Luv is in the air

Guy Rundle writes: Re. “The beginning of the end of the beginning” (yesterday).  Michael Byrne, secretary of the DLP NSW writes to suggest that the “luvvie duvies” of the Left hate Tony Abbott and Mark Latham because “both Abbott and Latham have possession of a certain quality;  namely purpose and conviction that extends beyond and outside of the emotional secular devotions of the Left.” Well, I don’t hate Abbott; the dominant emotion now is pity, for a man who failed so badly at the role he had focused his life on attaining. If Abbott is your model of a man of ‘purpose’, you should hold new auditions. And I’ve never seen any indication in Latham’s writings that he is anything other than ‘secular’ in his politics and beliefs. Bit desperate to enrol him in the God Squad.

Byrne also suggests that he is one of the ‘ordinary folk’ outside the culture-knowledge-policy producing class I’ve mentioned one or two hundred times. Michael, you’ve been a local councillor since 1994, and you’re secretary of a party whose other state branches have salaried, elected politicians — check the ‘policy’ bit of the policy class again. Your ridiculous party purports to represent ‘da people’,  70% of whom support legal abortion, same-sex marriage and much else that your party doesn’t. You’re in the hot tub with the rest of us, luvvie. Pass me the tequila.

Party foul

Vincent Burke writes: Re. “The case of the missing crockery” (yesterday). Is anyone asking whether it was Tony Abbott himself who danced on the table and broke it?  Draw together the early reports that he was dancing shirtless.  Jamie Briggs was happy for a while to let it be thought he did this, but he’s still a government minister, and now it’s getting more serious attention, he is no longer prepared to take the fall (however it occurred!).  A respected ABC commentator has said he is convinced it was not Briggs. Take into account that fellow guests allegedly took souvenir pieces of the table — would they do that if it was anyone other than their hero?  Plus, let’s not forget Abbott went into hiding on the day after his party and was not seen until late in the day.  Hangover?  Finally, he has now offered to pay for the table in the hope this will close the issue.  It seems to add up.  Bring in Hercule to solve it all.

Adrian Jackson writes: While valued at under $1000 the smashing of a marble topped coffee table in an office of the Commonwealth Parliament and no one offering to replace it that night is something one might expect at a university binge but not at Parliament. Tables should not be stood on or danced on as it is dangerous and unbecoming. Don’t MP’s have a members dining room for such celebrations or wakes? This behavour is typical of what one would expect from the more conservative backward looking members of the Liberal party. War in Iraq, degrading concentration camps, alternative energy nay sayers, reliance of dirty fossil fuels and economic mismanagement are the hallmarks of the dregs of the Liberal Party that surrounded Tony Abbott when PM. Its good to see the sane small “L” liberals now in control.