Lets not beat about the bush.
Tony Abbott has a credibility issue.
He tells lies, punches walls, gets in
line to compete for a vote of the Independents.
He's even admitted on national television that
he can't be trusted with the "gospel truth."
Kerry O'Brien and Leigh Sales have made him
appear foolish and contradictory.
There's so many examples of his lies. All you
have to do is Google "tony abbott - lies,"
and see what comes up.

He's big on 3 word slogans, small on policy detail.

He's good on simple pledges of negativity that do
little more than try to emphasise the government's
supposed failings.

His "stop the boats," rhetoric only dog whistles the
community's xenophobes and bigots. His "scrap the tax,"
comforts only those who think climate change is crap.

As political commentators point out - Abbott's
campaign of "no," has lowered the bar on public
discourse. Political discourse as one commentator
claims has "descended into megaphone territory with
partisans using any and all platforms to besmirch,
ridicule and aggressively denounce those who don't agree
with their party's line."

"Skirmishes and biffs constantly break out on social media
and talk back radio, Christopher Pine is a perfect advocate
of this style. While confected conflict masquerades as news
on tabloid television and in print media."

We are all the poorer for it.

To vote for the same team that was kicked out in 2007,
would be a huge mistake. As Queensland, NSW, and Victoria,
are now finding out.

cont'd ...

In the 20th Century as a result of the Catholic
Education System when punishment was dealt out
for insignificant reasons pupils learned to lie
with the knowledge that all was forgiven in the
Confessional.

It appears that this influence has carried through
to many who have been educated in the Catholic
School Systems. We do know that Tony Abbott had
the benefit of such an education.

Lieing becomes inbred especially when great ambition
dominates one's life.

"Lieing becomes inbred especially when great ambition dominates one's life."

So that's why Juliar lies all the time!

You mean like this, Lexi?

http://www.smh.com.au/national/read-my-lying-lips-abbott-admits-you-cant-believe-everything-he-says-20100517-v9ge.html?rand=1274144300447

The lying issue isn't something restricted to the red-headed witch & the RAbbott, rather its endemic to the human race. Most of us aren't in, or even aspire to a position where it really matters. As Lexi correctly observes, a catholic upbringing does assist to some extent in encouraging less than ideal habits, but even that doesn't in the majority of cases, result in pathological liars like the RAbbott. JoolIAR however can't blame a catholic upbringing for her propensity to spout mistruths. A far more likely explanation for the production of male bovine droppings by most of the political persuasion is found in the words of Lord Acton in 1887 'Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men'. In the 1950s, David Brin expanded on the earlier statement with 'It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. Good people usually are not lured by power. They do not seem to require all of that recognition. We have so many examples of people doing good while staying behind the scenes and going largely unnoticed. For them, goodness seems to be its own reward.'

Its obvious then that lying, and indeed a host of other evils, results from allowing people to have power, without first placing very clearly defined limits on that power. We can't rely on the individuals on whom we confer power to regulate themselves, because thats tantamount to shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. A truly effective regulation system then must be not only developed by those who elect officialdom, but it must be maintained wholly by the people else it be watered down by those its intended to control.

Hi Poirot,
Sorry this is off topic. Noticed your post on 14 July 2010.
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=3793#92883
I am a historian researching Goodlet and Smith and would like to make contact with you re your great great grandfather.