I hope abbott has some bepanthen for that epic burn.

*promote

Promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 9:27pm PDT - promote requested by MrFisk.

She is a beautiful, powerful woman.

Well, a powerful woman.

This really was an epic beatdown and a long time coming. The context muddies the waters considerably but so thoroughly deserved even if it is just a Labor party campaign for narrative.

Great to see that Maggie Thatcher's oratory style lives on. Oh, and I think Jodie Foster could play this woman perfectly.

agreed, Foster would play her good, looks similar from that view

Hugo Weaving could play Abbott

agreed, Foster would play her good, looks similar from that view

Hugo Weaving could play Abbott

I find her repugnant and not because she's a woman...

A bit more info on the case:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/09/speaker-australia-parliament-resign-text-message

Gillard has consistently used personal attacks (some of the certainly accurate) against Abbott to deflect attention away from her governments ongoing snafu's.

The slipper case is just the latest gigantic fuck up in a long line with Gillard's name all over it. This wonderfully outraged woman has steadfastly refused to fire the speaker knowing it would deprive her of another vote in an already slim minority government. The same guy that would say things like:

"Look at a bottle of mussel meat! Salty Cunts in brine!" he continued in his text message to former staffer James Ashby. "Been to thw (sic) fish shop yet to buy the bottle of shell less mussells (sic)?"

I'll be the first to admit that Abbott is neither a likeable person or good prime minister material, but with no viable third alternative, I'll take him and his misogyny over Roxon's 1984-esque data retention scheme and continual attempts to increase the states right at the expense of the citizens, Conroy's 'see no evil' compulsory internet filtering and the extension of the confounding NT 'intervention' scheme that continues to pump money in to a bottomless pit but doesn't actually result in better lives for the Australian Aboriginals it's supposed to help...

Gillard's character is plainly on display. She ignores the blatant sexism of the man she, and her AG Nicola Roxon, defended and refuse to hang out to dry, but when he is revealed to be exactly what she despises, she invokes her dead father and plays the "they're picking on me cos I'm a woman" card to try and divert attention from the trainwreck that is her government. She's not even a toenail clipping from Maggie Thatcher who took to the game of politics as if men had never owned it, never hiding behind the fact she was a woman.

Entertaining, well deserved and completely unrepresentative of what she has actually been like as a politician and Prime Minister.

Slipper is a career Liberal. Gillard pointing out the hypocrisy of Abbott's sudden stance on morality is completely fair game and an identifiable double standard. Slipper's unacceptable statements were private text messages leaked by a former staffer who was setting him up after he bailed on the Libs to take the Speaker role - they have nothing to do with policy or governance. Lastly, odious as his opinins of women are, Australians don't a shit about Slipper's private opinions of women or anything else. The Libs suddenly do, because he's no longer one of them. They didn't for the decades he was a paid up member, and the electorate don't know or care about the role of speaker in parliament.

Gillard is far from perfect, but what leader of a country is? Good on her for calling Abbott out for the hypocrit and opportunist he is.

Dat accent!

Wow, she's delivering zingers faster than UPS. President Obama could learn a lot from her about rebuttal.

What a Smackdown.

A calculated political move or not, it is awesome to see Abbot be called out on his track record of demonstrating his horrible views on women and people in general.

I would be very, very sad to see him get into power.

Both of the parties suck at the moment, but Labor sucks less, and is at least aligning themselves with good values. Compared to the Liberal party who outwardly align themselves with horrendous, backwards world views.

Regardless of her politics, Gillards voice has always grated on me. I hate hearing her speak.

That said, Abbot is a dick and deserves everything he gets.

In nearly the same breath, Gillard supported Slipper to stay in the position of Speaker despite his blatent sexist remarks and attitude. This is all but forgotten because she decided to stop talking about anything to do with politics to personally attack another MP.

Two days after this speech, at an event hosted by the CFMEU and attended by several Labor MP's (including the current treasurer), the hired comedian makes vile sexist remarks about Abbott and one of his staffers. After the Labor party have made such a song and dance about their feelings on sexism, the least you would expect is for the Labor MP's to leave this event immediately. Instead what happens? A brief mention from the PM. So does sexism really trouble her that deeply? Really?

Despite anything to do with gender, I'm embarrassed to be represented by such a pathetic politician. She has taken this country so far backwards.

Considering up'ing my account purely to downvote this trash..

@star69 - equating the act of a no-name comedian at a union event with the career-long actions of Tony Abbott is pathetic.

How has Gillard taken Australia 'so far backwards'?

Also, you would be able to downvote if you actually contributed something to this community.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

No, Tilda Swinton!>> ^A10anis:

Great to see that Maggie Thatcher's oratory style lives on. Oh, and I think Jodie Foster could play this woman perfectly.

>> ^kymbos:

@star69 - equating the act of a no-name comedian at a union event with the career-long actions of Tony Abbott is pathetic.
How has Gillard taken Australia 'so far backwards'?
Also, you would be able to downvote if you actually contributed something to this community.


I'm pretty sure he's referring to Gillard's comments re: libs attending the Allen Jones speech, castigating them for not getting up and leaving... In which case, the situations are analogous.

Data retention?

Compulsory internet filtering?

Two policies that forever damn Labor in my eyes. Two policies Gillard has not canned or dropped. I keep hoping Malcolm Turnbull get's up as leader of the opposition and wins the next election, but Abbott hasn't committed to pushing the fascist nanny state yet so I'll roll the dice on him...

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-phones-union-boss-over-offensive-joke-20121011-27erg.html

It's all just so much political theatre.

Anyways, I'm not foolish enough to defend either data retention or the internet filtering crap. Did internet filtering actually happen? I thought is was just a waste of time.

Not great policy, but hardly what I'd call 'gigantic fuck-ups' or taking Australia 'so far backwards'. I think the NBN is far more substantive policy that will make far more difference to far more lives. But that's just me.

This Government has been bagged pillar to post, but in the end I think it's got a fair record of achievement under incredibly trying times. I think if Abbott had tried to form a minority government it would have lasted five minutes.

>> ^kymbos:

How has Gillard taken Australia 'so far backwards'?


Economically? Damaging our standing as a world class location for mining operations.

Financially? Sinking Australia into debt that the Libs spend 3 long terms digging us out of.

Morally? Sinking so low as to tarnish the reputation of femininity by spouting sexism whenever her per action or performance are called into question. Allowing her party to be ridiculously swayed by the pleas of the Greens who are - imo - just plain bad for the country. Consistantly not only breaking election promises, but doing just the opposite in many cases (OK, this is not that uncommon but to call others out as liars while possessing the trait yourself is pathetic).

Honestly, it's an arguement I can't be bothered putting a lot more effort than this into - but if you can't see what a step backwards the ALP and Gillard have been from the previous government, I worry even more for the future of this country.

yo, how is referring to lady bits as mussels sexist?

And my god this speech is a lot of repetition.

@star69

Mining investment: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/10/23/1226174/517843-111024-b-mining.jpg

Financials: Australia is about to overtake Spain as the 12th largest economy. http://hashonomy.com/link/spain-set-to-surrender-rank-of-12th-biggest-economy-to-australia-bloomberg-557999/

"Tarnishing the reputation of femininity": O-kaaaaaaay.

Your last para sums things up. You clearly can't be bothered.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

Aussie wing nuts are a rarer breed on the net.

You'd be surprised, Dag. There is a whole Tea Partyesque little sub-culture running around, mimicking the Republican Right. It'd be amusing if it wasn't so blindly hateful.

This is why parliament is the best form of legislature. Well.. at least the most fun.