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Thursday May 24, 2012

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Tony Abbott not 'up for it'?

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 31 January, 2012 - 2:04 PM
Tony Abbot doesn't inspire, but does he need to?

DERRYN HINCH: Let's face it: Tony Abbott is never going to get a mention in a book of 'speeches that stirred the world'. He has never been guilty of soaring rhetoric or having an audience in the palm of his hand.

Luckily for him his opponent, Julia Gillard, is just as stilted, just as drab, just as uninspiring when reading a speech.

*Scroll down to hear Derryn Hinch discuss Tony Abbott's speech with former chief of staff to John Howard, Graham Morris*

Neither runs the risk of being compared to Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King Jr or Barack Obama in his State of the Union speech this month.

With our political leaders it is not only the lack of style it is the lack of substance from their plethora of highly-paid speechwriters.

The most-publicised National Press Club speech in recent times was the one by Anthony Albanese and that was only because he pinched a large chunk of it from a presidential speech made by Michael Douglas in an Aaron Sorkin movie.

Abbott was speaking in Canberra today for what was billed as 'positive National Press Club address'.

Presumably to start a new year with a blast and to start setting the scene for a federal election which will happen next year – if the Gillard minority government doesn't collapse before then.

It was a flat and uninspiring display even from a man whose speeches are not expected to inspire. To me a re-hash of carbon tax and mining tax arguments Tony Abbott has espoused month after month last year.

At one stage he said 'we're up for it'. I can't honestly remember what they were up for but who cares? He didn't sound like he was up for anything. Could have been reading the phone book.

That's the problem with both Abbott and Gillard. Nothing comes from either that would inspire confidence or hope in anybody.

Even in the depths of the Great Depression, when millions of Americans were jobless, homeless, on the bread line and queueing up at soup kitchens a man called Roosevelt came up with a vision he called the New Deal – and told the people 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself'.

As I said on Paul Murray's program on SKY last night: When it comes to Abbott and Gillard lot of voters think: A pox on both your houses.

Fellow commentator, John Stanley, from Sydney's 2UE, had a good idea. He reckons on the ballot paper along with all the candidates' names there should be a box you can tick that says None of the Above.

He's got a point.

3AW NEWS: Lower taxes and reduced government spending will be the hallmarks of a future Coalition Government, according to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

He's reaffirmed his promise to dispose of the Carbon Tax, while delivering tax cuts.

It's the Opposition Leader's first major policy speech for 2012 and follows another favourable opinion poll for the Coalition.

Mr Abbott has told the National Press Club budget cuts will help reduce Australia's burgeoning debt.

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PLAY: Graham Morris speaks to Hinch about Tony Abbott

'Kevin Rudd no team player'

unity VIDEO: Simon Crean has taken a swipe at former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, saying one of the reasons he lost the leadership is that he was not a team player. Watch Neil's hard-hitting editorial and listen to Simon Crean on 3AW here.

 

What did the Prime Minister know?

Julia Gillard HINCH BLOG: T"here was a political question raised 40 years ago by an American senator that is totally relevant today when you are discussing Julia Gillard and the Australia Day riot in Canberra. What did the Prime Minister know and when did she know it?"

Blog comments Your Say

  • It's funny how people judge leaders by their way to get the speech right.
    Sure, I find Tony Abbott annoying when he speaks but it's what he says that is important, not how he says it.
    Do you want a party in power simply because their leader is charismatic and can deliver a good line? Well, we might as well get actors to lead parties then. What is important for me is the policies of the party and not whether I find the leader entertaining or not.
    Obama delivers a great speech but that's all he delivers that's great. He won a Nobel peace prize but what peace did he achieve? So just having a gift of the gab might be enough for some people but for people who actually think and examine what is said and not whether it was said in an entertaining way substance is more important than talk.

    Peggy Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 9:42 AM

  • I have to agree with Hitch. Mr. Abbot's speech was nothing more than motherhood statements. Much the same of what he has been saying for the past few years. Stating how he will repeal taxes but yet keep the benefits from them, surely making all the economists go into a tizzy. @jumbo - Derryn a turn-coat? Why because he didn't jump up and down like a cheerleader at what was a lack-lustre speech? For speaking his own opinion? I don't know about you, but the reason I like 3AW is simply because they do go 'after' anyone in a much fairer andbalanced view and not just be a mouthpiece for any one particular party.. If you don't like it, I would suggest going to another station, there is one, as Derryn says, has less listeners that he has twitter followers.. I am sure that cheer squad could use some more..

    JimmyJaxk Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 9:28 AM

  • The liberal party gets keeps geting better with Tony Abbott what a Leader

    col Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 9:14 AM

  • Unless Tony can stop twitter, facebook, texting and blogging he's finished before he begins :p

    Mylene Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 8:51 AM

  • @ jumbo..... listening since the 70's and you still don't know his name is DERRYN...

    ??? Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 4:23 AM

  • Tony Abbott is a credible genuine honourable man who has had a relentless undeserved unacceptable hate campaign waged against him & has been attacked daily with the Mr NO & Negativity campaigns by LIEbor & a sabotage attack from even the PMs office for political advantage.
    What the hell would Tony supposed to say yes to, LIEbor waste?
    The people do NOT need our politicians acting out Hollywood scripts and performing and overpromising in stage managed overblown budgeted blockbusters movie styled events.
    Tony is the real deal, a decent man of integrity, who we can depend on to deliver an economically responsible plan to reduce the extravagant debt on LIEbors watch and put into motion plans to revitalise and grow our economy for a prosperous future.
    He really showed up the journalists there who had prepared questions to trap him and he showed he had genuine vision & economic good management with delightful quick witted responses that were applauded.
    Most of all though, Tony Abbott will most sincerely do what is best for Australia and its people and NOT some socialist ideological agenda, and the people CAN trust his word!

    Another Proud Aussie Wednesday 1 February, 2012 - 2:46 AM

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