Mr Marks, a millionaire businessman, had a birthday party on Sunday 22nd March 2015. It was held at the Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne and our Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott attended, having made a hasty flight from the official launch of the election campaign of NSW Liberal Premier Mike Baird.
Photos of both men were photographed, with Mr Marks repeatedly putting his arm around Mr Abbott’s shoulder, so says an article in the Herald Sun (Sunday March 29th, 2015 Stephen Drill, Ellen Whinnett and Tom Miner).
The article was lengthy and intrigue was suggested with disclosures such as Mr Marks donating more than $1.1 million to the federal Liberal Party last financial year. Several more political ‘tit-bits’ were discussed such as a recent red carpet ceremony in Parliament where 14 deals were signed between Australia and Chinese businesses and organisations. (including Mr Paul Marks)
However, I was drawn to a paragraph a third of the way in –
‘Mr Marks had also told people that Mr Abbott’s wife, Margie, and his controversial chief of staff, Peta Credlin, and her husband, federal Liberal director Brian Loughnane, would attend the function.
The Herald sun admits they did not see these three people at the party but still manages to print a photo of Ms Credlin with Mr Stuart Robert, ‘the most prolific and aggressive fundraiser in the Liberal Party’ so says the Herald Sun in the same article.
Was it necessary to inject Ms Credlin’s name at all. She was with her husband and he had reason to be at the function (if he did), as the policy of including big supporters is important to the coffers of the Liberal Party’s administrative wing.
Further rants: Peta Credlin returns to parliament for the first time following calls for her sacking …. on taxpayer-funded jet to Liberal donor’s birthday bash at Huntingdale Golf Club.(http://libreprensa.com/k/liberal-party_this-week/609037-orderby_week).
And on he next page Mr Laurie Oakes gets into the joy of whipping a few harsh words at Ms Credlin’s back. (Source: Sun Herald dated 29th March 2015)
‘The lack of a similar system in the current Prime Minister’s Office – with chief of staff Peta Credlin tightly controlling all access and backbenchers kept at arm’s length – is a key reason the February spill motion gained such strong support.’
Mr Oakes continues with this thread in his online blog –
‘In early 2008, Gotto, by then in her early 60s, returned to Parliament House as chief of staff to a Liberal frontbench senator, Helen Coonan. Coonan’s previous chief of staff had been Peta Credlin.
That’s the same Peta Credlin who now, as chief of staff in Tony Abbott’s office, is the subject of bitter complaints that she is over-protective of the PM, shuts out alternative advice and is a control freak in dealings with other ministers.
“People expect to be treated as adults,” was the way a Cabinet minister summed up the discontent during the week.
Sexism was undoubtedly a key factor behind the muttering that saw Gotto blamed for much that went wrong in the Gorton government. And yesterday Abbott trotted out the gender argument in defence of Credlin.
“Do you really think that my chief of staff would be under this kind of criticism if her name was P-E-T-E-R as opposed to P-E-T-A?” he asked a television interviewer.’
(Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/laurie-oakes-the-peta-factor-is-a-real-test-for-abbott/story-fni0fha6-1227154449868)No, of course not. The fact is, she is a woman and does her job well. Unfortunately, I found that a lot of women don’t even know who she is. I canvassed the opinions of ordinary people throughout the course of my daily life in the lead up to this article. Some were, volunteers, stall-holders, best friends and friends on email, students & teachers. I was surprised and sad, and somewhat disappointed that in general, it appears a lot of people don’t really care, and most have no idea of who the ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocaplyse’ are. See my post dated 18th March 2015.
(Source: http://www.apocalypse-soon.com/the_four_horsemen.htm)
In one week I asked through Facebook avenues for thoughts on this subject and received one real reply from a committed feminist. Granted my crude voxpoll was aimed towards a small group of people but once again I was taken aback by such silence. Below are some of the answers to my organised questions to those who were prepared to commit an answer.
A Swinburne Uni Student:
Q3. If so did you feel any sympathy for Ms Credlin?
I think these slur’s now seem to come with the job. She is managing herself in a dignified way and her close relationship with Mr Abbott has remained unchanged.
A Professional (Medicine): quote ‘I have not read anything about this woman, but I know she is accused of micro-managing Tony Abbott, and a Prime Minister should not need micro-managing.’ unquote.A Facebook reader:
Q1. Do you know the name Peta Credlin? Who is she? Yes. I don't fully understand her role, but I know that she's a politician but not an MP or Senator and is seen as "the power behind the throne", and as having too much influence over Abbott for a non-elected politician Q2. Did you absorb the recent attack from the Finance Minister, Mr Higginson, calling her a ‘horseman of the Apocalypse’. I heard it, and that it was an insult. I assumed it was related to the above issue but didn't look into it. Q3. If so did you feel any sympathy for Ms Credlin? No - she's a high ranking member of an organisation (the Liberal Party) that I see as deeply unethical, causing direct harm to vulnerable people. Q4. Do you feel she is being discriminated against because she is a woman in an important position. Not especially. I mean - she probably is, because what woman in an important position isn't discriminated against? What woman in any position? But I think she's a terrible human, just awful, and i believe the criticisms of her are probably mostly valid. If terminology like "pussy-whipped" is being thrown around (i haven't come across this, but I can see how it might come up given the relationship between her and Abbott) then I would consider that highly gendered and sexist. Q5. Do you feel she is compromised by being married to Mr Brian Loughnane, Federal Director of the Liberal Party of Australia since February 2003. No. I assume she married him because they share values, not that her values have been warped because she's married to him. If there's a field of work you really respect, it follows both that you'll want to work in that field and that you might marry someone in that field. Q6. Do you have any opinion at all. If so please express in words. I'm a very strong feminist and I absolutely believe women get criticised for things that a man in the same position wouldn't - especially women with power. However, I also strongly reject "choice" feminism, the idea that any woman who takes power should be valued as a feminist icon. Margaret Thatcher is a good example. She was an awful person who caused vast amounts of harm to people in general and women in particular. The Liberal Party is doing things like cutting funding to women's shelters - I would hate to see things like that glossed over because we should be happy there's a woman in powerEven as this article is being typed, being Monday 30th March 2015, the focus is drifting away from Ms Credlin and her weekend jaunts and even Prime Minister Abbott is taking second place to Mr Joe Hockey and today’s forray into a foreshadowed budget and the introduction of a ‘conversation’ about the GST. Don’t stray too far ‘dear readers’. Sexual discrimination has never been resolved in an appropriate way and even with a woman prime minister, it was not given a king hit. I know feminists throughout the ages must have accomplished but at times I wonder what. Til then, without being in any political party, I give my whole-hearted support to Ms Credlin. She has nerves of steel; I suspect a nice person; and does a damn good job.
Woman There Is Much To Do I Say
woman there is much to do 