Talk to us, Tony
Manly Liberal MP Mike Baird has “strongly recommended” Opposition leader Tony Abbott break his silence towards the gay and lesbian community, and take up offers to meet with a community delegation.
Abbott is yet to respond publicly to offers from both Australian Coalition for Equality (ACE), and the Manly Gay and Lesbian Community (MGLC) group in his electorate, which both issued invitations for a meeting following comments by Abbott that he “felt threatened” by the GLBT community.
Repeated calls to Abbott’s office inviting him to take part in an interview with Sydney Star Observer also went unanswered.
Baird spoke to SSO after it was reported he had reneged on an invitation to meet with MGLC.
MGLC co-president David Burrell had invited both Baird and Abbott to a dance party scheduled this Saturday, March 20.
“We want to speak to them about some of the issues that concern us as people living in his electorate, in an environment that isn’t meant to be imposing or threatening, or a protest,” Burrell told SSO.
Those hopes were scuttled though after an online media report erroneously labelled the event “a protest”.
Burrell is again attempting to organise a community meeting for Sunday, April 18.
“The hand of friendship remains outstretched towards the group in any way, but I can’t go to an event that has been labelled an ‘anti-Abbott party’,” Baird said, before assuring he would do all he could to facilitate a community meeting with Abbott.
“I am very keen to offer any assistance I can. Tony is very approachable, I’m sure he would be open to meeting a delegation to discuss — at least, that would be my strong recommendation, and I’m certainly happy to convey those thoughts.”
Although Abbott is yet to publicly respond to any invitations from the gay and lesbian community, he did attempt to defend himself on ABC’s Four Corners, claiming, “I have many friends who are gay”.
“I have never had a personal issue with it,” he told the program, despite his record campaigning as a student politician to maintain the ban on homosexuality during the 1980s.
Look people. I am not gay. I have worked with gays. I am sick to death of Christians who are of the notion that gays and pedophiles are the same. Paedophilia is a condition associated with heterosexuals….98% I believe. Get an education before you start pushing your ignorant, dangerous belief systems on to others.
By the way…don’t worry I picked my spelling mistakes after I sent the statements…I really can’t be bothered searching midget writing panels for errors.
Tony Abbott is a lot brighter than he seems but is unsure of himself academicaly. He is faced with an academic twot called Rudd whom I supported who is spoken of as some kind of genius when he uisn’t. If Rudd has an IQ over “peak”142 I’ll eat my hat. Tony is a man of ethics and morals unlike New World order Israel and US fesse kissing Rudd. It’s all very well and good to slag off Abbott..and I loathe liberals…but in doing so you miss the work that goes into making moral decisions. If I were a homosexual I’d have Abbott any day over Rudd…Rudd is a weasel..Abbott is the real McCoy..unlike that twot Howard. A lot of you talk about Abbott’s pugnacity/boxing. I doubt Tony was ever a kickboxer but I was and I can assure you that some of us have more brains with our heads kicked in than a lot of you ave without it. Before you start mocking people, consider whether you have the intellect and experience to do so…if not and you are just a slagger who never has to face up…then say so, have some ethics. By the way sexual abuse persisist because almost all the exepets do not understand it and play “hurt”. One person…the world expert on Paedophilia agrees with my findings…it’s about time the rest of you snapped out of “it”and sought real educacion..the majority of the world is clueless about paedophilia and love to stay that way…. I add that real islanders (not the aboriginal and torres strait frauds we have around Australia ) don’t have our problems..they resolve and get on with life instead of inflictng guilt forever…We are actually over christiaed, zionist ignoramus hypocrites who have no idea which way is “up” in Christianity..in a word..”wankers”. Give me Abbott any day over Rudd and Gillard..he’s got some gonads and he’ll fight for you even if he disagrees with what you choose to be…or are …as for the rest of the liberals…shove off!!
Rob1966 – I guess we have to agree to disagree. You do not understand the political system or the reality of the Liberal Party and what your vote does to yourself or your community. I am sure a lot of us would vote conservative if it were not for the constant vilification and the way such vilification effects our day to day lives.
Take for example the Liberal Member who the SSO just wrote about who said we sexually abuse children more. He had open support from Tony Abbott to do this. Or what about Tony Abbotts meetings with the Brethren, who, Labor to there credit called a cult. The Brethren has run around distributing hate material about us. I have had to put up with my local Liberal Member saying in the local paper the Bordermail, open lies about us being bad for children also.
Discrimination and homophobia are a part of life. I know that. Change does happen slowly. But to support Political Parties who’s leaders give currency to hate groups? I respect myself and our community. It is stepping backwards not forward.
My first great love was bashed to death by people inspired by that sort of hate. I have lived through that hate. I will never support the Liberal Party that has given so much to these groups. I have seen what it does to people. Of course I support some of there policies but to vote for them is to disrespect that part of who I am. The Gay part.
Rob, when you said you were a gay conservative, I assumed you would vote for Abbott’s party. I’m glad you made your clarification. I have met gays who did vote the previous Coalition Government and to vote for Howard (or Abbott) – as opposed to (rightly) criticising Labor for its pathetic stance on same-sex marriage – does smack of self-hatred.
Perhaps if the Coalition had a free market approach to sexuality as they do with workplace relations. As it is, they’re stuck in the protectionist 1950s and it’s time to move on.
The Gay Abbott –not !!!!
At almost the same time as Tony Abbott claimed on 60minutes,
That homosexuality frightens him, the conservatives in the UK
Announced a list of Gay candidates to run in the up & coming election .
20 in fact , how different the countries are , worlds apart.
We had the homophobic Howard government for over 11 years,
& now in opposition, we still have far too many of the old homophobic Howardites
There to continue with their hatred of the countries gay population .
When will it end
@Pete and @Dave .. thanks for the lovely insult because someone dares to have poltiical views different to your own, and is bold enough to rise to the challenge on this forum to declae as much.
Unlike you I understand the Australian political system and as I don’t reside in Abbotts electorate I won’t be voting for him. I actually live in Plibersek’s electorate – and I won’t be voting for her either.
I may be a gay man, but that does not define everything about who I am – being gay is not (and never has been) the be all and end all of who I am. My life extends well beyond the tired and dirty ghetto of Oxford St, and while I disagree vehemently with any form of discrimination I accept that it occurs and it is a slow process to achieveing equality. Neither the current Labor or possible future Coalition governments will permit same-sex marriage – regardless of how much we may protest – because they are beholden to the interests of the fundamentalist religions and the likes of George Pell.
It is to those divisive groups and people that we should be targetting our campaign – hilighting their hypocrisy, their faux religion, their insidious control of politics. That is where your anger should be targeted.
Abbotschmabbot – “I don’t think there will be ANY difference weather we have someone in power who is for gay rights or is not”
Sorry but I disagree, the prime minister often has the final word on many decisions. Sure you have Oxford Street but what about day to day matters that affect us GLBT people ? Believe it or not but not all politicians “screw us over”, just because we have never had a prime minister who has not “screwed” us over here in Australia does not mean they don’t exist, or will ever exist.
I don’t think there will be ANY difference weather we have someone in power who is for gay rights or is not, politicians always just say that they are all for queer rights to get our vote, all politicians are like this, they play the whole “helping hand” thing but they then turn around and ignore us or just screw us over.
As long as I have Oxford Street I’m fine.
The only way to change government is a brutal approach – they did this in the past (ie stonewall riots etc) and it changed things, the only thing a moronic government will understand is a fist fight – not a verbal one.
I think Gay Liberal Voters have self hate. That is why they vote for leaders that hate them so much like Tony Abbott. They think that is all the can ever be. Hated. Everyone deserves some basic respect. It is your right.
Tony Abbott offers no hospital policy, no new education ideas, and business is scared of him touching the economy. Every business industry group has attacked Tony Abbott. I never thought they would attack the Liberal Party. Even the Church were he trained to become a Priest has spoken out against him ever becoming Prime Minister.
Tony Abbott has proven himself to be a dangerous man to all things. Not just people who are from our community.
Mike Baird is a spunk!
The ALP have shown themselves to be cowardly at times when it comes to gay rights. But why vote for Abbott? Gay conservatives can bag the Rudd Government and they may have a point. But to endorse the Coalition is bizarre. Certainly on gay human rights but also on economic credentials. Look at the mess the conservative Bush Administration left the US in. And Abbott is a tad flaky (to put it mildly) on economics.
And YES Rob1966,you would be doing the equivalent of voting for Hitler by voting for Abbott.Don’t try mske it better by saying thst you would look at all the policies.
WHAT A LOAD OF SH+T.
If you have not realised this maybe you should read some history book !
Rob1966 et al this is not about wether you or Pilbersek etc support gay marriage or not.What you and a lot of us have to realise is these people like Abbott etc believe being gay is a sin,is immoral, and they would quite happily put you in prison or more for it.Don’t try to make it better by saying otherwise,because it aint.The Labour party is marginally better in this respect,but again don’t assume that they will be fine about it.The REAL point is that that we should not be taking this CRAP from any party .This is 2010,we should have no less than GAY MARRIAGE here in Australia,NOT f+ckin civil unions etc.END OF STORY.THis is NOT about what we should do in public or private.These archaic,stupid politicians are a DISGRACE to the civilized world.We in Australia have NO TIME for these people and should make it very clear to them.
Chris et al this is not about wether you or Pilbersek etc support gay marriage or not.What you and a lot of us have to realise is these people like Abbott etc believe being gay is a sin,is immoral, and they would quite happily put you in prison or more for it.Don’t try to make it better by saying otherwise,because it aint.The Labour party is marginally better in this respect,but again don’t assume that they will be fine about it.The REAL point is that that we should not be taking this CRAP from any party .This is 2010,we should have no less than GAY MARRIAGE here in Australia,NOT f+ckin civil unions etc.END OF STORY.THis is NOT about what we should do in public or private.These archaic,stupid politicians are a DISGRACE to the civilized world.We in Australia have NO TIME for these people and should make it very clear to them.
Rory – how much money have you donated to the Liberal party this year ?
@Chris
I’m a gay conservative, but I don’t support Tony Abbott – I find his religious views abhorrent (just as a I do for Rudd), and his recent outburst about homosexuals insulting. But just because the leader of the party may be an idiot does not, in and of itself, mean I won’t vote Liberal at the next election – being gay is just one part of who I am, and I will consdier their party’s policies on merit in relation to a wide range of aspects.
I wonder though as you are so against Abbott, I assume you support Rudd Labor. I wonder what your opinion of Rudd is, when his religious views are as conservative (if not more so) than those of Abbott?
Assuming you are a Labor supporter, I wonder have you ever questioned Plibersek or Albanese on why they supported the changes to the federal Marriage Act to enshrine marriage as “between a man and a woman”? I wonder have you asked Albanese about his condescending statement in relation to same-sex marriage “sometimes you get what you need, not what you ask for”? I wonder have you asked either poklitician why they make platitudes to gays and lesbians in public, but act against our interests in private?
Chris, the silence will continue. Gay Liberal voters are unlikely to write articles about why Tony Abbott is their preferred PM. You might hear it blurted by a gay drunk in a bar (although unfortunately sober people also vote Liberal) but you won’t get too many reasoned articles in print.
But you’re right. There are gay conservatives out there and probably more than we’d imagine.
The silence is breathtaking from the self loathing individuals in our community who vote Liberal.We here would be very interested to hear your opinion of your federal leader.
Any takers?
if not we can only assume you are the moral eqivalents of collaborators
With a mouth like that, I wonder if he will retract his comments when they become to inconvenient for his political career?
I recommend he say something along the lines of:
“Disregard that. I suck cocks”
Still haven’t heard anyone in the ALP have a go at Abbott for such a stupid and malicious remark. Why is that?
Talk to a psychiatrist about homophobia…. the stronger the ‘phobia’ the closer to ”being what they fear”. So he’s probably cyclically ‘killing’ his own feelings from way back and as the years have gone on the feelings have got stronger and not gone away. Heaven’s above it’s the 21st Century. Don’t know much about Aussie politics but it seems to me he needs removing from office with such overt predjudices!! If as I have noticed he appears to be a super-religious zealot…. He should equally be removed from office as he is predjudiced in a different way and will never bring a balanced view to anything cos it will always be tainted with the predjudices….. Difficult things politics!! good luck to you all in getting rid of him!!
It should come as no surprise that Tony Abbott is threatened by gay men.
After all, God’s alleged representative on Earth – the Catholic Ayatollah, the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI – did declare homosexuality to be an “intrinsic moral evil”.
Tony is just exercising his freedom of religion by adhering to these cruel nasty bigoted religious teachings. Right?
The dialogue I’d like to have with that reptilian Abbott is to shove a watermelon sized dildo up his arse and tell him to fuck off and shut the fuck up. Not a very intelligent comment, I admit, but a deserved one nonetheless when you consider he is not a person with whom you can reason.
Haha! ‘old crocodile eyes’
Let’s bring the bible humping homophobe down.
The problem here is that people like to play dangerous politics and so we land up with the seriously idiotic,dangerous,mentally challenged(and I mean that in the nicest way possible),right wing,homophobic idiots like Tony Abbott arriving on the scene.At least with Kevin Rudd you know you won’t be sent to the gas chambers whereas with the Tony Abbott,anything is possible (just look at Iran and Uganda).The DISGRACE that Tony Abbott is,is Australia’s shame as well.The sooner he joins Pauline Hanson the better,but I would encourage you to do as much shouting as you possibly can, because he ain’t gonna go away without a big horrible fight.And let me tell you a secret he will take as many of you down with him as he can.
Tony Abbott thinks we are ambomination and Evil. He has said this many times in his career. He has said women are not intelligent and deserve less pay. He hates our community and tells the old line “oh I have gay friends” to people like Allan Jones when they might have a say over his career.
He imposes his own peverted Catholic Morality on us at every opportunity. When he was Health Minister, the government had to remove his Veto Powers by an act of parliament no less, as he tried imposing his Catholic Morality on everyone during the RU486 debate.
Old Crocodile Eyes wants us to smile at him at the election. I hope his dick can touch his arse as he can go fuck himself at the next election if he thinks this queen will vote for self hate. I am gay and bloody proud of it. Go fuck yourself Mr Abbott.
I would still like to know why he “Feels Threatened” as printed in the daily telegraph,thankyou