Tony Abbott and his abusive government

Australia is like a battered victim being held in the thrall of a vicious abuser, writes Lyn Bender. Now it's time to kick the bum out of the House.

The Australian electorate is like a woman or man held in thrall by an abuser, or someone choosing the known devil. It reflects that Australia has not grown up yet.

Valuing the false strength of authoritarian masculine style threats, and seeing humanity and compassion as weak. This and fear is the paradigm that keeps many in the clutches of an abusive relationship.

Australia is in the grip of a blatantly abusive regime. Like a victim increasingly caught in the tangles of its web, the media and much of the electorate seem unable to join the dots and see the Abbott Government for what it is. In actions, words and dastardly deeds, the Abbott-led government has been cowardly, bullying, cruel, controlling, manipulative, incompetent, divisive, self-gratifying and shamelessly abusive.

And Abbott is getting away with it, as he boldly declares:

“By hook or by crook.”

Despite reports of abuses, Abbott is repeatedly let off the hook.

The ways that this government is abusing its citizens have been reported widely:

Cutting support services to the vulnerable.
Breaking key promises that were made merely to manipulate voters.
Cutting education and health services .
Savaging the renewable energy industry.
Refusing to protect Australians and future generations from climate change.
Cutting science funding.
Alienating Australia Internationally.
Evicting indigenous communities.
Callous cuts to foreign aid.
Sanctioning abuse of asylum seekers who lawfully seek our help.
Secrecy regarding asylum seeker policy.
Legislating to jail whistle blowers.
Threats to remove citizenship on security grounds.
Retention of all citizen’s metadata.
Conflating refugees and security issues, and expanding repressive control.
Ignoring sexual abuse in offshore detention centres.
Failure to respond to credible accusations of paying people smugglers.
Inflaming or sanctioning racial divisions.
Calling critics and protestors – including Indigenous Australians – “un-Australian”.
Increasing intimidation of national broadcaster.
Increasing ministerial control of funding for the arts.
Personal attacks on the president of the Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
Refusal to respond seriously to AHRC report regarding asylum seekers.
Pushing boats back to Indonesia, putting refugees at risk.
Threatening to sack staff to control programming at the ABC.

Infallible Tony Abbott raises the flags after ABC rebroadcasts Zaky Mallah Q&A http://t.co/rlfeYYgBcD via @smh EXCELLENT
— Mari R (@randlight) June 27, 2015

Sanctioning violent threats to previous Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Agreeing to send refugees back to danger in Iran and Sri Lanka.
Subsidies and support of fossil fuel.
Inciting fear of terrorism to gain political advantage.
Lying about the efficacy of their Direct Action plan to combat climate change.
Political appointment of IPA stooge and underqualified freedom commissioner.
Plans to appoint a needless "wind Commissioner" to discredit scientific findings that show wind farming are no health threat.
Failure to renew the appointment of a disabilities commissioner.
Failure to protect food and water security.
Allowing mining to degrade agricultural lands.
Hastening to amend legislation to close a “loophole” regarding the unconstitutionality of offshore processing.
Denial of a housing crisis and indifference to the homeless.
Failure to effectively protect women from domestic violence by cutting services.
Cuts to indigenous services.
Indifference to offshore murder of asylum seeker Reza Berati.
Failure to protect mothers and babies in offshore detention.
Incompetent management of the economy.
Doubling the deficit.
Axing effective measures against climate change including carbon pricing.
Ignoring and disparaging authorities such as the IPCC, the United Nations and the Pope with regard to poverty refugees and climate change.
Disrespect of women.
Marginalisation of unemployed youth.
Allowing his minister Morrison to do a deal with crossbenchers to get repressive immigration legislation through, then reneging on the release of detained children.
Sending babies born in Australia of refugee parents to offshore detention.
Refusing to answer to the Australian Parliament and ultimately to the people.

The words of Tony Abbott, ABC interview (2002):

“If we’re honest, most of us would accept that a bad boss is a little bit like a bad father or a bad husband; notwithstanding all his faults, you find that he tends to do more good than harm. He might be a bad boss but at least he’s employing someone.”

Does the Coalition believe that a bad prime minister is good enough then?

Like the mad Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, Abbott commands: "Off with their heads!" of all who criticize him.

Indeed, after calling the ABC Q&A program a "a lefty lynch mob" in caucus, he tells a press conference that ABC:

“Heads should roll!”

Abbott, who is a pathological liar, screams that the ALP leaders are liars.

This is basically a mind F-k and a tactic of chronic abusers.

Abbott seeks to terrify the nation crying

"Death cult, death cult!"

He then says in effect, "Come to papa, you are safe with me."

But the opposite is true. Such a bad leader endangers us. He has declared his disturbing views and values. The media echoed Abbott and denounced Julia Gillard as a liar. Yet Abbott lies and lies, and lies.

Is it a matter of boys will be boys? He is a bloke and strong, and aggressive?

We don't like him, but he is afforded vastly undeserved tolerance. We must dump him.

It’s time.

The original art by John Graham featured in this piece may be purchased from the IA store here. You can follow Lyn Bender on Twitter @lynestel.