Kevin Rudd is a Toxic Bore

[Aliantha]

according to Tony Abbott, the man who's biggest claim to fame was almost being the father of an ABC cameraman a few years ago.

Dazza and I were talking about this statement last night and started reminiscing about past question times in parliament and he decided to do a search for political quotes from Australian parliamentarians.

My favourite was when Mark Latham called the opposition 'a conga-line of suckholes'.

Here's a few more from here:

On John Howard:

*He's like a lizard on a rock, alive but looking dead
*A desiccated coconut
*What we have got is a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, but nobody will cut it down to replace him.
*...the brain-damaged Leader of the Opposition...
*But I will never get to the stage of wanting to lead the nation standing in front of the mirror each morning clipping the eyebrows here and clipping the eyebrows there with Janette and the kids: It’s like ‘Spot the eyebrows’.
*From this day onwards, Howard will wear his leadership like a crown of thorns, and in the parliament I’ll do everything to crucify him (speaking of his 1986 leadership)

Howard’s response to a journalist asking a question about Tasmania’s old growth forests:

You tree hugger you.

On Rudd:

I think he's getting a bit full of himself, I mean this is Mr Rudd walking both sides of the street - each way bet Kevin.

Wilson Tuckey:

To Kim Beazley:

A fat so and so

Kim Beazley:

To Wilson Tuckey:

Take your tablets.

Oh these boys do make me laugh! They're really only one step up from the Taiwanese parliament.

[ZenGum]

Keating, on Howard:

A shiver, looking for a spine to crawl up.


Frankly, I prefer Rudd's style in parliament. The current mob, esp Hockey, are mostly loud, name-calling producers of lots of hot air. Rudd is not a good parliamentary "performer", says Abott. GOOD, I reply, I do not turn to parliament for entertainment (god help you if you do) but I want them to make serious, careful decisions. Rudd seems to be at least trying to do that.

Abott seems to have forgotten he was a part of a team that just got very emphatically thrown out.

[Aliantha]

Well I prefer Rudd also. It's still funny to read over some of the things they all think up to say to and about each other though...in a sad way though I guess.

These people lead our country.

[Kaliayev]

I haven't paid much attention to Rudd, to be honest, despite being Australian (I am in the UK due to circumstances beyond my control, sadly). He just hasn't really cropped up on my radar, compared to other shiny, interesting international happenings. Which either means he's deviously good at hiding what he's up to, or he's boring and efficient.

[Aliantha]

I think he's boring and efficient.

I don't really care if he's boring as long as he gets the job done, and keeps his promises.

If I want entertainment and politics mixed together, I'll watch the shadow cabinet. They're pretty good for a laugh these days.

[Kaliayev]

If they're anything like the Tories or GOP were after their defeats, that would be the best entertainment going right now.