Any political leader with a modicum of history knows that at any minute he or she can be faced with a Thomson moment, so it’s best to leave the shit-throwing to backbenchers or senators; and that’s precisely what’s Tony was doing.
He made his position clear: “The one thing I don’t want to do you know,” he said, "is set myself up as a moral paragon because you never know what moral tests you might face. You just never know these things.”
Spot on Tony – spot on.
Well, it was spot on, but then Tony did an about turn and joined his attack dogs on the war path. He just couldn’t help himself, it seems.
Sloppy Joe Hockey is leading the attack which gives it little or no credence — we all know Joe will say anything to get his name in the news.
Stephen Smith and Anthony Albanese have hit the nail on the head, both reminding us that only one Member of Parliament has any charges pending and that ain’t Craig Thomson.
His front and back benches are littered with pieces of work many of whom are, and already might have been, capable of anything.
What if there is closet Noel Crichton-Browne lurking in the shadows?
The former senator was expelled from the Liberal Party and most of his former Liberal colleagues would run a mile rather than be seen in his company.
But wait.
Who was the aspiring candidate for one of Victoria’s safest Liberal seats who was taking advice from the disgraceful and disgraced former Senator while she campaigned for the seat – Indi – in the running up to the 2001?
None other than that foul-mouthed racist shrew, Sophie Mirabella.
I confronted her and asked how she could be in the presence of the likes of Crichton-Browne, particularly as he had told journalist Carmel Egan he “would screw her tits off”!
Her reply was typical take no prisoners Sophie.
“He’s a friend, that why, now fuck off.”
She exudes all the charm of the barnyard, does our Sophie.
That’s not all.
She has confronted Aboriginals in her electorate and shouted “Not sorry” to them!
And she labelled two former Liberal colleagues as political terrorists for their humanitarian stand on asylum seekers.
Could there be an aspiring Troy Buswell sitting behind Tony?
Are the seats of the female members safe from a sniffing?
Who would know?
As I have previously written on this website, the “preselectors” of candidates for safe seats of all parties should be thorough when conducting their background checks.
Mirabella slipped through the cracks — and we haven’t heard the end of her, not by a long shot.
Not far behind her is the House’s latest harridan — Kelly O'Dwyer of Higgins.
Her performance on Q&A was as telling as it was chilling and she made a huge error in Question Time this week coming to a spirited and loud defence of the appalling Mirabella.
The looks of the faces of those around her and the incredulous looks of the Government members was a warning indeed to Miss O’Dwyer.
Leave Sophie to wallow in her own gutter – never get down there with her.
The Members of Parliament and the Senate are a collection of citizens who aspire to the best and the highest.
But there are some who just can’t help themselves.
That’s why Mr Abbott was right to stand back and why the Prime Minister is doing all she can under the circumstances.
It is a pity Mr Abbott couldn’t have maintained his dignified silence.
