Twenty days into the federal election campaign and I can finally confirm what we’ve known all along: it’s Toney Time.
That’s right, the onion-eating, blank-staring, totally normal former PM Tony Abbott was in the news today as he tries desperately to cling to his seat of Warringah. He faces stiff competition from independent Zali Steggall.
The pair will debate each other later today (around 4:30pm if you want to rush home), but Toney still got some shots off early – just ignore the fact that they were totally unrelated to his actual campaign.
Abbott called Labor’s climate plan “socialism” today, when he was supposed to just be announcing a new policy on disability support. This is the dude who called the info behind climate change “so-called science” that isn’t quite settled. Cool!
Toney’s mug was also in the news after a bunch of signs appeared, caricatured heads with the word “100% CUNT” across them. Not a great look.
Former wannabe PM and now One Nation stooge Mark Latham went to a cafe and did some graffiti, too, writing “gotta love goo“on a wall.
Mr @RealMarkLatham signing the “Famous” Hector’s cafe wall, along with many others.. @PaulineHansonOz just above. @OneNationAus pic.twitter.com/tex3NP1SBd
— Emma Azzopardi (@illwah) May 2, 2019
The Labor Party dodged questions over its candidate Luke Creasey. Yesterday it was revealed he had made a rape joke on his Facebook a few years ago, but today Tanya Plibersek avoided talking about it directly – preferring to focus on Liberal candidate Jessica Whelan, who ran from the press after saying she was hacked when she posted anti-Muslim stuff on her Facebook. Whew.
Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek extended their press conference after the “last question” to take a swing at Jessica Whelan, as no one had asked about her. Then they ended the press conference, ignoring follow-up questions about Labor candidate Luke Creasey #auspol pic.twitter.com/rm0cL6tp2c
— Sam Clench (@SamClench) May 2, 2019
Clive Palmer popped up to tell his United Australia Party candidates that they’d be forced to pay $400,000 if they got elected but quit the party. Palmer is likely trying to avoid a repeat of the Jacqui Lambie scenario – the former Tasmanian senator left his Palmer United Party to act as an Independent the last time Clivey tried his hand at politics.
Almost 400,000 people have already voted, probably in a desperate attempt to make all of this stop. But it ain’t stopping. Not yet. Bill Shorten was on ABC’s ‘7:30’ last night and faced tough questions about the party’s franking credits policy.
“When you get an income tax credit, when you haven’t paid income tax – you’re already on the public purse.” @BillShortenMP defends @AustralianLabor‘s #frankingcredits policy. #abc730 #auspol #Ausvotes2019 pic.twitter.com/aVeouEzKQ3
— abc730 (@abc730) May 1, 2019
And the Opposition leader was also left dodging questions around his party’s climate change policy as well. An economist by the name of Brian Fisher claimed the policy could cause hundreds of billions of dollars in losses, but Climate spokesman Mark Butler disputed the claim calling it “utterly rubbish” and “at odds with every other piece of analysis of this policy.” Later, Shorten said it was propaganda and likened it to the doctors who said smoking was healthy for you in the ’70s and ’80s.
Meanwhile ScoMo is trying to say that the Coalition HAS taken action on climate change (the fuck?) and said Bill Shorten was trying to sell a pair of jousting sticks to the Australian people. Like that’s actually what he said?? Fucking stupid.
Either way neither party is covering itself in glory when it comes to climate policy.
Finally, Angus Taylor’s Facebook page has been inundated with comments from people mocking him for getting found out after he accidentally self-congratulated himself on a post earlier this week.
A mistake anyone can make on a hectic campaign trail: Congratulating yourself from the wrong account. #humevotes #ausvotes2019 pic.twitter.com/SwnlJDMCbc
— Arwen (@mumzeda) April 30, 2019
