Atheist Age

T. Abbott: where ‘T’ is for Theocrat

From © Fairfax by Leslie Cannold:

TONY ABBOTT is said to be likeable. I believe it, though I’ve only met him once. Introduced by a Crikey! journalist at Parliament House in Canberra – where I had gone to advocate against Abbott’s continued ministerial control over the fertility control drug RU486 – the then health minister refused to shake my hand.

It was an honest move from an un-stage-managed man and I didn’t have a problem with it. He didn’t like me and he let it show. It was as straight and simple as that.

The Opposition Leader’s recent attacks on the Prime Minister are designed to highlight this virtue. By accusing Kevin Rudd of waffle-speak, standing for nothing and choosing to “gutless out”, Abbott invites us to brand him in contrasting terms: as a straight-talker with strong values and a willingness to defend them.
All fine and good, though it does bring the inevitable question – what does Abbott believe in? As prime minister, what policies would we expect him to fight to implement?

Abbott’s background offers clues. Born in 1957, he was schooled at the Jesuit-run St Ignatius’ College before studying for the priesthood. He worked as a journalist and political press secretary before playing a leading role in the campaign against an Australian republic. He is associated with groups that favour censorship but are opposed to legal abortion, dying with dignity, stem-cell research and gay rights. These include the National Civic Council, the Lyons Forum, the Endeavour Forum and the Australian Christian Lobby.

Abbott recently described Aboriginal welcome to country ceremonies as a “genuflection to political correctness” and “out-of-place tokenism”. However, he believes Federal Parliament should continue to start the day with the Lord’s Prayer.

Abbott believes the “argument [on climate change] is absolute crap”. So far, he has rejected all proven and economically orthodox means of pricing carbon.

Abbott told Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes in what he later described as a “spontaneous answer” that homosexuality makes him feel “a bit threatened”.
When health minister, Abbott’s statements and policies on abortion renewed national debate about the issue. He described “the fact that 100,000 [Australian] women choose to end their pregnancies” as a “national tragedy” that left a “legacy of unutterable shame”. The figure of 100,000 turned out to be wrong.

Abbott voted against legislation allowing Australian scientists to do research using embryonic stem cells.
He wants to return to at-fault divorce, supporting legislation that required spouses proved offences such as adultery, drunkenness or cruelty before they could separate.

At the launch of a collection of B.A. Santamaria’s letters, Abbott lauded his mentor for the view that “it [is] impossible to be a passive Christian”. Abbott argued that the Howard government’s decisions to “overturn the Northern Territory’s euthanasia law, ban gay marriage, stop the ACT heroin trial, provide additional financial support for one-income families, and try to reduce abortion numbers through pregnancy support counselling” showed that the “eight Catholics … in the … cabinet” had turned the “tide of secular humanism”.

Despite this, he recently implied on ABC TV’s Q&A that public and media interest in his Catholic beliefs was unfair.

This is who Tony Abbott is and what he believes. It’s up to us to decide whether we want this sort of man, fighting for this sort of Australia, to be the next PM.

Tags: Abbott, Christianity, Church/State, Politics