In the wake of former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s death, politicians and public figures are issuing statements in tribute to our longest serving Labor Prime Minister who was also one of our very best.
People are honouring the significant contribution Hawke made to Australia during his time as our leader with their statements – like the one Julia Gillard shared.
But low and behold, Tony Abbott, the former Prime Minister, current Liberal member for Warringah, and notorious has-been, shared a statement that can only be described as revoltingly disrespectful.
After a single primary school-level sentence in compliment to Bob Hawke, Abbott abruptly pivots to using his death as political propaganda. He argues that Bob Hawke’s ‘great’ness was actually in spite of being a Labor leader, attempting to take credit as the Liberal Party for his work.
It’s a transparent attempt to campaign Liberal before the election this weekend and counteract any nostalgic advantage he believes Labor may benefit from Bob Hawke’s death.
Tony Abbott is clutching at straws here and he’s basically stepping all over Bob Hawke’s death with his dirty feet to do it. Obviously he is feeling the pressure of this election, in which Warringah is set to be one of the tightest races and he may be unseated by the well-liked Independent candidate Zali Steggall.
As a tactic, using Bob Hawke’s death to score political points has backfired for Tony Abbott, and there are nearly 5k responses and counting to his ‘tribute’ tweet.
Here’s some highlights of the Abbott roasting so you get the idea.
You’re trying to score political points from the death of one of Australia’s greatest public figures within hours of his passing? Hawke was a giant. You are a tawdry little pissant. Long may you rot in obscurity. #BobHawke
— Paul Syvret (@PSyvret) May 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/wendy_harmer/status/1128973687271485440
Hi, I have a question for Mr Abbott – do you have a psychiatric diagnosis as a psychopath or are you just a legit asshole?
— michael hing (@hingers) May 16, 2019
Is this a Betoota article?
— Matt Baseley (@MattBaseley) May 16, 2019
— Pama-Lama-Ding-Dong! (@dizzybink) May 16, 2019
I want to say something vile right now, instead I am going to say that I really, really, really, really, really, really hope that Zali wins on Saturday.
— Erin M (@pfinger18) May 16, 2019
This incident seems surprisingly heartless but it’s worth noting that Tony Abbott’s behaviour during his time in government has consistently been disrespectful.
We saw it in his interactions with Julia Gillard that prompted her iconic misogyny speech. We saw it when he insisted that Nauru is a “very very pleasant island”, refusing to acknowledge the proven horrors refugees face in our camps. We have seen it in his many, many wrong-doings against Indigenous people as he went on to become the envoy of Indigenous affairs.
We have seen this disrespect too many times and this appalling Bob Hawke statement is more of the same. This is all that Tony Abbott is capable of because this is who he is.