19 April 2016

Tony Abbott’s law of equality of opportunity

| John Hargreaves
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tony-a

A young lady I know just showed me an internet post which said: I voted Liberal because I could not afford a design degree. Well might you ask, what is this all about. It’s about preferential treatment and the contrast for poor uni students.

It appears Tony’s daughter got a $60,000 scholarship largely because of who her family was connected to. No doubt she was a worthy recipient but what competition for that one occurred? Rumour has it that it was she was the first Whitehouse scholarship awarded. Mmmmmm.

Had I known of this opportunity I would have let a boat load of girls I know to apply. What chances of competing with Mr Abbott’s daughter once the people giving out the scholarships knew she was Tony’s daughter?

It is all too easy to screw the cash strapped uni student to the wall when you can get a friend to fund your kid’s degree.
Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.

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John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Does this mean I have to call you Mr. Hargreaves? I haven’t frequently referred to people by their last name, outside of formal writing, since I was in year 10. How about “Honest John”?

Thanks for this thread, by the way. I won’t get too involved in the debate though. I just came to watch the fireworks, not set them off.

The Hansard record seems to indicate that Hargreaves took very little opportunity to comment on the public record while an MLA. He has had his time – now he is taking far too much space on this site. Can the mods please give us a break from this bore? Maybe a posting limit?

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

“most of the women I know and have met are ladies”
Johnno, maaaaaate, was Amanda Bresnan in this group?

Amanda Bresnan is indeed a lady and one with some class. The incident to which you refer was misrepresented grossly but then pollies are always fair game for mistruths. Ms Bresnan is one lady with whom I enjoy a warm and respectful relationship. Innuendos such as this do you no credit and merely reveal the inner nastiness you have. You must have had an awful childhood and even more awful adulthood thus far to be so embittered and so intrinsically nasty.. May I congratulate you on your pseudonym… it too is accurately descriptive.

So it is OK for you to dismiss the incident entirely by saying it was grossly misprepresented as politicians are fair game but Tony Abbott is a sleaze?
It was so misrepresented that you and your mate B Smyth unreservedly apologised. Gee, it’s tough when one has to apologise for something that didn’t happen.
If you investigate the Abbott incident you would discover that he winked at the radio announcer in response the said announcer’s facial expression to Abbott as to whether he wanted to take the phone call from the phone sex worker, or not. Strange that no one has admonished the radio announcer for initiating the exchange. Why do you think that is so?
I think even you can now see the double standard you are applying; everyone else can.
Thanks for the attempt to psycho analyse my childhood Johno but you are way off the mark.
Re my non-de-plume, you should note that funghi hosted by dung is actually useful to the balance of nature; sort of my homage to the environment. Others prefer wind turbines and solar panels.

Sir, you have been outed as an Abbott supporter and this is something from which you can now never escape. For this I thank you, others may not. Attacking me with such bile and from such antiquity does not hide the facts that the PM has been criticised by many women of note that has a problem with women. it was put to me the other day by a lady I respect that Mr Abbott’s behaviour was akin to that expected of teenage boys, sniggering at the suggestion of sex. Perhaps she is right but I would have thought that the PM is supposed to be a role model for young blokes.

And before you attack me again with selected attempts at character assassination, please acknowledge that I was elected four times, leading the vote for Labor in Brindabella on three of those occasions, am a former Patron of the Women’s ACT AFL League, but am human and made mistakes in my life, all of which I have done the honourable thing with, something I haven’t seen in federal politics of late.

You have outed no one. Regular contributors to this blog know which side of the fence I sit on and in case you have forgotten, there was a Federal election last year in which a majority voted for a conservative governmnet of which Tony Abbott was to be Prime Minister.
Many from the left, including the media, are in denial about Abbott’s decisive victory and they choose instead to promote the hate campaign against him. This is something that comes naturally to the left. Soon they will find someone in their own ranks to hate more than Abbott and in the meantime he will sort out the mess left by the previous four Labor governments in six years. He has already stopped the boats, something the media ignores.
Abbott is a great role model for young men. He is happily married (still to the same woman) with three daughters. In a family of 5 he is the only male. If he has half the problem with women that you and your peers suggest he has then women in the Abbott household all would have moved out long ago. Apply some common sense and look at the facts, man.
In his spare time he is involved in community events (like you claim to be) and he is probably the fittest MP in Australia’s history. Would you prefer that young blokes emulate the extra-marital antics of some members of the left instead?
I acknowledge that you were elected once and re-elected another 3 times as a Labor member for Brindabella. With the greatest respect John, anyone high on the Labor ticket would have won a seat in any ACT electorate (the Bill Hayden/drover’s dog syndrome).
I am not attacking your character either but your actions in the past have left you a bit exposed to ridicule. As you say, politicians are any easy target (easier when they are set up).
John, I never voted for you but the fact that you were a National Servicemean and you like cats certainly endorses your claim that you are human. Just be careful who you call a sleaze.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA11:17 am 27 May 14

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

“most of the women I know and have met are ladies”
Johnno, maaaaaate, was Amanda Bresnan in this group?

Amanda Bresnan is indeed a lady and one with some class. The incident to which you refer was misrepresented grossly but then pollies are always fair game for mistruths. Ms Bresnan is one lady with whom I enjoy a warm and respectful relationship. Innuendos such as this do you no credit and merely reveal the inner nastiness you have. You must have had an awful childhood and even more awful adulthood thus far to be so embittered and so intrinsically nasty.. May I congratulate you on your pseudonym… it too is accurately descriptive.

So it is OK for you to dismiss the incident entirely by saying it was grossly misprepresented as politicians are fair game but Tony Abbott is a sleaze?
It was so misrepresented that you and your mate B Smyth unreservedly apologised. Gee, it’s tough when one has to apologise for something that didn’t happen.
If you investigate the Abbott incident you would discover that he winked at the radio announcer in response the said announcer’s facial expression to Abbott as to whether he wanted to take the phone call from the phone sex worker, or not. Strange that no one has admonished the radio announcer for initiating the exchange. Why do you think that is so?
I think even you can now see the double standard you are applying; everyone else can.
Thanks for the attempt to psycho analyse my childhood Johno but you are way off the mark.
Re my non-de-plume, you should note that funghi hosted by dung is actually useful to the balance of nature; sort of my homage to the environment. Others prefer wind turbines and solar panels.

Sir, you have been outed as an Abbott supporter and this is something from which you can now never escape. For this I thank you, others may not. Attacking me with such bile and from such antiquity does not hide the facts that the PM has been criticised by many women of note that has a problem with women. it was put to me the other day by a lady I respect that Mr Abbott’s behaviour was akin to that expected of teenage boys, sniggering at the suggestion of sex. Perhaps she is right but I would have thought that the PM is supposed to be a role model for young blokes.

And before you attack me again with selected attempts at character assassination, please acknowledge that I was elected four times, leading the vote for Labor in Brindabella on three of those occasions, am a former Patron of the Women’s ACT AFL League, but am human and made mistakes in my life, all of which I have done the honourable thing with, something I haven’t seen in federal politics of late.

justin heywood3:35 pm 26 May 14

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

……. Innuendos such as this do you no credit and merely reveal the inner nastiness you have. You must have had an awful childhood and even more awful adulthood thus far to be so embittered and so intrinsically nasty…

?

John, I think it is a really positive thing that you have so enthusiastically embraced the blogoshere, and I hope you continue to post whatever pops into your head.

I think a lot of Liberals have been scratching their heads about the way Abbott has framed and sold the budget. But then you come along and remind us of the sort of politician that can rise to ministerial level in a Labor government: suddenly even the most inept Liberal politician doesn’t seem so bad.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

“most of the women I know and have met are ladies”
Johnno, maaaaaate, was Amanda Bresnan in this group?

Amanda Bresnan is indeed a lady and one with some class. The incident to which you refer was misrepresented grossly but then pollies are always fair game for mistruths. Ms Bresnan is one lady with whom I enjoy a warm and respectful relationship. Innuendos such as this do you no credit and merely reveal the inner nastiness you have. You must have had an awful childhood and even more awful adulthood thus far to be so embittered and so intrinsically nasty.. May I congratulate you on your pseudonym… it too is accurately descriptive.

So it is OK for you to dismiss the incident entirely by saying it was grossly misprepresented as politicians are fair game but Tony Abbott is a sleaze?
It was so misrepresented that you and your mate B Smyth unreservedly apologised. Gee, it’s tough when one has to apologise for something that didn’t happen.
If you investigate the Abbott incident you would discover that he winked at the radio announcer in response the said announcer’s facial expression to Abbott as to whether he wanted to take the phone call from the phone sex worker, or not. Strange that no one has admonished the radio announcer for initiating the exchange. Why do you think that is so?
I think even you can now see the double standard you are applying; everyone else can.
Thanks for the attempt to psycho analyse my childhood Johno but you are way off the mark.
Re my non-de-plume, you should note that funghi hosted by dung is actually useful to the balance of nature; sort of my homage to the environment. Others prefer wind turbines and solar panels.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA10:55 am 26 May 14

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

“most of the women I know and have met are ladies”
Johnno, maaaaaate, was Amanda Bresnan in this group?

Amanda Bresnan is indeed a lady and one with some class. The incident to which you refer was misrepresented grossly but then pollies are always fair game for mistruths. Ms Bresnan is one lady with whom I enjoy a warm and respectful relationship. Innuendos such as this do you no credit and merely reveal the inner nastiness you have. You must have had an awful childhood and even more awful adulthood thus far to be so embittered and so intrinsically nasty.. May I congratulate you on your pseudonym… it too is accurately descriptive.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

“most of the women I know and have met are ladies”
Johnno, maaaaaate, was Amanda Bresnan in this group?

John Hargreaves Ex MLA3:26 pm 25 May 14

Masquara said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

Firstly, my friends or those with whom I covered call me Johno. Others call me Mr Hargreaves for they recognize and respect that they are no friends not mine but they still have class.

Others refer to me by my surname and they have no respect for people they have never met nor do they have any class. And… They usually and cowardly use pseudonyms for they are indeed unsure of themselves, cowardly or bullies. And sometimes a combination of all.

Secondly, most of the women I know and have met are ladies.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

Hargreaves could you please start saying “women” rather than “ladeeeeees”?

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

And your wife was elated by this incident?
http://the-riotact.com/brendan-and-john-being-mean-to-amanda-bresnan/13662

John Hargreaves Ex MLA11:30 am 25 May 14

dungfungus said :

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

The ladies I know and have known over my many years would be insulted to the nth by your approach. Your wife indeed has a most unsatisfactory husband and one who clearly has no respect for her.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA11:19 am 25 May 14

Mr Evil said :

John, the way you are carrying on, anyone would think Tony had embarked on his own personal fanboy crusade and used taxpayers’ money to fund a tacky statue of a dead federal politician who ‘allegedly’ had ties to organised crime……..

Sir, you are aptly titled. In the facts, repeat, facts of the matter, Mr Grassby (who you lack the courage to name) was cleared of the scurrilous accusations and, in fact sought to embrace an acceptance of people from overseas.

Contrast this with the fact that Mr Abbott lied to us before and after the election and it was he who has empower Mr Morrison to foster ethnophobia an intolerance in our hearts.

That you appear to support such evil shows the aptness of your self titling.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA11:14 am 25 May 14

Masquara said :

Must Riotact give John Hargreaves this much airtime?

I always thought that I lived in a country which espoused free expression. I always thought that being away from public life for nearly 2 years, I would be allowed the same privileges as the ordinary bloke in the street.

I also thought that there were a heap of people who are uncomfortable in hearing truths as felt by others and there were some self righteous contributors like Masquara, well up in the contributor count who could do with some reality checking.

Censorship by request not to publish is the stuff of fascists.

rosscoact said :

Masquara said :

Must Riotact give John Hargreaves this much airtime?

Does this mean that you want censorship of people who you don’t agree with?

Hargreaves retired from politics two years ago after being paid by ACT ratepayers for at least 10 years. I am not sure what he did before then but being a Labor politician he was probably a trade union official. He continues to be sustained by the ACT ratepayers by way of very generous superannuation benefits.
This is the guy that banned fireworks for the people but allowed the Government to still use them.
I visualise him sitting on his couch at home with several cats on his lap quaffing claret while watching RockWiz. I guess he is an alright sort of bloke but he should stay out of politics permanently.

Kim F said :

Don’t forget the Tonester also thought it appropriate that the taxpayer fund his trips so he could do his triathlons. Nose – trough – buried in it!

Yes, Abbott was a bit of a exhibitionist showing his physical prowess at the Port Macquarie Triathlon.
Unlike passive Wayne Swan who flew in an AirForce VIP jet from Brisbane to Melbourne to watch an AFL match.

Queen_of_the_Bun7:17 am 25 May 14

justin heywood said :

justin heywood said :

HiddenDragon said :

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but ……

…but everybody hates Abbott so it’s not REALLY hypocrisy?

Sorry I stuffed the quoting up there you HD. Not your comment at all.

It’s not hypocrisy if someone uses their children to boost their electoral chances. It’s a bit like Joe Hockey crying “It was a private moment with my son who I hadn’t seen for three weeks” when he got caught out dancing before handing down the budget. Here’s a tip – if you are having a private moment, don’t invite a News Ltd photographer in to capture the moment.

Masquara said :

Must Riotact give John Hargreaves this much airtime?

Does this mean that you want censorship of people who you don’t agree with?

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

Flattered.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

dungfungus said :

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

It’s new because Pyne is impoverishing tomorrow’s uni students

Seeing on TV the disgusting behaviour of the riff raff that represents today’s students “demonstating” confirms that they are already impoverished.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA6:47 pm 24 May 14

Masquara said :

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Not that I know of. But that doesn’t remove the fact that for the public, pollies must be transparent. In this case transparency has been a casualty and no amount of smoke screening will change that.

In the court of public opinion, Mr Abbott has been tried and found guilty not only of sleazy behavior but also rank nepotism.

I would ask: your daughter,wife, partner had run second in a job in Geneva as we have just seen, would you not be suspicious? I think so.

Also,if your daughter told you that another girl had got a scholarship no one knew was available and she was the daughter of a good friend of the person giving the scholarship,wouldn’t you be upset? I think so and rightly.

If a man winked sleazily at an image of your wife, how would you feel?

John, the way you are carrying on, anyone would think Tony had embarked on his own personal fanboy crusade and used taxpayers’ money to fund a tacky statue of a dead federal politician who ‘allegedly’ had ties to organised crime……..

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

I expect many of your colleagues thought of it.

Must Riotact give John Hargreaves this much airtime?

John Hargreaves Ex MLA5:43 pm 24 May 14

dungfungus said :

milkman said :

dungfungus said :

Most young people drive modern, new cars and they range in price from $20K. They are usually financed by a loan.
The cost of a 4 year arts degree at ANU for an Australian is about $20K. An Arts graduate fro ANU will easily get a job in Canberra and the starting salary will be about $50K pa so where is the “struggle” and the “hardship”?
Tony Abbott isn’t a wealthy person (check out the financial interest register) and he has only been earning the PM level salary for 6 months and that is not $500K as you claim.
Past Labor PMs were exceptionally wealthy – did that bother you too? Rudd regularly appeared on the election forum with his wealthy wife and family. I guess you would agree he is a regular Australian.

Many young people also take a gap year and travel overseas.

I’m not a fan of deregulating university study, but to suggest people won’t be able to afford it is simply not true.

And if we want to speak about ‘fair’, how about bringing back conscription…?

Yeah, conscription was the only raffle I ever won.

Yeah… I spent my two years in Nash, had two jobs to feed my family, and got a degree when I was 40. When the Libs were in I couldn’t afford to go to uni, so thanks to Whitlam et all, I could.

Charging people for an education is criminal. Don’ care what your politics are! Free education and health should be the kids by right!

John Hargreaves Ex MLA5:37 pm 24 May 14

dungfungus said :

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

It’s new because Pyne is impoverishing tomorrow’s uni students

John Hargreaves Ex MLA5:36 pm 24 May 14

Gibbo said :

According to an article in The Guardian, Frances was the second to receive the scholarship within the 25 years of the existence of the college http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/22/former-classmates-angry-scholarship-abbotts-daughter

Sorry. My info was one out. But… The other girls in her class didn’t know you could even apply. Strange that!

Don’t forget the Tonester also thought it appropriate that the taxpayer fund his trips so he could do his triathlons. Nose – trough – buried in it!

“The Whitehouse Scholarship”. Was this named after the notorious British prude Mary Whitehouse who financed the establishment of Fred Nile’s organisation in the 1970s and kickstarted the Moral Majority in the US? The daughter of Tony Abbott getting the first one? That sounds about right.

milkman said :

dungfungus said :

Most young people drive modern, new cars and they range in price from $20K. They are usually financed by a loan.
The cost of a 4 year arts degree at ANU for an Australian is about $20K. An Arts graduate fro ANU will easily get a job in Canberra and the starting salary will be about $50K pa so where is the “struggle” and the “hardship”?
Tony Abbott isn’t a wealthy person (check out the financial interest register) and he has only been earning the PM level salary for 6 months and that is not $500K as you claim.
Past Labor PMs were exceptionally wealthy – did that bother you too? Rudd regularly appeared on the election forum with his wealthy wife and family. I guess you would agree he is a regular Australian.

Many young people also take a gap year and travel overseas.

I’m not a fan of deregulating university study, but to suggest people won’t be able to afford it is simply not true.

And if we want to speak about ‘fair’, how about bringing back conscription…?

Yeah, conscription was the only raffle I ever won.

Queen_of_the_Bun2:57 pm 24 May 14

dungfungus said :

Queen_of_the_Bun said :

dungfungus said :

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

Because Tony Abbott – who along with most of his Cabinet (and me) received free university education – last week put university education further out of the reach of most young people. He pretends to be in touch with the struggles of ordinary families, yet his child received a secretive scholarship.

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but Mr Abbott was happy to put his daughters front and centre of his election campaign as proof that he is a regular guy. That makes them fair game if they are found to have received preferential treatment that the majority of the population don’t have access to.

This is symbolic of this overly conservative government’s approach. All young people must EARN OR LEARN – Mark Latham first used that TLA BTW – but we have a Prime Minister who on $500k a year can afford to put his children through uni but doesn’t have to because someone else picks up the tab.

Then after graduating his daughter gets a job from the same person picking up the tab – and the private tertiary education sector gets permission to charge whatever they like for students. Coincidence?

His daughter won’t need the dole because she is “working as a teacher’s aide”
http://www.smh.com.au/national/system-that-awarded-scholarship-to-frances-abbott-is-still-a-mystery-20140523-38ue3.html at Whitehouse, the same place she was given a $60k scholarship to study at. Of course people like Mr Abbott cannot understand what regular Australians go through, because they’ve never seen their children struggle to get a job and pay off their HECS.

Most young people drive modern, new cars and they range in price from $20K. They are usually financed by a loan.
The cost of a 4 year arts degree at ANU for an Australian is about $20K. An Arts graduate fro ANU will easily get a job in Canberra and the starting salary will be about $50K pa so where is the “struggle” and the “hardship”?
Tony Abbott isn’t a wealthy person (check out the financial interest register) and he has only been earning the PM level salary for 6 months and that is not $500K as you claim.
Past Labor PMs were exceptionally wealthy – did that bother you too? Rudd regularly appeared on the election forum with his wealthy wife and family. I guess you would agree he is a regular Australian.

Really? Most of the young people I know drive used cars that they’ve bought for between $2k and $8k. My own car would be worth $6k at the most.

I applaud your acknowledgment that debt is good and worthy. Just as most Australians run a deficit to pay off their home loans. I take it that means you accept that governments must run deficits to pay for things from time to time – eg keeping people in jobs.

Re Kevin and Therese Rudd – they are independently wealthy. What’s your point? They have disclosed their income unlike our current very honest Prime Minister http://www.news.com.au/national/tony-abbotts-secret-710000-home-loans/story-e6frfkvr-1225882959756

dungfungus said :

Most young people drive modern, new cars and they range in price from $20K. They are usually financed by a loan.
The cost of a 4 year arts degree at ANU for an Australian is about $20K. An Arts graduate fro ANU will easily get a job in Canberra and the starting salary will be about $50K pa so where is the “struggle” and the “hardship”?
Tony Abbott isn’t a wealthy person (check out the financial interest register) and he has only been earning the PM level salary for 6 months and that is not $500K as you claim.
Past Labor PMs were exceptionally wealthy – did that bother you too? Rudd regularly appeared on the election forum with his wealthy wife and family. I guess you would agree he is a regular Australian.

Many young people also take a gap year and travel overseas.

I’m not a fan of deregulating university study, but to suggest people won’t be able to afford it is simply not true.

And if we want to speak about ‘fair’, how about bringing back conscription…?

justin heywood12:33 pm 24 May 14

justin heywood said :

HiddenDragon said :

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but ……

…but everybody hates Abbott so it’s not REALLY hypocrisy?

Sorry I stuffed the quoting up there you HD. Not your comment at all.

Queen_of_the_Bun said :

dungfungus said :

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

Because Tony Abbott – who along with most of his Cabinet (and me) received free university education – last week put university education further out of the reach of most young people. He pretends to be in touch with the struggles of ordinary families, yet his child received a secretive scholarship.

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but Mr Abbott was happy to put his daughters front and centre of his election campaign as proof that he is a regular guy. That makes them fair game if they are found to have received preferential treatment that the majority of the population don’t have access to.

This is symbolic of this overly conservative government’s approach. All young people must EARN OR LEARN – Mark Latham first used that TLA BTW – but we have a Prime Minister who on $500k a year can afford to put his children through uni but doesn’t have to because someone else picks up the tab.

Then after graduating his daughter gets a job from the same person picking up the tab – and the private tertiary education sector gets permission to charge whatever they like for students. Coincidence?

His daughter won’t need the dole because she is “working as a teacher’s aide”
http://www.smh.com.au/national/system-that-awarded-scholarship-to-frances-abbott-is-still-a-mystery-20140523-38ue3.html at Whitehouse, the same place she was given a $60k scholarship to study at. Of course people like Mr Abbott cannot understand what regular Australians go through, because they’ve never seen their children struggle to get a job and pay off their HECS.

Most young people drive modern, new cars and they range in price from $20K. They are usually financed by a loan.
The cost of a 4 year arts degree at ANU for an Australian is about $20K. An Arts graduate fro ANU will easily get a job in Canberra and the starting salary will be about $50K pa so where is the “struggle” and the “hardship”?
Tony Abbott isn’t a wealthy person (check out the financial interest register) and he has only been earning the PM level salary for 6 months and that is not $500K as you claim.
Past Labor PMs were exceptionally wealthy – did that bother you too? Rudd regularly appeared on the election forum with his wealthy wife and family. I guess you would agree he is a regular Australian.

justin heywood12:10 pm 24 May 14

HiddenDragon said :

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but ……

…but everybody hates Abbott so it’s not REALLY hypocrisy?

HiddenDragon10:52 am 24 May 14

Insinuendos of nepotism/patronage/favouritism – shock! horror! – that would never, ever happen in Labor circles, would it……..

Queen_of_the_Bun10:51 am 24 May 14

dungfungus said :

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

Because Tony Abbott – who along with most of his Cabinet (and me) received free university education – last week put university education further out of the reach of most young people. He pretends to be in touch with the struggles of ordinary families, yet his child received a secretive scholarship.

I’m not a fan of picking on families of politicians, but Mr Abbott was happy to put his daughters front and centre of his election campaign as proof that he is a regular guy. That makes them fair game if they are found to have received preferential treatment that the majority of the population don’t have access to.

This is symbolic of this overly conservative government’s approach. All young people must EARN OR LEARN – Mark Latham first used that TLA BTW – but we have a Prime Minister who on $500k a year can afford to put his children through uni but doesn’t have to because someone else picks up the tab.

Then after graduating his daughter gets a job from the same person picking up the tab – and the private tertiary education sector gets permission to charge whatever they like for students. Coincidence?

His daughter won’t need the dole because she is “working as a teacher’s aide”
http://www.smh.com.au/national/system-that-awarded-scholarship-to-frances-abbott-is-still-a-mystery-20140523-38ue3.html at Whitehouse, the same place she was given a $60k scholarship to study at. Of course people like Mr Abbott cannot understand what regular Australians go through, because they’ve never seen their children struggle to get a job and pay off their HECS.

This happened 3 years ago so why is it news now?

justin heywood9:36 am 24 May 14

Really? After all that Abbott has done this week, the best you’ve got is a claim that “a young lady I know just showed me” and then regurgitate some Guardian article.

It’s not as though like nepotism and cronyism are foreign concepts to you or for side of politics John. On your own way out of politics, didn’t you try and wrangle a preselection for someone in your own family?

HardBallGets10:36 pm 23 May 14

“Wish I’d thought of this when I was an MLA.”

Probably would have buggered it up John.

According to an article in The Guardian, Frances was the second to receive the scholarship within the 25 years of the existence of the college http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/22/former-classmates-angry-scholarship-abbotts-daughter

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