Actually, before anyone fires up, I've just seen footage where he's toned the grip right down, someone's giving him the right steer.

Luciface,

Stopping the live cattle trade was the singularly greatest diplomatic blunder in decades, and an apology was long overdue. Abbott has now re established the live cattle trade and repaired much of the labor damage.

It looks as though the coalition has re affirmed its credentials as far more competent in foreign affairs than labor.

Sticks and stones, remember that SM? why did you make me think of that?
Seems Abbott has banned all menu's from Parliament house.
He tells us what to eat so he says.
Rupert wants only one paper/comic book sold there too, the Australian, a criminals guide to shifty stuff, alternative names are tell them nothing or anything.

"Abbott has now re established the live cattle trade"
Has he? How do you measure that? Where are we now compared to three weeks ago, say?

Has he promised the Indo's they can abuse animals to their hearts' content and we'll turn a blind eye?

Has Abbott apologized in the hope everything returns to the way it was, including export volume and cruelty to animals?

We won't know anything because his discussions are a secret. Sshhh, we're at war and loose lips sink ships.

SM,

"It looks as though the coalition has re affirmed its credentials as far more competent in foreign affairs than labor."

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/abbotts-local-press-event-shuts-out-local-reporters/

"Despite Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s push to strengthen ties with Indonesia during a meeting with business and government delegates on Tuesday morning, a press conference following the breakfast was restricted to the Australian media.

Local media, including the Jakarta Globe, were not allowed to attend the press briefing that saw Abbott and Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, speak with Australian media.

Umar Idris, the chairman of the Jakarta branch of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), said it was the first time he had heard of a case where local journalists had been excluded from a conference, and condemned the move."

The first time....

These idiots are cowboys.

Further to, from http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/more-needed-to-encourage-live-cattle-trade-from-australia-to-indonesia-tony-abbott-20131001-2uq6g.html

"Indonesia is facing a shortage of cattle and skyrocketing prices after its disastrous introduction in 2011 of a self-sufficiency program. Mr Abbott blamed that policy on Australia's short-lived ban on live cattle imports in the wake of animal cruelty revelations, but it has as much to do with Indonesian economic nationalism."

So the live cattle trade was affected by internal Indonesian policy on food production which has failed and the policy is being reversed.

If export volumes improve it will have nothing to do with Abbott's sickening, obsequious apology.

On another matter, Barnaby Joyce won't be happy with the Indo plan to buy our grazing land and vertically integrate our national produce into its needs. Why don't we sell 51 year leases instead of freehold?