Australia’s Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott has used his first election debate with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to distance himself from Leader of the Liberal Party Tony Abbott, who he says is “not someone Australians should be thinking about when they go to the polls.”
The tactic was an apparent response to Mr. Rudd’s election strategy of linking Mr. Abbott to the Liberal Party and the Coalition by insinuation that he is their leader.
Mr. Rudd began his opening statements by trying to draw Mr. Abbott on this point.
“This country of ours Australia,” he began, “is one of the best countries in the world. Not the best country. Not even one of the top ten countries. But undoubtedly one of the countries that is said to be better than some other countries.
“What makes us different here in Australia is that we are, by instinct, a positive people. We prefer to work together, rather than tear each other apart.”
“Except Mr. Abbott,” he added, “who is undoubtedly one of the most destructive, grotesque men who we have ever had to witness as the leader of a major party.
“And make no mistake; Mr. Abbott is the leader of a major party. He is the leader of the Liberal Party; the leader of the Coalition. A vote for any Liberal Party candidate is a vote for Mr. Abbott. A vote for any National Party candidate is a vote for Mr. Abbott. A vote for Bob Katter is a vote for Mr. Abbott. A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Mr. Abbott. The only vote that is not a vote for Mr. Abbott is a vote for Labor.”
But Abbott shot back at Rudd’s assertion, saying his attempts to draw a link between the Liberal Party and Tony Abbott were “desperate.”
“Look, this guilt-by-association thing that Kevin’s trying is just ridiculous,” he said to the audience at the National Press Club. “We all know Mr. Abbott. He knows Mr. Abbott. I know Mr. Abbott. We don’t all agree with everything Mr. Abbott says. I certainly don’t.”
Abbott said that this year’s election wasn’t about him, but rather about someone called “you.”
“This election isn’t about whether I’m fit to lead the country,” he said. “This election is about whether you, the Australian people, are fit to lead the country.
“This isn’t about whether my policies are good for Australia. It’s about whether your policies, the policies of the people of Australia, are good for Australia.”
A poll taken by market research firm Newspoll showed that the Australian people had a “mixed” view of the Australian people, with 47% saying they had a favourable opinion of them, 44% saying they had an unfavourable opinion, and another 9% saying they had “never heard of” the Australian people.
Pundits have described last night’s debate as being “awkward” and “overly scripted,” something that was not made any better when moderator David Speers asked the two men to please read their answers verbatim from the teleprompter.
This led to some light-hearted moments between the two leaders when the screen did not always show the correct text.
“I know it’s hard to be optimistic about the current government,” said Rudd. “But we should never be pessimistic about Australia, and there’s almost nothing at all wrong with this country right now that wouldn’t be improved by change of government.”
Both men laughed, safe in the knowledge that nothing they said would have any consequence.