P,

Are you are talking about the spying done under Labor's watch that caused the crisis.

Yes, it will take a while to repair the damage done by the two incompetent PMs fielded by Labor.

Hahahaha...SM,

Is that really the best you can come up with?

You forgot to mention Abbott's incredible talent.

It's not easy for a nation to choose a PM with absolutely no diplomatic skills whatsoever.

Exposes what a dud Peta Credlin is too.

She and her team are dreaming up the written statements for dimwit Abbott to read out on the floor of parliament - (coz he's not capable of articulation off his his own bat)

Congrats Australia.

(Did you note that SBY complained about the lack of contriteness - that was the point which rankled)

Hi Loudmouth,

<<You're onto something there, Poirot - WHY did Abbott authorise bugging back in 2009 ?
Wait a minute ...... I forget, was he Prime Minister back then ?>>

Great point --one of those inconvenient truths.
Another is this admission from the former Indonesian spy chief:

"Former intelligence chief Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono told the ABC's Newsline program he was not surprised by reports Mr Yudhoyono's phone had been tapped in 2009, as every embassy in the world carries out intelligence gathering.

"(In) every embassy in the world, there is a staff officer who carries out intelligence missions. What they do is [collect] information with any means, by all means, including... black methods," he said."

And it does make you wonder how much apologies are worth --including the stolen generation apology -- if they can be given so easily & expediently!

P,

"It's not easy for a nation to choose a PM with absolutely no diplomatic skills whatsoever."

Labor did it twice with Dudd and Juliar, who manufactured their own crises, and did more damage to our relationships than anyone else.

Considering that Indonesia has openly admitted spying on Australia, this diplomatic spat is being blown way out of proportion, I surmise by a government that sees an opportunity to get concessions from Aus with none from their side, and the posturing of Indonesian politicians prior to an election.

It is also not being helped by idiots in the ABC and guardian, and the green Tea party who have been bagging Indonesia for a decade, and suddenly want Abbott to grovel. It looks as though the Green Tea party is more interested in politics than the national interest.

While our relationship with Indonesia is not as toxic as when Indonesia was brutalising East Timor, we are still a long way from being allies. And while Indonesia would like to get us to commit not to spy on them while continuing to spy on us, I don't think that this is in any way in Australia's interest. I believe that this storm will blow over, and only an idiotic labor government would put all its cards on the table.

While for human trafficking Australia might need Indonesia more that the other way around, Indonesia is not stupid enough to sacrifice the relations with Aus and the US for something so trivial.

<<when Indonesia was brutalising East Timor>>

Just as a footnote to Shadow Ministers post above:

It is revealing that when Indonesians who were most aggrieved by the bugging were interviewed. They cited the bugging as up there with
Oz supporting East Timors independence.

In other words our first crime was to support East Timor right to self government --how do the lefty agitators feel about that one?
Should we apologize about that too?

Dear Shadow Minister,

Your claim about Kevin Rudd having no diplomatic
skills needs to be corrected.

Accordng to many world leaders Mr Rudd is one
of the most intelligent leaders they've ever
encoutnered. As a matter of fact the former
Prime Minister began his diplomatic career with
postings in Stockholm and Beijing from 1981 to 1988.
After the 2001 election Mr Rudd was appointed
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was appointed
Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Gillard Administration
and was sworn in on Sept. 14 2010, resigning from this
position two years later. His diplomacy played no small
part in our gaining a seat on the
Security Council.