Don't give the Johnny-come-lately Tony Abbott any credit, it was Kevin Rudd and Labor who, with a great to-do at the time abolished the successful Howard solution, managing to create a market and cash windfall for the criminal gangs in people smuggling.

Julia Whatshername and her Greens sidekicks with Bob Brown at the helm also deserve credit for their role in facilitating the people smuggling trade,

http://www.frequency.com/video/julia-gillard-bob-brown-australia-youre/13937776

To top it all off it was Kevin Rudd again who, for short-term gain during Julia Whatshername's ill-fated 12 month election campaign, ill-advisedly politicised relations between Indonesia and Australia, and make a stack of expensive promises to Indonesia.

Supporters of Julia Whatshername would argue that the Real Julia had more of a hand in the people smuggling pie than that &^%*%^ Rudd would ever admit and it is his fault and his misogyny that she doesn't get all of the credit she truly deserves for the expensive mess. As well, the Grrls of Emily's List are just not getting the credit they are due for stuffing State and now federal Labor as well. Discriiiiiimmmmmination! Misogyny!!

otb,

Nice to see "Mr I'll Defend Women's Honour" refers repeatedly to Julia Gillard as Julia Whatshername.

Does he give the male leaders the same treatment?

Lets have a look...

"To top it all off it was Kevin Rudd..."

No?

"....her Greens sidekicks with Bob Brown..."

No?

".... it was Kevin Rudd and Labor who..."

No?

"Don't give the Johnny-come-lately Tony Abbott any credit..."

No?

Lol!

Abbott's apology to Indonesia for the live cattle ban was for a great injustice done to thousands of those that lost their jobs and millions of the poor that saw basic food become scarce and expensive.

The apology was in line with Dudd's obsequious apology to the stolen generations for injustices committed by previous governments.

The immediate increase in live cattle quota by 20% this week is directly due to Abbott's statesmanship, compared to the idiocy of the previous 6 years.

"Abbott's statesmanship"

A candidate for today's best oxymoron.

You've really got it bad, SM, if you think Abbott's halting performance was an example of "statesmanship".

"The apology was in line with Dudd's obsequious apology to the stolen generations for injustices committed by previous governments."

Really? You are one lost soul if you equate those. The Australian government is a continuum and we do not blame one parliament for one thing and another for the other. Furthermore, it was a deserved apology and internal, none of this international forelock-tugging. Abbott is a tugger alright, and a pussy.

"....Abbott's statesmanship", hohoho, don't you mean Indonesia's need? It will import no more and no less than it needs under its quota system designed to encourage national self-sufficiency

An example of the the flavour of this policy is at http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/04/18/govt-increase-import-quota-prime-cuts-beef.html

You really do cause me giggles at times, Shal, such is your desperation to make every LNP move appear swan-like and graceful. How about less secrecy for starters, so we really know what's going on under the water, as is our right?

P, Lucyface,

You left whingers are hilarious, you are all fighting a battle that was lost a long time ago. Abbott thrashed Labor and the greens. You can't bring yourself to admit that so far he has proved himself a better statesman than either Dudd or Juliar.

Fortunately the rest of Australia does not agree with you. As in the SMH

"Tony Abbott has emerged from bilateral talks with his Indonesian counterpart, President Susilo Bambang Yodhoyono, genuinely able to say that the bilateral relationship has been strengthened. Quite an achievement given the dire warnings of imminent relationship breakdown over his ultra-tough border protection policies...

Surprisingly, the newly elected Abbott was not just sure-footed but flexible, showing no need for ''L-plates'' on his first outing on the international stage. Rather, he projected strength and purpose in Australia's interests, and respect and sensitivity for the host country."

You should give your Prime Minister some credit.