Like Santamaria, Abbott has proclaimed traditional Catholic family values. This time, however, the emissions trading scheme has replaced communism as the trigger for division. Abbott told Turnbull he quit the  frontbench because he could not support the emissions trading scheme deal. But his differences with Turnbull go deeper than that.

Both might be Catholics but monarchist Abbott's old fashioned conservatism contrasts with small-l liberal Turnbull, who led the republican push and once toyed with Labor.

Abbott drew enduring dislike from women for his resistance as health minister on such issues as the morning-after pill and his questioning of government funding for abortions.

Sex has always been something of a touchstone for Abbott. He revealed this year for instance that he had "a celibacy adviser" during his time as a trainee priest at Emu Plains in Western Sydney.

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Bartholomew Augustine "B. A." Santamaria, otherwise 'Bob', (14 August 1915 - 25 February 1998), Australian political activist and journalist, was one of the most influential political figures in 20th century Australian history, though he never held public office or joined a political party. A highly divisive figure, he inspired great devotion from his followers and intense hatred from his enemies. He regarded his own career as a failure, but on his death was widely praised for his lifelong opposition to Communism. Santamaria was the guiding influence of the Democratic Labor Party.

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Gus: I believe that B. A. Santamaria was the main culprit who kept Labor in the wilderness for yonks till Whitlam got elected.... And dear Mr Abbott, what has the pommy anglican royalty got to do with catholics?...

"Seven hundred rescues is a very significant number for a single day," Surf Life Saving New South Wales spokeswoman Donna Wishart said, adding that the previous record of about 500 rescues was set on Australia Day last year.

Surf Life Saving New South Wales first started collecting data on rescues about 15 years ago.

"It was just a combination of the first sunny day ... and big surf," she said.

"It caught everybody a bit by surprise. The volunteers did an amazing job."

Tony Abbott is a shallow narcissist, who has surrounded himself with likeminded buffoons and is supported in his moribund neoliberal agenda by a similarly vacuous mainstream media, writes Dr Martin Hirst.

TONY ABBOTT has been Australia’s prime minister now for 630 days.

And what did he do to celebrate this Sunday?

He went on a “charity fun run“, just like he’s done for several years.

I am struggling to find evidence that even one of those long 630 days was spent in the service of the country he claims a mandate to lead.

All I have seen of our Dear Leader is a man intent on pandering to his own personal whims and the causes of moribund neoliberalism.

How many times over the past nearly two years has Tony Abbott donned the lycra, or the budgie smugglers, or the running shoes to demonstrate his Putinesque qualities and his hard-man physical prowess?

Read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/tony-abbott-the-selfie-pm,7776

See story and toon at top (of course the comment was correct in regard to him vagabonding in tights like a gay Robin Hood with no brains, when he was in opposition, but now that he is the PM, we expect a bit more decency, far less bulging budgies and a bit more brains)

and see: http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/28017