Abbott defends "no means no" remark.
Abbott defends 'no means no' remark.
Tony Abbott has accused Labor of a smear campaign to discredit him with women voters.
News reports today seized on Mr Abbott's choice of words in a press conference where he repeatedly referenced the phrase "no means no", an expression linked to anti-rape campaigns, in relation to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Asked whether he would accept Ms Gillard's challenge for a debate on the economy, Mr Abbott criticised the invitation before saying: "Are you suggesting to me that when it comes from Julia, 'no' doesn't mean 'no'.
"When she said 'no', I thought she meant 'no'. I believed her. You can't change the rules just because you are in trouble."
"She's surely not trying to say to us that 'no doesn't mean no', because that's what she said, 'no', repeatedly. And when she said 'no' I believed her."
But Mr Abbott told Fairfax radio he would not accept any implications that his choice of words meant he was insensitive to women.
"I'm not going to cop this kind of vicious smear from the Labor Government," he said.
"We had Craig Emerson out there on the weekend threatening a nasty personal campaign. This is the start.
"This suggestion that I am in some way insensitive to women - I announced today a visionary, indeed a generational reform in paid parental leave, and they're trying to run this kind of nonsense.
"I mean, I'm just not going to cop it from them."
But Ms Gillard has denied Labor is behind the reports, refusing to comment on the statements.
"I don't see how Mr Abbott can say that. I certainly haven't commented on the matter and I don't intend to," she said.
Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey leapt to his leader's defence, saying there is nothing to the story.
"When I say to my kids 'no means no', I mean it with my kids, so I'm quite surprised at what's happened," he said.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said it was an inappropriate phrase to use.
Source.
Ugh. Some idiot on my FB is calling this a "manufactured campaign distraction". What are some good ways I can point out to him that it's not okay to use this language?
Tony Abbott has accused Labor of a smear campaign to discredit him with women voters.
News reports today seized on Mr Abbott's choice of words in a press conference where he repeatedly referenced the phrase "no means no", an expression linked to anti-rape campaigns, in relation to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Asked whether he would accept Ms Gillard's challenge for a debate on the economy, Mr Abbott criticised the invitation before saying: "Are you suggesting to me that when it comes from Julia, 'no' doesn't mean 'no'.
"When she said 'no', I thought she meant 'no'. I believed her. You can't change the rules just because you are in trouble."
"She's surely not trying to say to us that 'no doesn't mean no', because that's what she said, 'no', repeatedly. And when she said 'no' I believed her."
But Mr Abbott told Fairfax radio he would not accept any implications that his choice of words meant he was insensitive to women.
"I'm not going to cop this kind of vicious smear from the Labor Government," he said.
"We had Craig Emerson out there on the weekend threatening a nasty personal campaign. This is the start.
"This suggestion that I am in some way insensitive to women - I announced today a visionary, indeed a generational reform in paid parental leave, and they're trying to run this kind of nonsense.
"I mean, I'm just not going to cop it from them."
But Ms Gillard has denied Labor is behind the reports, refusing to comment on the statements.
"I don't see how Mr Abbott can say that. I certainly haven't commented on the matter and I don't intend to," she said.
Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey leapt to his leader's defence, saying there is nothing to the story.
"When I say to my kids 'no means no', I mean it with my kids, so I'm quite surprised at what's happened," he said.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said it was an inappropriate phrase to use.
Source.
Ugh. Some idiot on my FB is calling this a "manufactured campaign distraction". What are some good ways I can point out to him that it's not okay to use this language?