“Labor and the Greens have colluded today to throw democratic process out the window and have turned the processes of the Senate into a farce. Labor has been caught out in its unsuccessful attempt to manipulate Senate process and has been exposed as having completely lost control in the Senate” — Eric Abetz, November 2010.
“If you needed any more clear evidence that Labor is being held hostage by the Greens then this is it, Senator Brown says jump and Labor asks ‘how high'” — Eric Abetz, November 2011.
“I think the Australian people are sick of a governing party which makes decisions on the basis of squalid backroom deals” — Tony Abbott, February 2012.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard. It’s a chaotic and dysfunctional government … just chaotic and dysfunctional. Now, it doesn’t matter who leads the Labor Party, it will be chaotic and dysfunctional” — Tony Abbott, March 2013.
“There have been far too many parliamentary games, there’s been far too much backroom dealing and double crossing. Let’s let the people decide” — Tony Abbott, June 2013.
“Only the Coalition can be trusted when we say there will be no deals with the Greens, no deals with flaky independents; no deals whatsoever” –Tony Abbott, 2013 election campaign.
Sorry guys, you were saying?
“What’s my next question God(win)” Eric Abetz Utegate June-July 2009?
If you don’t have the numbers you must negotiate.
Negotiating a 3 year deal with the Greens to form government and committing to confidential policies that Oakshott and Windsor know nothing about is a backroom deal on a different level to seeking numbers to pass legislation piece by piece.
…Only the Coalition can be trusted when we say there will be no deals with the Greens, no deals with flaky independents; no deals whatsoever” –Tony Abbott, 2013 election campaign. Yep Tony call a DD and we the Australian electorate will be waiting for you with a big electoral stick; whack!
I think that Crikey’s being a bit too kind, by leaving out any mention of all the times that Abbott and his cronies, called for an early election; allegedly because of a parliament in logjam.
Oh well, Tone, perhaps a double dissolution will end the problem of an unruly Senate, but probably not in the way that you’d like.
The bad news for Abbott is that Rupert only likes winners. As soon as the tide is seen to turn the LNP may find their biggest PR tool, Murdoch, has switched camps.
He did it to Howard, a far more talented politician than the incumbent mental lightweight.