Tony Abbott Blue Tie Response to PM Resignation – Why?

My only question here is why would Tony Abbott wear a blue tie when responding to Julia Gillard’s resignation as Australian Prime Minister. This is an important question given the statement below:

As speculation about her leadership intensified, the Prime Minister said a government dominated by ”men in blue ties” would mean hard-won financial gains for women would be rolled back, with abortion again becoming the political play-thing of male politicians.

It appears deeply provocative.  He spoke of decency in his speech. I found out later that Kevin Rudd wore a blue tie.

I wonder what positive politics looks like?  I feel a desire for a sea change in politics to a politics of respect and equality.  Imagine the energy focused on true service, that would be something new .  Our civilisation has a long way to go to move beyond power games and to move into true cooperation expanding our vision beyond competition.  In truth the real problem here is adversarial politics.  I actually wrote a Children’s Parliament as a result of watching Peter Costello performing in Parliament and the bullying that I witnessed by politicians as an unquestioned discourse. 

I walked the corridors of Parliament deeply thinking about what is democracy?  I do agree with Tony Abbott tonight, the people deserve better.  I have even contemplated a clown party for the fun of it.  That would stir up the pollies if a real clown got into Parliament.  I can see the cartoons. 

What I did do is design a Parliament where there was no opposition.  Instead the children would be in groups of three with a community moderator.  They would inspire, challenge and empower each other through ideas.  There was no energy put into demonising the other but challenging ideas was considered positive as it empowered them to look deeper.  We have crafted systems of politics where we demonise others; it is like a blood sport where one seeks to win so the other loses.  I am not in favour of the win/lose paradigm.  I would like to see a complete re-designing of politics to a win/win.  So people learn values, problem solving, conflict resolution, collaboration (working together), creativity (de Bono techniques) and happiness and creative tools (positivity, good humour and clowning).  Imagine all the energy of those in Parliament is directed to solutions where all win and they model democracy as the process. 

The problem solving component is often not present and we end up with smear campaigns, we end up with media taking sides, deliberate manipulation and dishonesty paraded as politics.  I do agree with Abbott we the people deserve better than that.   To see a blue tie being worn when it is seen by some as a symbol of male dominance and taking women’s rights, I saw as divisive and in no way leading unity.  So wouldn’t it be funny if no-one voted in December.  That would be a coup d’état for the people of Australia.  We’d all get fined for exercising the democratic right to choose – no Government.  I am laughing but you get my point.

So here is the blue tie issue which seems to be the linchpin that lynched our female Prime Minister.  It is interesting symbolism. 

 

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-targets-men-in-blue-ties-20130611-2o26s.html

PM targets ‘men in blue ties’

Date

Gillard’s ‘men in blue ties’ speech

An attempt by Julia Gillard to put gender at the centre of the election by suggesting women would be marginalised under an Abbott government has drawn fierce criticism from opponents and has even been questioned by her Labor MPs.

As speculation about her leadership intensified, the Prime Minister said a government dominated by ”men in blue ties” would mean hard-won financial gains for women would be rolled back, with abortion again becoming the political play-thing of male politicians.

I fully support a woman’s right to choose, [but] feel a little bit uncomfortable about it being an election issue.  

MP Stephen Jones

While the comments were ostensibly directed at the Coalition, Tony Abbott’s name was not specifically mentioned, leaving some to interpret them as a veiled warning to her own party not to replace her with Kevin Rudd.

Julia Gillard has attacked the opposition as dominated by males with blue ties. Pictured from Parliament on Wednesday May 15 are shadow treasurer Joe Hockey, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, and opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton.

Julia Gillard has attacked the opposition as dominated by males with blue ties. Pictured from Parliament on Wednesday May 15 are shadow treasurer Joe Hockey, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, and opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton. Photo: Andrew Meares

Australia’s second-most powerful female politician, Julie Bishop, accused Ms Gillard of creating a distraction to save her job.

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Prominent feminist commentator Eva Cox also weighed in, saying it was an attempt to ”insert an anti-Abbott element into her political message to women” on an issue that was essentially one for state governments.

Labor’s Left faction convener, NSW MP Stephen Jones, also expressed concerns about the abortion comments. ”I fully support a woman’s right to choose, [but] feel a little bit uncomfortable about it being an election issue,” he said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and Oppsoition Leader Tony Abbott.

Julie Bishop: Accused the PM of creating a distraction. Photo: Andrew Meares

And backbencher Ed Husic said he was not comfortable with the issue of abortion re-entering the political fray.

”I think there are other issues . . . (such as) health care or superannuation that legitimately have an impact on women that should be discussed,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.

But Labor frontbencher Peter Garrett defended the Prime Minister, saying there should be free and open debate on gender issues.

Julia Gillard

Women worst off under Abbott: Julia Gillard. Photo: Getty Images

”We ought to be able to have a healthy discussion about these issues,” he told ABC TV on Tuesday.

Launching a Labor fund-raising group called ”Women for Gillard” in Sydney on Tuesday, the Prime Minister sought to re-open the gender divide, claiming abortion policy would be back in play if Labor was defeated.

”On that day, 14 September, we are going to make a big decision as a nation,” she said. ”It’s a decision about whether, once again, we will banish women’s voices from our political life.”

After listing a series of Labor policy advances she claimed would be ”slashed” by an Abbott government, including childcare rebates and superannuation for low-income women, she said: ”We don’t want to live in an Australia where abortion again becomes the political plaything of men who think they know better.”

Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton rejected Ms Gillard’s comments , saying on Tuesday that the Coalition’s policy on abortion had not changed.

”The only ingredient that has changed in politics . . . is the Prime Minister’s in a desperate situation and her leadership is on the brink,” he told ABC radio.

”When you’re looking at the leadership skills of the prime minister, people are blind to gender.”

Ms Gillard also attacked Coalition arrangements which mean Mr Abbott’s deputy prime minister would not be the Deputy Liberal Leader, Ms Bishop, but Warren Truss, the leader of the junior Coalition partner, the Nationals.

”A prime minister – a man in a blue tie – who goes on holidays to be replaced by a man in a blue tie.

”A treasurer, who delivers a budget wearing a blue tie, to be supported by a finance minister – another man in a blue tie. Women once again banished from the centre of Australia’s political life.”

One female Labor MP told Fairfax, ”this seems very strange, why would she say this, no one’s even talking about it”.

Ms Bishop called on Ms Gillard to apologise. ”Julia Gillard knows full well that the Coalition will not change abortion laws and she should apologise for these inflammatory remarks,” she said.

Ms Cox said Ms Gillard avoided any mention of single parents, who had been ”screwed” by being taken off parenting payments and put on the lower Newstart scheme.

”I think that was a blatantly sexist policy . . . and not a good look for a Labor government,” she said.

Another prominent MP, Liberal Kelly O’Dwyer, called the speech ”a very desperate ploy”.

Ms Gillard’s speech came amid a mounting campaign to replace her with Kevin Rudd.

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Mohandas Gandhi

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

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