A bunch of 14 year olds show up Tony Abbott

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, March 23rd, 2014 - 17 comments
Categories: australian politics - Tags:

Recently Australian PM Tony Abbott decided to speak to a group of 14 year olds who were visiting Parliament. Unluckily for him this particular group of 14 year olds were very sophisticated and asked him a series of questions which neatly skewered four of his main policy positions. My faith in democracy was increased by what I saw. In fact the film made me think that we should reduce the minimum voting age to 14 such was the sophistication and the understanding that I witnessed.

The first three questions were doozies.

He was asked about climate change and said that he was going to plant more trees and use better technology.  He said that he was not going to go ahead with the carbon tax because it was not going to help the environment and then contradicted himself by agreeing that price signals did have an impact.  He finished off by criticising Labor’s plan to purchase overseas credits “from some dodgy carbon dealer from Kzakhstan”.

The next question was why was he so against legalising gay marriage?  The questioner said she had a lot of gay friends and it was really sad to think that they could not get married.

Abbott said he was happy with gay people having loving permanent relationships but “it was a definitional thing”.

The next question from a 14 year old was outstanding because he would not have been more than two years old at the time of the incident he asked about.

He asked Abbott why does he think that following Howard’s footsteps with the Tampa and turning back asylum seekers is a good idea.

Abbott responded by suggesting that it was a safety issue and he was trying to stop people from drowning and that he was protecting the Australian way of life.  Follow up questions about why should he do it in International waters and did he know it is a human right to seek asylum in another country were unanswered.  Many in the civilised world would love to ask Abbott this question.

You get the feeling from Abbott’s answers that they were aimed at 12 year old comprehension levels and this particular bunch of bright 14 year olds were dissatisfied with what he said.

The final question was an absolute ripper and the ALP should repeat the question in Parliament. A young woman asked:

Not saying I don’t trust you or anything, just wondering, just a simple question: why is a man a minister for women? And why is a man in control of the rights for women?”

Abbott’s answer did not address the question.  He joked that more women should join the Liberal Party.  I am pretty sure that amongst that group of young people the chances of this happening are now slim.

The video is below. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yBZwu5bAEdo

17 comments on “A bunch of 14 year olds show up Tony Abbott ”

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  1. Foreign Waka 1
    23 March 2014 at 9:22 am

    The young lady’s question is one that many women are asking. The past and current answer comes from households in Australia and NZ. The outcry that the government should not interfere in the homes of its citizens. Thus, abuse, neglect and death is still seen as something for which advertisement has to be implemented to get people to come forward. No law can stop the death of babies, abuse and murder of women in domestic circumstances. It has to come from the mind and soul of the people.
    My belief is that the inclination of male dominance has not changed – the increased violence and wars speak for themselves. Therefore, it is necessary to have gender specific laws and representatives in the same way as many purport this to be true for race specific issues. Look at the disparage of women demanding of pay equity. This is the perceived “mildest” form of discrimination – and oh so accepted and defended by: Men.
    If the gravy train can be cut out many things such as Plunket line, Refuge, the Salvation Army etc could be funded. This would also be a means of having feedback or a pulse on the wider issues. But NZ has chosen the way of greed, ignorance and disestablishment of a functioning framework that supports everyone, not just a few. It remains to be seen at the next election whether this is the way it will be in the future too.
    It is encouraging that young women are asking these questions about gender equality.

  2. David H 2
    23 March 2014 at 9:40 am

    At least he could answer the questions. Imagine if it had been our own dear TricKey. He’d have mumbled, and ran as fast as he could.

  3. Richard Christie 3
    23 March 2014 at 10:19 am

    The fool still hasn’t linked climate change with a future deluge of refugees.

  4. tc 4
    23 March 2014 at 12:16 pm

    Imagine TA and our very own PG going at it, 2 vacuous neo liberal constructs producing enough hot air for a ballon rallly.

    • Once was Tim 4.1
      23 March 2014 at 1:39 pm

      ….. an unregulated/poorly regulated balloon rally at that.
      And what chance of a good outcome if the full extent of the neo-lib agenda as it affects balloon rallies ever came to pass.

  5. Macro 5
    23 March 2014 at 12:25 pm

    I wonder if he is stupid enough to talk a group of 14 year olds again? 🙂
    He probably is.

  6. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 6
    23 March 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Great work from that group of teenagers. They appear to do a better service to political analysis and information gathering in an hour or so than our papers and TV programmes have for 30 years.

    Perhaps we need a group of teenagers to start up a news service here – seeing as the older generations in the mainstream appear to have given up on the value of accurate information and informed questioning and analysis.

    Go the teenagers!

  7. adam 7
    23 March 2014 at 1:35 pm

    It’s not often I agree with Paul Keating, but Abbott is a intellectual wasteland. The lunatic fringe has taken control of Australian.

  8. ghostwhowalksnz 8
    23 March 2014 at 6:11 pm

    Abbots Minister of Aboriginal Affairs was born in London

    The Assistant Treasurer is a Crook

  9. mac1 9
    23 March 2014 at 6:32 pm

    Smart kids, taught well- supportive, thoughtful, aware.

  10. lolitas brother 10
    23 March 2014 at 9:03 pm

    lot of good things going on in Australia Micky, quite difficult things which will take Australia forward. Socialism and dreaming are dead Greg, we must build our countries, and I personally will help build New Zealand. You can live in the past, and we will never remember you. The welfare State date is dead, dead, dead, Micky . We love Cunliffe and McCarten so much.

  11. Philj 11
    23 March 2014 at 9:05 pm

    Xox
    Check out the movie on YouTube “Idiocracy”. It’s too close to the bone.

  12. tricledrown 12
    23 March 2014 at 10:11 pm

    Will tony budgee brains wife become an Australian citizen
    Or will she be extradited for budgie smuggling!

  13. fambo 13
    24 March 2014 at 8:52 am

    Note from Abbot to Education Minister – time to start following the lead of New Zealand and dumbing down the education system