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Political Parties >> Liberal Party >> low blow from Bill Heffernan
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Message started by freediver on May 2nd, 2007 at 9:43am

Title: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on May 2nd, 2007 at 9:43am
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Heffernan-still-insulting-women-Macklin/2007/05/02/1177788182844.html

Labor frontbencher Jenny Macklin has demanded Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan apologise for declaring Labor deputy leader Julia Gillard unqualified to lead the country on grounds she's deliberately chosen not to have children.

Senator Heffernan raised eyebrows last year when he described the childless Ms Gillard - who could become deputy PM in a Labor government - as unqualified to lead the nation because she was barren.

In an interview published in Wednesday's Bulletin magazine he stood by that observation.

But he conceded he was uncouth when he said Ms Gillard had no idea what life was about because she had no children.

"I won't walk away from that," he told the magazine.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by mantra on May 2nd, 2007 at 5:50pm
I'm glad he said what he did.  It can only enhance the ALP's chances at the next election.  After the negativity surrounding the past few days over Julia Gillard's relationship with business leaders, Heffernan's uncouth and redneck comments will hopefully have a negative effect on the Liberals anti-union campaign.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by IQSRLOW(Guest) on May 2nd, 2007 at 6:13pm
Heffernan's an idiot and will be seen as such but the voting public has a right to be made aware of the ALP handing over power to appease defunct unions at the expense of those who actually contribute something to society (employers)

The days of union strongholds is done and dusted and should be buried under a steaming pile of faeces so that the smell matches the content.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by mantra on May 3rd, 2007 at 7:40am

Quote:
the voting public has a right to be made aware of the ALP handing over power to appease defunct unions at the expense of those who actually contribute something to society (employers)


Oh - and the employees don't contribute anything to society?

Would businesses survive without workers?  Record profits are being reaped, while the workers are going backwards.  Do you think that mining companies will cease trading if some benefits are restored to the workers?

While the average Australian foregoes penalty rates, overtime, leave loading, sick leave and holiday pay - corporations and CEO's are in receipt of obscene profits and they are increasing quarterly as most of us are aware.

Unions brought fair working conditions into the 20th century.  Workchoices has taken them back to the 19th century.  If the unions and Gillard can restore some fairness back into the workplace - good on them.

Heffernan's regressive thinking is on par with his leader.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by sprintcyclist on May 3rd, 2007 at 8:38am
Yes, Heffernans comments were just a personal attack.
Wether anyone has kids or not has very little bearing if any on their political career.

Ecologically, Julia gillard has probably done a good thing by having no kids.

Stupid heffernen, labour were taking some real stick from the media, he gave them a complete let off.
I like country folk

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by maille on May 4th, 2007 at 10:32am

mantra wrote on May 2nd, 2007 at 5:50pm:
I'm glad he said what he did.  It can only enhance the ALP's chances at the next election.  After the negativity surrounding the past few days over Julia Gillard's relationship with business leaders, Heffernan's uncouth and redneck comments will hopefully have a negative effect on the Liberals anti-union campaign.



One would have hoped anyway mantra-this morning on 'Today' news a poll suggested that 70% of voters thought she could not lead properly if she were not a parent.This is of course rediculous.

Bill Heffernen is  a troublemaker.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by sprintcyclist on May 4th, 2007 at 10:46am
There was one thing he said that I agreed with.
Words to the effect ,  "Someone with no kids do not know the relationship between the father, the mother and the nappy bucket."

Had he phrased his earlier comment less as a personal attack and more thoughtfully/positively, would have been ok.


Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on May 4th, 2007 at 10:53am
I wonder how often Bill Heffernan employs his intricate knowledge of nappy buckets in managing the country.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by sprintcyclist on May 4th, 2007 at 11:17am
Bill Heffernan proposed "The Nappy Bucket Recovery" policy of 2004.

It was proposed to cart water from NT to lake Eyre using a human chain of nappy buckets.


A forrward thinking politician if ever there was one.  ( Paul Keating was another)


(Wherever do I come up with this stuff from ??)

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by oceans_blue on May 5th, 2007 at 11:46am

Sprintcyclist wrote on May 4th, 2007 at 11:17am:
Bill Heffernan proposed "The Nappy Bucket Recovery" policy of 2004.

It was proposed to cart water from NT to lake Eyre using a human chain of nappy buckets.


A forrward thinking politician if ever there was one.  ( Paul Keating was another)


(Wherever do I come up with this stuff from ??)



Paul Keating was indeed a forward thinking politician-and he has been very vocal of late re-IR etc. Good to see- I love Keating to have another crack at the PM ship.
He would fix whatever ails us in no time.

Title: PM unmoved by proposal to drug test MPs
Post by freediver on Jun 24th, 2007 at 3:22pm
Perhaps a bit of a gimmick, but still an interesting proposal. Only problem is, if politicians are tested, they will probably start passing laws to test everyone else. Bill also mentioned lawyers and judges in his rant and the comments are attributed by many to his obsession with the judiciary.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/PM-unmoved-by-proposal-to-drug-test-MPs/2007/06/24/1182623707339.html

Prime Minister John Howard has declined to endorse or criticise a proposal by Liberal senator Bill Heffernan for MPs to be subjected to random drug testing.

Senator Heffernan said politicians should be subjected to the same testing regime for illicit drugs as football players to send a message "that we are fair dinkum about stamping out drug use", Fairfax reported on Sunday.

Salvation Army spokesman Pat Daley said that because of the importance of their decision-making, politicians should undergo drug tests.

"Do you think that there are politicians using drugs? Let's find out," Mr Daley told AAP.

"Given that there's drug testing of airline pilots and police and sportsmen and many other people in the community, it's only appropriate that politicians be drug tested given that they're making very serious decisions for the community.

Title: Heffernan wins most sexist remark
Post by freediver on Nov 13th, 2007 at 10:39am
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Heffernan-wins-most-sexist-remark/2007/11/12/1194766594243.html

Controversial Liberal senator Bill Heffernan has won the 15th annual Ernie award for sexist remarks.

The award was given to Senator Heffernan for comments earlier this year about ALP deputy leader Julia Gillard.

Senator Heffernan said Ms Gillard was unfit for leadership because she was "deliberately barren".

The award ceremony at NSW parliament house in Sydney also saw the launch of The Ernies Book, 1,000 terrible things Australian men have said about women.

The "anthology of misogyny" or "portfolio of piggery" chronicles the past 15 years of sexist quotes from politicians to priests, celebrities, sports stars, judges and even prime ministers.

It included comments by former prime minister Paul Keating, union leader Martin Ferguson, and retired judge Roddy Meagher.

The room of women decided who should receive this year's Ernie by a traditional "boo-off".

While Senator Heffernan was the winner, or loser, saw a top field full of what feminist's would call faux pas.

Workplace and employment minister Joe Hockey was booed for his comments that it was hard work for him during his wife's pregnancy.

Hockey upset about pregnancy joke focus

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Hockey-upset-about-pregnancy-joke-focus/2007/11/13/1194766630302.html

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey says he's upset about the attention given to a joke he made about his wife's pregnancy.

Mr Hockey was on Monday night named as a contender at the annual Ernie awards for sexist remarks.

A "boo-off" by women at NSW parliament decided the annual Ernie award should go to one of Mr Hockey's Liberal colleagues, Senator Bill Heffernan, for saying the childless deputy Labor leader Julia Gillard was unfit for leadership because she was "deliberately barren".

Title: another low act, family first
Post by freediver on Nov 21st, 2007 at 6:16pm
Family First 'abusing abortion clients'

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Family-First-abusing-abortion-clients/2007/11/21/1195321843982.html

Family First members have been harassing women attending a Victorian abortion clinic, Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison says.

"Family First has taken its anti-choice stance too far," Senator Allison said in a statement.

"Prominent members of the extreme right-wing party have been harassing and abusing women who terminate their pregnancies," she said.

"Security guards have told me that the protesters often yell at women entering the clinic and follow them down the street as they leave.

"They accuse the women of being murderers.

"These certainly aren't the kinds of people we want represented in our parliament."

Family First did not immediately respond to the allegations.

Title: Re: another low act, family first
Post by deepthought on Nov 21st, 2007 at 6:44pm

freediver wrote on Nov 21st, 2007 at 6:16pm:
Family First 'abusing abortion clients'

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Family-First-abusing-abortion-clients/2007/11/21/1195321843982.html

Family First members have been harassing women attending a Victorian abortion clinic, Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison says.

"Family First has taken its anti-choice stance too far," Senator Allison said in a statement.

"Prominent members of the extreme right-wing party have been harassing and abusing women who terminate their pregnancies," she said.

"Security guards have told me that the protesters often yell at women entering the clinic and follow them down the street as they leave.

"They accuse the women of being murderers.

"These certainly aren't the kinds of people we want represented in our parliament."

Family First did not immediately respond to the allegations.


According to who?  A Democrat?  Ha ha ha ha.  What a load of old cobblers.  I wouldn't trust a Democrat to push my supermarket trolley for me.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 21st, 2007 at 6:55pm
This says it all: Family First did not immediately respond to the allegations.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by sprintcyclist on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:11pm
I'ld be surprised if FF have been harassing women visiting an abortion clinic.

Sure, they prob don't agree with abortions, but harassing women at an abortion clinic is a different thing altogether.
Their site does not suggest this sort of thing.

no response means nothing

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by IQSRLOW on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:13pm
no response means nothing

Except to someone with an obvious bias

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:29pm
Why didn't they deny it up front? Something ringing bells in the back of their mind perhaps?

Still no word from family first as far as I can tell.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:41pm

freediver wrote on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:29pm:
Why didn't they deny it up front? Something ringing bells in the back of their mind perhaps?

Still no word from family first as far as I can tell.


Perhaps you could check the news then


Quote:
Family First deny harassing abortion clinic patients



The Democrats have accused Family First members of harassing women outside an abortion clinic in Melbourne.

Democrats Leader Lyn Allison says security guards at the East Melbourne clinic have told her protesters often yell at women entering the clinic and follow them down the street.

She says she wants to see buffer zones that distance protesters from the entrance to abortion clinics.

"It does show the extent to which the far right will go to limit women's access to reproductive health services and outside there today are members of the Family First Party," she said.

Family First member Dave Foster was campaigning against abortion at the front of the clinic today and he denies the protesters harass women.

"We've been here 15 years and at no stage has there ever been a charge laid, nor has there ever been any evidence other than hearsay presented that would... incriminate us in anyway at all, and certainly we do not call women murderers," he said.

Democrats tell porkies


Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:46pm
Maybe I misread it - is he saying they have been out the front of the abortion clinic for 15 years? What do they do? Sit out the front and drink tea and chat quietly amongst themselves? Though I do congratulate them from avoiding having charges laid against them. I guess they have some self control.

This Dave bloke must think he's real tough sitting out the front of an abortion clinic having a go at women when they are at their most vulnerable. Maybe he'll graduate to harassing school kids next for holding hands with people of the same sex.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 21st, 2007 at 9:13pm

freediver wrote on Nov 21st, 2007 at 7:46pm:
Maybe I misread it - is he saying they have been out the front of the abortion clinic for 15 years? What do they do? Sit out the front and drink tea and chat quietly amongst themselves? Though I do congratulate them from avoiding having charges laid against them. I guess they have some self control.

This Dave bloke must think he's real tough sitting out the front of an abortion clinic having a go at women when they are at their most vulnerable. Maybe he'll graduate to harassing school kids next for holding hands with people of the same sex.


I expect he cares to speak out for those even more vulnerable.  Those without a voice at all.  I expect that makes him a very principled man.  But you don't care for that obviously.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by sprintcyclist on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 8:52am
hear hear deepy.
If they have been there for 15 years without a charge laid, pretty ok really.

I'ld presume they are for the unborn baby, not against the troubled mum to be.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 9:40am
I can respect people who oppose abortion and who campaign against it, but to start harassing women when they are at their most vulnerable and forcing doctors to hire security guards is just wrong. Half the women they harass are probably just there for advice anyway.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 6:03pm

freediver wrote on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 9:40am:
I can respect people who oppose abortion and who campaign against it, but to start harassing women when they are at their most vulnerable and forcing doctors to hire security guards is just wrong. Half the women they harass are probably just there for advice anyway.


At an abortion clinic?    What kind of advice do they give?

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 8:09pm
What the health implications of the various oiptions are - the sort of advice doctors are trained to give.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 10:51pm

freediver wrote on Nov 22nd, 2007 at 8:09pm:
What the health implications of the various oiptions are - the sort of advice doctors are trained to give.


So let me get this straight - you believe that doctors in abortion clinics urge women not to abort their unborn?  Why are they called abortion clinics do you think?  Why not medical centres?  And why would women seeking advice go to an abortion clinic?  I don't know of any woman who just wants pre-natal advice utilising the services of an abortion clinic.  Do you?

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 7:28am
So let me get this straight - you believe that doctors in abortion clinics urge women not to abort their unborn?

No Deepthought, they inform them of what their options are and what the implications of each option are. They do not try to steer patients in any one direction.

Why are they called abortion clinics do you think?

They are called plenty of things - family planning centres. If you were totally against abortion and wanted to jsutify harassing every single woman that walked through the door, you would call them abortion clinics.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 4:41pm

freediver wrote on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 7:28am:
So let me get this straight - you believe that doctors in abortion clinics urge women not to abort their unborn?

No Deepthought, they inform them of what their options are and what the implications of each option are. They do not try to steer patients in any one direction.

Why are they called abortion clinics do you think?

They are called plenty of things - family planning centres. If you were totally against abortion and wanted to jsutify harassing every single woman that walked through the door, you would call them abortion clinics.


So that bloody Democrat Lyn Allison is a hypocrite hey?  It was him that called it an abortion clinic when he told the news media "Family First members have been harassing women attending a Victorian abortion clinic".  Hypocritical bastard.

Tell me freediver - why don't women get advice from their own doctor then?  What purpose do 'abortion clinics' serve?  

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 4:43pm
I think that family planning clinics give free consultation on pregnancy, STD's etc, or something like that. GP's refer people to them.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:00pm

freediver wrote on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 4:43pm:
I think that family planning clinics give free consultation on pregnancy, STD's etc, or something like that. GP's refer people to them.



WHAT???????????  I know of only one woman who ever went to an abortion clinic and I have known heaps of pregnant women.  That one woman went for an abortion, not advice.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:03pm
I doubt many women make up their mind without medical advice. But if you want to try to draw trends based on one incident, go ahead.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:05pm

freediver wrote on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:03pm:
I doubt many women make up their mind without medical advice. But if you want to try to draw trends based on one incident, go ahead.



How many women do you know who have gone to an abortion clinic for pre-natal care then - why not tell me why you think I'm wrong?

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:16pm
Unlike Family First, I don't tend to ask women about their reproductive history.

Nor have I knocked any up accidentally then blamed them for the choice they made.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:30pm

freediver wrote on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:16pm:
Unlike Family First, I don't tend to ask women about their reproductive history.

Nor have I knocked any up accidentally then blamed them for the choice they made.


You claimed to know quite a bit about them before.   You reckoned GP's referred people to them.  How did you know that then?  Guess?

You appear to have developed amnesia.

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by freediver on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:36pm
No. There was a bi hoo-ha about it in the media a while back. Some Family First nutters were trying to worm their way into a medical advice hotline and give biased advice based on personal judgement of certain women rather than medical advice.

I admit that's a bit sketchy, but it's a lot better than trying to count the number of women I know who have been to a family planning centre. Do you really think women go and tell everyone about it afterwards?

Title: Re: low blow from Bill Heffernan
Post by deepthought on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 7:08pm

freediver wrote on Nov 23rd, 2007 at 5:36pm:
No. There was a bi hoo-ha about it in the media a while back. Some Family First nutters were trying to worm their way into a medical advice hotline and give biased advice based on personal judgement of certain women rather than medical advice.

I admit that's a bit sketchy, but it's a lot better than trying to count the number of women I know who have been to a family planning centre. Do you really think women go and tell everyone about it afterwards?


I think you are quite confused.  Either that or I am.  You refer to abortion clinics as Family Planning Centres.  Here's the web address for Queensland's Family Planning Clinic Services http://www.fpq.com.au/clinic_services.stm

Can you point out on there the bit that says they offer abortions please?

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