How much damage?

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This is purely speculation as no one can predict the future.  However, the future close and more distant can be based on past experience.  This is of course what this blog and many others have been attempting to do for almost as long as blogs have been a vehicle for public opinion – that is, take reports from mainstream media sources, and apart from analytical assessment and commentary, predict what an Abbott led government might have in store for us in the future.

Latest on Abbott’s list of debacles, when it comes to foreign affairs is:

In a Washington Post interview, Tony Abbott bagged the previous government- “They made a whole lot of grubby deals in order to try and perpetuate themselves in power. It was an embarrassing spectacle, and I think Australians are relieved they are gone.” A leading US political commentator responded by saying, ”It really does violate a basic principle of diplomacy to drag in your domestic politics when you go abroad.”

But when have we ever known Tones to be concerned about things such as sensitivities of others, after all funerals are cheap pickings when it comes to finding opportunities to bag “whatever”.  I honestly do not think that Tony even thinks.  A part of me suspects that it’s not so as to be nasty nor ignorant, nor rude, it’s just that he really is clueless.

It is clear to me that Abbott feels far more comfortable safe at home in his pyjamas, at a place where he doesn’t have to contend with these odd types, such as people of other races and of different religions – safe and comfy in a place where he doesn’t “feel threatened”.  Tony always has to be in charge, whether it means sitting in the front seat of a truck, being admired for the body beautiful or intimating that “the others” would be better off in their own comfort zone such as behind an ironing board or picking up rubbish, or enjoying sleeping rough.

As far as being diplomatic goes, Tony struggles.  Who else would boast that their daughter were/are virgins?  Or that marriage equality is “a passing fashion”.  Or that it is “folly” to expect women to achieve equality in public life.

However, at least for the time being we’re stuck with a prime minister who has stated that foreign affairs isn’t his strong suit, nor is economics, nor is…….

On foreign affairs, Abbott must remember that he has a hard act to follow.  Rudd for all his faults knew diplomacy, Gillard also for all her faults, knew to either show respect or to stay out of the picture.  I keep wondering why Abbott insists on attempting something which he knows he is extremely bad at, and has said he has no interest in.  Is it that his Foreign Minister J. Bishop is equally as hopeless (sorry Julies but your brief forays into your own portfolio when in opposition instilled me with no confidence whatsoever).  Is it that Abbott is attempting to emulate his hero JW Howard and make a spot for himself on the world stage?  In spite of the build up from Abbott’s cheer squad in the mainstream media and especially the Murdoch media, Abbott’s attempts at foreign affairs could best be described as lurching from one disaster to another with only the good graces of his overseas counterparts sufficient to partially makes excuses for him.

When you slam asylum seekers as “un-Christian”, for some reason our neighbors from whom you seek cooperation think to themselves WTF!

On Syria,

Mr Abbott dumbed down the crisis by saying it was not a situation of “goodies versus baddies” but “baddies versus baddies”.

As Australia’s intervention is unlikely, is it not best to stay out of a conversation which you know little about?  Australia has fought hard to be taken seriously, and it’s not all that long ago that we were considered a bunch of beer swilling yobs – do Australia a favour and desist from dumbed down commentary while others are speaking.

Tony and diplomacy:

Tony Abbott joked about the Costa Concordia, a cruise ship that sunk claiming 11 lives.

Tony Abbott joked “that was one boat that did get stopped, wasn’t it?”

When Tony Abbott was advised that she should apologise, Tony Abbott felt that he didn’t need to apologise as it was just “banter”.

Tony’s note to self:  sarcasm is inappropriate when lives have been lost.

On refugees:

The UN Human Rights Committee recently identified 143 violations of the UN Human Rights Convention with respect to these refugees. They referred to their treatment as cruel, inhumane and degrading.

Although completely irrelevant to “insular Australia”, these findings do not go unnoticed nor unremarked internationally.

Although the UN Committee has directed Australia “to provide the refugees with an effective remedy, including release from detention on appropriate conditions, rehabilitation and compensation”, it will be who cares a FF in Abbott’s Australia.  After all we have far more important matters to attend to than our moral world standing; at least for now.  I do not hold much hope that diplomatic relations with other countries will be of any priority in Abbott’s-Australia.

Unfortunately for Tony the rest of the world has concerns such as the use of fossil fuels, alternative energies, protection of habitat, multinational domination.

Even in fortress Australia, we are a country with an obesity crisis, a gambling addiction crisis, an ever-increasing wealth divide between the haves and the have-a-lot less, the never-tackled problems of housing affordability, a non-existent dental care system and the most casualised workplace in any first world economy – currently running at 35% according to latest figures.

Will an Abbott led government have any interest in these issues or will One Term Tony even be unable to get his head around these issues? Given past experience of Tony Abbott’s inability to grasp the essence of things that matter, I doubt it.