runner,

I believe I was erred slightly when I said that Mr Abbott had apologised for non-disclosure.

Apparently the "apology" was for making a "flippant" comment to the SMH.. as in...."Misleading the ABC is not quite the same as misleading Parliament as a political crime."

The assumption being that Mr Abbott was, in fact, apologising to himself for allowing the slip up.

Abbott: "It was a flippant comment and, as I said, I shouldn't have made a flippant comment in response to the 'Sydney Morning Herald'."

Abbott: "I thought it was a throwaway line, it was a flippant comment...."

............

O'Brien: "Well did you mislead the ABC or not?"

Abbott: "I don't believe I did."

O'Brien: "Well, why did you say you did?"

Abbott: "Well, I was making a flippant comment."

Glad we've got all that cleared up.

Lexi, you have them on the run : )
The Liberal supporters were rabid in their condemnation of the so called lies of our PM, but can't take the heat when the holy Abbott is caught being naughty himself.

Cohenite, I dislike both Gillard and Abbott, so there would not be any point in making any bets.
I must admit to disliking Abbott slightly more though, so I do look forward to that court case...

Poirot

'There's your hero doing what he does best.' Sorry to disappoint you but Abbott has never been my hero. He is just a thousand miles ahead of any emily's listers who have proven to be deceitful and incompetent. I think you know that.

Funnily enough, I'd never heard of Emily's List until I joined OLO.

I think I'm wtih Suse on this one, not being impressed with either Gillard or Abbott.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....23 million people in a country and those two and their cronies are the best we can put up for leadership.....sheesh!

I must be a bit slow too Poirot, in that i first heard of Emily's List from the usual sermon from Runner on this site a few years ago.

I never had any compulsion to look it up until recently though...mainly because Runner was interested in it.

Now that I have, I must say I agreed with many of the women's issues they campaign for, except that it promotes Labor.

Abbott must hate that list...

Interesting discussion. Thanks.

Just a few observations:

Still confusion between associations and bank accounts. The term ‘fund’ refers to a bank account – not to the association which opened it.

Similarly, a trust is not an association. These distinctions are important.

@Arjay, re: “you have to realise both the Coalition and Labor have betrayed all Australians. They have sold us out to the concept of Global Governance by bankers and corporations”

Based on what, Arjay? This seems one area of significant difference between political parties.

No? Happy to discuss.

@cohenite, re: “It wasn't Abbott who prosecuted Ettridge for criminal offences you fool, it was the State of QLD; can you understand that?”

According to Anthony Green, “Hanson's criminal charges came about as a result of a civil action by an ex-One Nation candidate, Terry Sharples … After the civil finding of fraud, a criminal case on who perpetrated the fraud was always bound to follow.”

So Abbott was the initiator. Correct?

Re: “This is a distraction from the real, cogent complaints against Gillard and represents the left at its 'best'.”

Not according to Justice Applegarth, Anthony. Abbott has an actual case to answer. Unlike Ms Gillard.

Re: “we have these ratbags saying Abbott has lied, perverted the system and influenced the political process ...”

Abbott himself has admitted lying. Here, and elsewhere.

Whether he has perverted the system and exerted influence illegally is what Judge Applegarth considers worth exploring.

Re: “The initiator of all this was Sharples and Abbott's relationship with this person is neither Svengalic or dominant.”

How much money has Abbott’s slush fund paid to Sharples, Anthony? For what services rendered?

@Suseonline, re: “None of us can say how the case will go because none of us has the full facts about the contents of the allegations against Abbott except Ettridge and the lawyers.”

Precisely!

Finally, the PM has fronted exhaustive press conferences and answered endless questions from all comers. She has continued to answer them – even though repeated ad nauseum.

Why will no-one in the Press Gallery pop a question or two to Mr Abbott?

Cheers,