“These events are in addition to those she attends with the Prime Minister,” the spokeswoman said.

She is also a patron of the Manly Women's Shelter, an ambassador for the World Cup Netball 2015, ambassador for the Federation Cup international women’s tennis competition and patron in chief of the National Portrait Gallery.

“Once the Lodge is repaired, the Prime Minister and Mrs Abbott intend to make available Kirribilli House and the Lodge for occasional charity events involving a range of community organisations," the spokewoman said.

Judging by the way the media pounce on every aspect of the Abbott's life they can get a headline out of, it's no wonder she prefers to stay out of the limelight.