Well he was experiencing some difficulty with his PPL scheme, and was slowly sinking in the polls; and still needed to convince the most gullible; the emotive fairer sex, he actually gave a tinker's dam about the better half of the human population!
And let's be perfectly fair, he has a Wife and Daughters; females, who mean the world to him!
A very wise man once said, you can fool some of the people all of the time!
So blame yourselves ladies, if you were taken in by a politicians promises; and your, I believe, cleverly manipulated emotional response!
It's your own stupid fault ladies! You were the innocent trusting fools taken in!
The answer here is to neither forget nor forgive the unforgivable; and simply put the incumbent last on the ballot paper, if only to ensure the next several govts are one term wonders!
At least until we get a new breed of pollie, who promise what they intend to deliver; when and how, come hell or high water!
If they were our employees, and proved that dismal, patently unscrupulous and inept as very highly paid (supposedly professional) employees, we would be entitled to give them the right royal chop! What say you?
Rhrosty.

Rhrosty
As you have strong opinions on every conceivable controversy, and now (correctly) express contempt for opportunist professional politicians, I'm sorry to see you leading Evelyn astray. You should be arguing that, if we are to have compulsory voting, we should be able to record a valid vote for "none of the incompetents".

I am all for trying to assist mothers to keep their babies if at all possible, as I know how awful the pain of adoption is for both mothers and their children.

However, there are many instances, mainly in poorer overseas countries, where there are orphaned children and babies available for adoption.

I agree with this Government in making adoption more accessible for overseas babies.
This author seems to think all prospective adoption babies have been torn from their unwilling parents, when that is not always the case.

Surely unwanted or orphaned overseas babies deserve the chance of an Australian upbringing?

There are not, actually thousands of "orphans" around the world. In some countries, such as Korea, a child is labelled an "orphan" if his or her parents are not married. Imagine if that happened in Australia and then we said that all Australian "orphans" were "available" to be adopted into other countries. Sometimes parents and family members in other countries place a child in an orphanage during times of poverty or famine, with the intention of going back to collect the child when their circumstances improve. Sometimes by the time they go to collect the child, an adoption has taken place without their consent. We have to look at the bigger picture and realise that the children are the future of any country and it is our job to help other countries to sustain their families and their communities, rather than conspiring to destroy them and denying these children the right to grow up among their own people, in their homeland.

Louisa you can't possibly know every abandoned or orphaned child's circumstances in other countries, and neither can I.

However, one only needs to see documentaries or news reports to show us the state of some of the overseas orphanages or childrens homes, to know that the kids are better off out of that environment at least.

You suggesting we don't allow overseas adoptions 'just in case the parents return to collect them' is a little naive.
If there are many loving prospective parents here in Australia willing to adopt these poor kids, then I think any cultural issues can be dealt with appropriately as well.

I'm sorry that you feel that the "cultural issues" can be dealt with so easily. Separation from one's parents, family, community, culture and country is not something that people just "get over". Sadly many grow up with a sense of shame around their culture and country of origin, because some people seem to think that "an Australian upbringing" is such a great prize and this shame can translate into being ashamed of who they are. Some also grow up with the expectation that they should be forever grateful for having been "rescued", which causes them a great deal of discomfort. In the long term, they often feel that they don't "fit" anywhere. When Australia apologised for past adoption separations, there was a group of adults who had been adopted into Australia who wanted to receive an apology also, as they didn't choose to be taken to another country and brought up in a different culture with people to whom they are not related. Sadly some people have not grown out of the old colonialist view that it's better to grow up as a stranger in an affluent country than to grow up among one's own people. Countries like Australia should be helping less affluent countries, not taking their children from them. If children are living in unacceptable situations in other countries then we have a moral obligation to share our expertise and experience with those countries, as well as our wealth. I accept that not everyone agrees with me but I would appreciate it if you did not misquote me, as this does not assist the discussion. I didn't suggest that I knew the circumstances of every child in an orphanage. Nor did I say that children should stay in orphanages "just in case" someone comes back for them.

Yes Suse, one only has to hark back to the deplorable inhuman conditions in some state run Romanian orphanages, were badly beaten children were left lying in the own feces, vomit and urine for days on end, fed occasionally, sometimes once a day, or every other day, and so on!
To understand the real human dimension here and the need for active affirmative adoption!
Were that there were concerned foreign parents wanting to get their kids back!

Leslie; Please be so kind as to show where I have mislead anyone?
Yes I am a creature of conviction, but not immutable rigidity!
Show me evidence, real not imagined, and you may get me to change any long held view!
And given voting is compulsory, why waste it on Mr informal, who has to date, to propose or do anything worthwhile.
At least if we ignored your incredibly simplistic advice, we would at least compel change eventually, whereas, if we followed your simplistic advice, the politicians would do as they've always done; and accept the voters effective silence as consent/vote for the incumbent!
Whereas, if there were continuous turnover, the pollies would get the message very quickly, and start finally listening to their constituents.
Around 40% of voting age young people simply don't vote!
Why?
Because it's compulsory!
There are plenty of places and people who would give not just an arm or a leg, but their lives as well, just to have the opportunity to vote!
You however, don't consider it a real privilege?
So perhaps you should move to Russia or China, where you'll will not only be never asked to vote/express your opinion on proposed govt legislation; because that's what effectively happens when you actually vote; but prevented from actually doing so!
The 40% that currently don't vote, could if voting as an organized block, decide every election, instead of endlessly bitching about the quality of the candidates!
A few one term govts will change everything!
Rhrosty.

I agree Rhrosty, that it was very useful for the conditions in Romanian orphanages to be exposed to the world. As a result of this, Romania has banned intercountry adoption and has taken responsibility for looking after their own children in their own country. Excellent outcome all round and that's what should happen everywhere. The history of the Romanian orphanages is a complex one, however and it's not fair simply to blame the parents.

'Mr Abbott does not appear to be concerned that there are countries in which women are currently being coerced, are experiencing social stigma and do not have access to contraception or abortion '

It seems Mr Abbott shows more compassion and concern for the unborn child than Evelyn does. Its amazing how twisted the 'compassion' of the left becomes and then to demonise anyone standing for decency.

Alright Louisa, I will deal with actual quotes then.
Louisa "There are not, actually thousands of "orphans" around the world."
How could you possibly know that?
I bet there are hundreds of thousands of orphans around the world!

"I'm sorry that you feel that the "cultural issues" can be dealt with so easily",
I never said that now did I?
I said it it could be dealt with appropriately.

A good friend of mine was adopted from Korea by Aussie parents who took her back to Korea and ensured she knew as much about her culture as possible.
She was an orphan and has found her birth parent's death certificates, with help from her Aussie parents.
She is a happy contented lady who is glad she wasn't left to grow up unloved in a Korean orphanage, where she was found.

A girl I went to school with was an Aussie baby adopted here in Australia, and she was messed up and depressed about this adoption for as long as I can remember.

I guess what I am trying to say is that there are good and bad stories about adoption from wherever the children are adopted from.

I am sure that ignoring the plight of some very sad children in poor overseas children's homes just because they might miss their own people or culture later in life is not a good enough reason to avoid adoptions from other countries.
I say we should at least give them a chance at a reasonable life with love and family.

I would agree with Suze on this.

Adopted children are not ripped from the arms of their loving parents. In many countries they are abandoned, and without adoption can only expect a lonely miserable childhood.

My concern is not so much for the adoptees, but rather with the thousands left behind.

I don't understand your post, runner. Perhaps you'd like to explain it. The quote from the article about women who were being "... coerced, and experiencing social stigma and do not have access to contraception or abortion" is a quote from Mr Abbott himself. Perhaps you didn't read his speech (there is a link to it in the article.