Now I’m the first to admit that the partners and siblings of a politician have my utmost respect for what they put up with. My wife and children had to accept it for 20 years whilst I was in the Police Force.
Now in that 20 years I never asked my wife to come forward and bat for me like Margie Abbott did for poor little Tony last friday on television’s The Morning Show. The strong leader of the Coalition is suffering an image problem and that is being exploited by those in government and mostly are all women, I might add. Well what’s new about that? Tony sat there like a good little boy and away went Margie to defend him, and I might say represented herself very well. I don’t know if it was effective though.
I think political partners have their place and I have no problem with Margie representing the Liberals at functions and even at world leader’s functions if her husband ever became PM, but to have her say her husband is a good man and respects women is quite offputting on morning TV even if it’s true. Margie, please do what you do best and leave Tony to defend himself. We don’t see the first man coming out to support the Prime Minister who also has a popularity problem with men. That’s because she is tough enough to defend herself.
I look at both sides and, yes, both leaders have an image problem with the opposite gender.
I believe Gillard has it with men because they just can’t accept the modern age women in charge, and Abbott has it with women who are strong and lead from the front and stand up to him. Then there are the other 2/3 of us that just don’t like the person regardless of their gender.
Either way, who really cares? Just get on with politics and policy and run the country properly. That is really what we want. Not a popularity contest.
Trevor Hardie
Tenterfield
