I think I missed something. Admittedly, I'm not particularly bright, but that 'debate' lost me. Let's see:

* it's sexist, even misogynist, to use the word 'she'.

* a homosexual pervert who harasses young guys sends text messages with the most revolting misogynist - 'hateful of women' - content. Well, what else would you call it ?

* Abbott moves a motion to force Slipper out of the Speaker's position, quite properly;

* In defence of a misogynist, the Prime Minister accuses Abbott of misogyny, and goes into a faux-rant (I've been a school-teacher, so I know how to do one), using a trick that is absolutely out of bounds for Abbott, i.e. that she is a woman, and therefore can beat Abbott around the head with that, and he's got to take it.

* with Slipper's vote, the Government defeats the motion by one vote.

* Slipper resigns, mainly under pressure from some honorable Independents. Not from Bandt, not even from Wilkie or Katter - and certainly not from the Government - but from Oakeshott and Windsor.

* The Government now relies on Slipper's vote, and Thomson's vote. Apart from Thomson, the Labor Party has 69 seats in Parliament, and the Liberal-National coalition has 73, is that right ?

My vote has always - eventually - gone to my local Labour member, I like him, he's a good bloke. (Am I allowed to use that word ? So confusing.) But that was it. I don't know if one can be fined for declaring that one is going to vote 'informal' - but I can't bring myself to vote Liberal.

So let the chips fall where they may.

Come to think of it, yes, this Government should die of shame. Spot-on.

Joe

An informal vote is the squibs way. A mighty fine speech was given by Julia. It just goes to show, don't tangle with a female in a corner.
Abbott deserved every bit of it, as the blood drained from his rosy cheeks, he looked like death reincarnated.
A smash hit around the world.
The noalition one day will ask some valid questions in question time, i can sense it coming. Then again there's always some grime around.
I am convinced Abbott is not the least bit interested in politics, he just wants to be number one.

Here are more examples of the rampant sexism and hypocrisy of the labor party:

Mark Latham just before he became leader of the opposition (under which Juliar served) referred to a female liberal MP as a Skanky Hoe. There was no apology.

At the union convention in parliament building the comedian made a terribly sexist joke at which half the Labor front bench were present. Wayne Swan gave a speech directly afterwards and made no comment then, but only the next afternoon when the story came out.

Juliar does not need to be lectured on sexism by Abbott, as she has had more experience of it in Labor than anywhere else.

Shadow Minister you dug deep to get that.
Sure sign you are aware Abbott and Jones are grubs.
I have marginally less respect for Latham than Gillard.
Enjoy your flight of fancy , I am,you are good for a grin.

Belly,

This was all on Australian Agenda today.

Sure sign that you know Juliar, Swan, Roxon, etc are also grubs. For any example of incorrect behaviour on the liberal side, there are two on the Labor side.

Christ almighty, 579, did you read what you just wrote ? And compared it to what others have written, i.e. me ? What people write is not a Black Box, about which you can easily detect anti-whatever your position is without actually examining it, then condemn them, but I urge you to look beyond spin and ideological position at what is actually on people's minds, what fuels the unease.

This is not some silly children's game of 'us good forever' vs 'them bad forever' - there are real issues here.

Just for example, Slipper makes some disgustingly misogynist remarks - yes ? no ? - and on those grounds Abbott tries to move a vote against Slipper returning to the Speaker's chair. Instead, should he have come out in support of Slipper making those comments ? Yes ? No ?

But the Labor government did.

Then the Prime Minister defends Slipper, a misogynist - right ? wrong ? Yes indeed, a very passionate speech, using a very dirty trick to keep Abbott quiet, mainly that she is a woman and has the right to shup Abbott, a man, up, to try to put him in a lose-lose situation. Quite properly, he didn't respond.

The Labor government defeats the motion, and saves the pervert Slipper, by one vote.

Then he resigns.

Now the Labor government relies on his vote, along with Thomson's, the votes of a pervert and a thief. And it knows it.

So do we.

How much lower can our party sink, 579 ? Yes, ours, the one that so many of us have always voted for.

But maybe not for a long time yet. Squibs 1, Labor Party 0.