This morning former prime minister Tony Abbott joined the chorus of congratulations for Liz Truss, who just became the new British prime minister, winning the ballot to replace Boris Johnson.
But being Abbott, he had to add a weird wrinkle, congratulating Truss for “winning the world’s second most important job”.
It invited two questions: first, who Abbott had in mind for the top job — knowing Abbott, it’s as likely he views the British PM as secondary only to Queen Elizabeth, the Pope, or Truss’ own duties as a wife and mother as he was thinking of the US president. The second question is: why the hell he felt the need to rank her in the first place.
It’s all part of Abbott’s slightly wonky approach to the etiquette of public life.
Shirtfront diplomacy
In 2014, then PM Abbott promised to “shirtfront” Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, at the G20 in Brisbane the next year, after Russian-backed rebels were alleged to have shot down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, killing all on board. No one would say a strong approach wasn’t appropriate, but the use of the AFL slang term for a fierce tackle was an odd choice. Extra marks for following it up with the oddly poetic: “You bet you are, you bet I am.”
An arm around the prince
You really would expect the guy who burned through his prime ministerial credibility to give Prince Philip a knighthood to be entirely across royal etiquette, but he managed to attract some (very minor, to be fair) criticism for channelling his inner Paul Keating and putting his arm around Prince William during a state visit.
Vale Bob Hawke
The night before the election that would sweep him from his seat of Warringah, Abbott responded to the news that former prime minister and Labor Party luminary Bob Hawke had died with the absolute worst tribute you could imagine. Het claimed Hawke’s legacy both for his party — “You might say he had a Labor heart, but a Liberal head” — and, implicitly, a bit for himself: “[Hawke] changed our country for the better because he was always willing to argue his case, even if it meant persuading key people on his own side.”
It was almost the perfect final act as his time in Parliament.
Will Tony Abbott ever learn? Let us know your thoughts by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
Tony Abbott! I remember how I thought he was our worst ever Prime Minister!
And then we got Scott Morrison.
Back in 2010 Abbott informed Kerry O’Brien that he didn’t always tell the Gospel truth. No such admission by Morrison who, it must be said, far outstripped Abbott in fabrication.
Although Abbott did admit to not being the “suppository of all wisdom”. That at least was true.
In fact Abbott* was up there with The Lying Rodent in the Mendacity Stakes, but has now lay comprehensively to Smirko The Mendacious Morrison.
*a few example….
“The climate change argument is absolute crap.” Tony Abbott, 2 February 2010.
”We will ensure that no more negative unexpected changes occur in the superannuation system, so that those planning for their retirement can face the future with a higher degree of predictability.” Tony Abbott, 28 January 2013.This is the same man who as Prime Minister extended the freeze on the superannuation guarantee paid to workers, so that it won’t reach 12% until 2025/26.
“So my pledge to you is that I won’t say one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards, because fibbing your way into office is what’s brought our public life into disrepute.” Tony Abbott, 31 January 2013
“One of the reasons why I’m so hostile to the National Broadband Network is because it’s a $50 billion investment with borrowed money that we don’t need.” Tony Abbott, 5 July 2012. But then….
“We believe in a National Broadband Network and we will deliver a better National Broadband Network, faster and more affordably than this [Labor] government possibly can.” Tony Abbott, 9 April 2013. Launch of the Coalition Broadband policy with Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull at Fox Sports in Sydney.
“We will be a consultative, collegial government. No surprises, no excuses.” Tony Abbott 2 August 2013, joint press conference with Christopher Pyne.
“I want to give people this absolute assurance: no cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to GST, no cuts to the ABC or SBS.” Tony Abbott, 6 September 2013.
“Ah, look, I’m going to shirtfront Mr Putin. Ah, you bet you are. Ah, you bet I am.” Tony Abbott, 13 October 2014. They cuddled koalas together.
“But it’s been a very good government last year and it’s going to be an even better one this year.” Tony Abbott, 22 January 2015.
“Good government starts today.” Tony Abbott 9 February 2015.
In 2015, against the advice of Defence officials, Tony Abbott promised that Australia’s new fleet of submarines would start to be delivered within 10 years. In truth, the first one of that original contract would not be ready until the mid 2030s.
“This is a government which has done a power of good.” Tony Abbott, 28 August 2015.
After being deposed as PM by Malcolm Turnbull: “There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping. I’ve never leaked or backgrounded against anyone. And I certainly won’t start now.” Tony Abbott, 15 September 2015. And then what happened to Turnbull?
‘Ten Flags’ ‘Two Passports’ Tony – will no one rid us of this fellow? Could he not go off and get a job somewhere representing a foreign country in trade negotiations with Australia
Oh! wait.
Send him a box of onions.
And visiting Koch linked think tanks funded by the Hungarian government in Budapest, but embarrassingly called out by US conservative Anne Applebaum (Twitter, 3 April ’22), followed by much ‘reverse ferreting’.
SMH’s Koziol did an excellent investigative article few years ago that has become relevant and circulated widely offshore; titled ‘Why Australia’s conservatives are finding friends in Hungary’ (6 Oct ’19) highlighting the Danube Institute, (suggesting) Russian and US links; in parallel with Fox/CPAC.
“World’s Most Important Job”? …. The one Abbott wasn’t cut out for but got anyway, thanks to the incompetence of the mob that elected He and The Credlin (his keeper) to lead them?
in abbot’s favour as the 2nd worst PM after morrision, he was always genuinely or authentically stupid
will he ever learn? – more like, DID he ever learn? – the bloke ain’t too bright … even for a parliamentarian