Abbott slammed for 'housewife' remark | National News | Breaking National News in Australia
Abbott slammed for 'housewife' remark
TONY Abbott's comments about housewives doing the ironing prove he is stuck in the past, a federal Labor backbencher says.
The opposition leader made the remark during a visit to a Queanbeyan dry-cleaning store on Monday, which he used to warn of higher electricity prices under an emissions trading scheme (ETS).
"What the housewives of Australia need to understand as they do the ironing is that if they get it done commercially it's going to go up in price, and their own power bills when they switch the iron on are going to go up," Mr Abbott said.
Labor MP Yvette D'Ath said the comment showed he was out of touch.
"This is a leader and an opposition party that are living in the past," she told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday, adding that she found the comments "appalling and patronising".
Mr Abbott got himself into hot water a few weeks ago over his description of a woman's virginity as "the greatest gift" she could give someone.
The opposition leader's latest remark showed his true colours, Ms D'Ath said.
"What we can see is no matter how hard Tony Abbott tries, the real Tony Abbott keeps sneaking out there," she said.
No stay-at-home mums in her Queensland electorate referred to themselves as housewives, nor did they stand around talking about ironing, she said.
Mr Abbott said people were being "hypersensitive", before acknowledging ironing was not just a woman's domain.
"But I think in many households it is still much more common to see the woman of the house with an iron in her hand," he told Macquarie Radio Network.
Mr Abbott said that was the way it worked in his house, as his wife Margie wanted him to look neat and he probably would not do it otherwise.
But that was beside the point.
"The big issue here is the price of ordinary household services... which will go up under Labor's great big new tax," he said.
Labor backbencher Amanda Rishworth warned Mr Abbott of speaking down to women.
"When you are patronising to women, women do turn off," she said.
But Liberal frontbencher Tony Smith said the comment was just a "slip of the tongue" and nothing should be read into it.
His backbench colleague Jamie Briggs agreed, saying the furore it created was just another government attempt to take Mr Abbott down a peg or two.
Nationals MP Darren Chester said every family worked out who did domestic duties differently.
"I don't think it's an issue of national importance," he said.
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Recent Comments
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Posted by Local_Bloke from Marcoola, Queensland
09 February 2010 1:02 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
So who irons his budgie smugglers?
Posted by knight2486 from Tweed Heads South, New South Wales
09 February 2010 1:15 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
As the father of 3 daughters I am appalled by the ease of Mr Abbott's words and views that housewives whilst doing the ironing blah blah blah... Tony obviously thinks domestic tasks still rightfully are the domain of women. You could tell when he was on TV last night that he hasn't ironed a shirt in his life.
The largest block of sympathy has to go to poor Tony Abbott's wife, fancy having to put up with his misogynist dribble. Probably happy when he has to go to Canberra when Parliament sitting.
Posted by Leatheryman from Ballard, Queensland
09 February 2010 2:38 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Good to see political correctness take a back seat to reality for a change.
Do housewives not exist anymore? I know several, who are also educated professionals. Yes they can handle the ironing for other family members as well believe it or not!
I guess there are those that don't bother.
That would explain why a lot of school kids just wear tracksuits and street clothes these days.
Posted by ontrack from Maroochydore, Queensland
09 February 2010 2:53 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Who cares. Most woman I know still do most of the ironing......
Posted by Zorro from Noosa Heads, Queensland
09 February 2010 3:10 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
The guy's a train wreck looking for somewhere to happen. Getting more manic by the day.
He and Hockey (especially together) remind me of a couple of shifty car salesmen, a couple of smirking, juvenile stirrers up the back of the class.
Posted by dr_news from Australia, None
09 February 2010 4:57 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
What scares me is that the Opposition leader's comments on ironing, the role of women and virginity may strike a chord with a section of our society that would rather live in the 1950s - a fantasy, yes, but conservatives cling to it - and, if elected, the 21st Century will mean nothing to our government. The advancements in social and cultural development that have happened will be moot. Abbott will have Julia Gillard in the back room baking cup cakes, instead of recognising that, regardless of gender, we are all the same.
Posted by SunriseB from Sunrise Beach, Queensland
09 February 2010 9:16 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
This is a total beatup like the virginity thing. The virginity comment he was talking about his daughters. How many fathers would disagree with that. This comment about ironing is equally a non-story. Some women still do ironing. Get over it.
Posted by trooper5 from Hervey Bay, Queensland
09 February 2010 9:26 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
reading some of these comments they are obvious the milky bar kids supporters at least the mad monk has the guts to serve it up to rudd regarding the ILLEGAL intrusion into our waters, most of the 9/11 bombers were let in under the u n acceptance programme as was the bloke that was tried and convicted in vic for attempting to blow up a major sporting programme like the a f l grand final when it happen remember my comment
Posted by picman2 from Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
09 February 2010 10:54 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Now was that a slip of the tongue or just another sample of his slippery untrustworthy tongue. This is a person who says one thing but we all know means another. How can he even try to be credible? I thought Turnbull was bad but this guy is like simple Simon.
I don’t think there are any opposition players out there that can offer any real commitment to what they say. They all had their chance after being in power for years and the whole country has already paid that price of diminished infrastructure on a national basis.
Say what you like about Labor but at least they’re actually trying to do something with our tax money. The Abbott may think he is going somewhere but surely people can’t be that stupid to believe anything he says.
But then again there are many human sheep out there that will just lap up whatever froths out of his mouth.