Coup de (dis)grâce (on the overthrow of Australia's conservative Prime Minister)

The Spectator (Australia) ^ | 19th September 2015

[naturalman1975]

The knifing of Tony Abbott will go down as one of the most destructive and arrogant acts of political bastardry this nation has yet seen. In many ways, it surpasses Labor’s two similarly bloody coups, so forensically explored in Sarah Ferguson’s superb Killing Season documentary, for the simple reason that Mr Turnbull’s treachery was done despite the knowledge that the electorate genuinely deplore such brutality. If there was, indeed, one clear lesson to come from the Rudd/Gillard danse macabre, it is that the voters prefer to do the knifings in the sanctity of the ballot box, and have little time for those who are egotistical and presumptuous enough to take the task upon themselves.

Tony Abbott PM was a class act, as the electorate will come to appreciate over the next few months and years. The measure of his achievements in less than two short, frenetic years in office eclipses by a country mile the achievements of any government, state or federal, since the early Howard years.

[naturalman1975]

Cover image for this week's issue. For reference (as I suspect that they may not be recognised) the two people depicted are Malcolm Turnbull - Australia's new Prime Minister, and new Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, who was Tony Abbott's Minister for Communications, and Julie Bishop who was Abbott's Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, and who has retained that role under Turnbull, as she has retained her role as Foreign Minister (she isn't Deputy Prime Minister, because in the coalition government, that role is held by the Leader of the National Party, Warren Truss). They are depicted standing in front of the flagpole that stands atop Australia's Parliament House in Canberra.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Do you mean Malcolm Turnbull - Australia’s new Prime Minister, who favors Islamic immigrants , had beheaded his own party leader ?

[Nextrush]

Its been pretty cutthroat in Australian politics with opinion polls driving thinking in both major parties with the four overthrows of party leaders in recent years.

Government by opinion polls seems to have literally taken hold ‘down under’.

[hosepipe]

Australia’s new greeting could become “BAD DAY”.. i.e. B’day

[dfwgator]

Crikey!

[canuck_conservative]

Tony Abbott was a good guy who stood up for the things that mattered.

He called out Islam as “a death cult”, said global warming was a scam, and supported a strong effort fighting ISIS in the Middle East. In many ways, he was a parallel to Canada’s Stephen Harper (and they both came to power about the same time).

So of course, the knives were out for Abbott from the beginning - that was expected from the Media and Opposition, but not from within his own party. May those 44 cowardly bastards live uncomfortably for what they did.

[canuck_conservative]

Sorry correction, 56 voted against Abbott, 44 supported him.

I meant those 56 weasels.

[RussCoit]

Any politician who doesnt support fag marriage is a lame duck now. Tony Abbott was always on borrowed time.

[Ann Archy]

Tony Abbott was GREAT!!! What the HELL happened??? GOODBYE AUSTRALIA!!

[naturalman1975]

He was electorally unpopular and so unlikely to win the next election. So his party replaced him as leader, and therefore as Prime Minister.

It’s not good - but it’s not disastrous either. It’s still better than having a Labor government.

[Ann Archy]

WHAT the HELL has happened to MANLY AUSTRALIA???

[naturalman1975]

I really don’t see what relevance it has to our masculinity :)

[OldNewYork]

It’s been sickening watching Turnbull’s smug smile and smarmy body language since this. He should be ashamed.

[odds]

"WHAT the HELL has happened to MANLY AUSTRALIA???"

I get your meaning.. but your comment is a bit funny, because "Manly" is actually the name of a rather affluent suburb of Sydney - Australia, a spot for surfers too, and it's still here! Photo below ;)