It never fails to surprise me that as soon as what's considered
"the norm"is questioned - the divisiveness into left and
right whinger teams raises its head. The football mentally
comes into play. You either support your own team or you're
out!

We seem to be genuinely unable to engage with rational
discussion and ideas and
political views that are different to our own.
Goodness me
even daring to watch TV programs like "The Project
or read different newspapers
to the acceptable "norm""of the NewsCorp media - is a NO, NO!

I had assumed that to question Mr Abbott's current
appointment was
a fair thing to do. His appointment after all does add to the
perception that there is a double standard - when he
receives a travel exemption - while other Australians don't.

Also I see nothing wrong with questioning the appropriateness
of a former Australian PM being given a senior trade role
in which he will be negotiating for the benefit of another
nation against the interests of his own. A point raised by
conservative journalist and radio broadcaster - Steve Price.

Mr Abbott now has the job of promoting another country,
even if it means disadvantaging Australian farmers, producers
and exporters. And he'll be doing all of that while still
receiving a pension funded by the Australian taxpayer.

Should the Australian public be paying him
to advance another country's interests?

Seems like a fair question to me. And if that makes me a "Leftie
Whinger" I'll wear that title with honour!

I would say that Tony Abbott was hired for his knowledge of Oz markets, & Oz industrial capacity. After Brexit the Poms will be wanting to maximise trade with the old Commonwealth, & the UK market offers a huge market for us & us for them. In the same way the UK will be looking to us, NZ, Canada & India to offer goods to replace much of what they currently source from the EU.

Tony with his knowledge of both countries is probably uniquely qualified for the position to advantage both countries.

Mr O he also has an economics degree, but I won't hold that against him any more than his arts degree. It is a pity so many kids are misguided into studying such useless disciplines, but as kids they don't know enough to avoid the useless.

Two questions that need to be cleared up:

1) I think it is a fair question to ask for clarification
as to whether Tony Abbott's job as a high level trade
adviser to the UK will see him work to advance the
interests of British exporters and farmers at the
expense of Australian producers.

2) He is currently being paid an annual pension as a
former Prime Minister of - $307.542, plus extra entitlements
which include all sorts of perks including travel. He's
currently earning more than he did as an MP.

Will he receive a salary from his UK job - and in that case
will he lose his Australian pension funded by the Australian
taxpayer?

Australians on a pension are not allowed to be earning
salaries elsewhere.

All these things need clarification.

Phil,

Abbott did a combined Economics/Law degree. In those days he would have received a testamur in Economics then one in Law.

But he knew that these were just vocational degrees (like engineering, business, architecture, etc) which were great for getting a job but he obviously wanted to be seen as being smart as well as being a worker so he decided to do an Arts degree after these.

Same thing happened to me. I did an engineering degree but decided I wanted to be smart as well as being just an engineer so I went back to do some Arts degrees. Now I can hold down a job and be smart at the same time.

Foxy,

Abbott got paid for selling off Australia to China when he was PM so why shouldn't he get paid for selling us off to the UK as well?

I don't know Foxy, there's just no pleasing you.

Mr O,

It's not a question of pleasing me (I'm just a pleb
after all). It's questions of double-standards.