This is the final part in a recent mini-series articulating the areas/reasons why I believe Tony Abbott is destroying Australia and is thus an unsuitable Prime Minister. The following articles together make up this series of posts:

1. Federal budget 2014
2. Stop the Boats
3. Repeal the Carbon Tax
4. Higher Education Private Sector Unleashed
5. International Diplomacy Fail (this article)

During this first year of forming government, there have been a number of gaffes which Tony Abbott either personally delivered, or indirectly endorsed in his support of Julie Bishop as our latest Foreign Minister. There had already been concerns of Tony Abbott’s credentials internationally given the way he had conducted himself during his years of leading the Coalition Opposition. Not only that, but Mr Abbott’s nature and personality in shooting his mouth off with a crassness and lack of diplomatic street-smart was always going to make many Australians nervous about the way he has represented Australia abroad. It if further, somewhat ironic that it was the efforts of the former Rudd/Gillard government that resulted in Australia being appointed to the UN Security Council, and indeed provide leadership to the global community. In addition, thanks to the efforts again of Rudd/Gillard, Tony Abbott has landed the plum role of president of the G20 for 2014.

Tony Abbott Speeches

At the World Economic Forum held in Davos in January 2014, he used this occasion of public address before an audience of global business and political leaders that “stimulating growth through business was the single most effective means of promoting continued global progress” (ABC article). This event was a disaster for Australia in the boorish and naive way the elected leader of the nation demonstrated before a global audience the very worst and incompetency that is Tony Abbott. Fortunately, the epic failure was contained by the world’s media giving his speech little to no air time. Tony Abbott’s speech was completely inappropriate in that the content and message was a little too simplistic (Go free trade) for the audience. His speech was a complete rehash of all the stupid slogans that had been used on the local electorate (Abbott’s Davos Disaster, Independent Australia):

You can’t spend what you haven’t got.

Markets are the proven answer to the problem of scarcity.

No country has ever taxed or subsidised its way to prosperity.

People trade with each other because it’s in their interest to do so.

Progress usually comes one step at a time.

Part of the criticism levelled against him and the speech was that he was pandering to domestic politics, which is never acceptable before an international audience. This was not his first time either falling into this trap – as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, when Tony Abbott was interviewed by the Washington Post and resorted to labelling Rudd/Gillard as “wacko” and “embarrassing”. This lack of diplomatic nous created an unfortunate image of “coarseness, amateurishness and viciousness”. Tony Abbott seems not to have made the transition required from Opposition Leader to Prime Minister. In effect, the language and vocabulary he has consistently employed would suggest his mindset is still locked into the mentality of competing in a domestic election environment against the likes of Rudd/Gillard, as observed by the ABC. As suggested by Independent Australia, Abbott then (January) and even still now (August) has yet to articulate a vision for Australia inspite of now being in office almost a year… I tend to agree with their most strident point made as the article’s concluding statements:

Perhaps it confirms that Abbott knows deep down that the 2013 ‘win’ was illegitimate — that it was secured only by deception and dishonesty.

Perhaps it is time for his party to consider the matter of leader.

Julie Bishop vs China

Julie Bishop was appointed to the post of Foreign Minister as a result of the Abbott Government coming to power in September 2013. In December during a face-to-face telecast meeting between her Chinese counterpart, the two Foreign Ministers went almost head to head. Whilst Julie Bishop’s interpretation of the events and her position in standing her ground, hoping that china would respect Australia’s right to “speak out on actions that affect a region of critical security importance to Australia”, the unprecedented style and tone was seen as observers, both within and external to Australia as being outright rude.

Both this incident and Tony Abbott’s speech blunder have something in common and it should make us consider – what advice are these senior government officials receiving, or why do they think they know better when both Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop are new kids on the block, particularly when it comes to conducting themselves as politicians operating in an international environment?

I see this as something more – and consequently have read more into the situation concerning Julie Bishop. I suspect that Julie Bishop’s position was agreed up-front between herself and the PM. Also, views and positions espoused by a nation’s leader are often delivered by other members within their Government party as an intentional diplomacy tactic to enable the leader to later distance them self, as necessary, from the harshness of the statement. It should be noted that Julie Bishop retained the unwavering support of Tony Abbott through the times of criticism. So, indirectly, the harsh tone and crassness was really Tony Abbott’s doing, notwithstanding any personal communication style similarities present both Julie and Tony.

In one sense, Tony Abbott is our equivalent now of the former George W Bush as President of the US. The single mindedness and dogmatic approach to diplomacy leaves much to be desired in Tony Abbott. You see elements of this mindset also pervade the other senior ministers within his cabinet – Joe Hockey and Christopher Pyne are primary examples of the Abbott affliction.