CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has today requested that the media please do not undermine his politics by asking his youngest daughter, Frances, what she thinks about having the national holiday on January 26th.
In a throwback to the gay marriage postal vote, where Abbott’s own daughter campaigned against his wishes to never allow gay people the right to get married – Abbott has requested that the media just stop asking her for her compassionate millennial female opinions on issues that could be quite simply resolved with a slight gesture.
Today’s comments come as the former chaplaincy student appeared on 2GB talkback this morning to argue that the events of January 26, 1788, were a “good thing” for Aboriginal people.
Abbott defended his view that the controversial date — which marked the beginning of British settlement and kicked off a massacre of indigenous people — was the best date to mark Australia’s national day in a radio interview on Monday morning.
“What happened on the 26th of January, 1788, was on balance, for everyone, Aboriginal people included, a good thing,” Mr Abbott told 2GB host Ray Hadley.
“It brought Western civilisation to this country. It brought Australia into the modern world.”
“At least that’s what we all reckon at the surf club”
“But, please Ray. Please for the love of God don’t send anyone to Melbourne to ask Frances what her opinion on this all is. She’s been brainwashed by her gay aunt”
“It’ll undermine what we have here. The last bastion of Australian pride – telling Aboriginal people that we aren’t taking their feelings into account”
