I really am over it. Totally. Over. It.
Neither of these t-shirts are appropriate in a civilised society. In my view, they mean totally different things, which I will come to, but let me re-iterate: NEITHER are appropriate!
The first word on each of these t-shirts has several meanings in modern language. It can mean (amongst other things) anger, frustration, get rid of someone, do someone over: last but not least to actually engage in sexual activity.
Like it or lump it Tony Abbott is probably one of the, if not the, most unpopular Australian Prime Minister in history so soon after election. While I don’t condone the top t-shirt, I think the meaning is pretty clear. Get him the “f” outta here. There is no implication of actually having sex with Tony or that he spread his legs for the local football team.
The second t-shirt is a completely different kettle of fish. Why? Simple. Tanya isn’t the Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten is. But that t-shirt wouldn’t have had quite the same connotation, would it, with Bill Shorten’s name on it? Of course not. The implication is very clear. So clear, in fact, if I have to spell it out I suggest you go back to high school and learn a little about life.
As much as I agree Abbott is the WORST POSSIBLE leader of the Liberal Party, if people want to complain about disrespect of the office of Prime Minister when someone they like is in the seat, they can’t disrespect the office when someone they don’t like is in the seat. As the old saying goes, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. The Abbott t-shirt was stupid. After “Ditch the Witch” do I blame them? Maybe not, so in some respects Abbott only has himself to blame for the dive in standards. Even so, if Labor supporters want to appeal as the superior political alternative: ACT LIKE IT!
I can understand the Abbott supporters being pissed off about the Abbott t-shirt. But, hey, free speech, you know? 😆 Being pissed off does NOT warrant a) retaliating against the wrong person, b) retaliating against the wrong position and c) retaliating at an even LOWER level of behaviour. THAT just makes those behind the Tanya t-shirt look mean, nasty, sexist and trivial. Not, in my view, a good look. Free speech? Well, yes, but we don’t actually have free speech in this country, do we? So those throwing free speech around can just pull their heads in. Grow up and stop waving the free speech flag around as an excuse for being nasty.
I don’t give a flying f*ck what side of politics you are on, stop acting like uneducated children. Yes, the Hockey Budget is a bloody disaster. Yes, Abbott is an embarrassment every time he opens his mouth as so clearly illustrated by “Last Week Tonight”. No, he should not be Prime Minister. However, if it is expected that due respect be given Julia Gillard while she held office, then do the same. There are other ways to remove Abbott.
The Liberal Party fanboys who came up with the Tanya t-shirt in puerile retaliation – may I say I am so glad I am no longer a member? What the f*ck were you thinking? HOW DARE YOU drag the Liberal Party to such depths of depravity? I despair the future of a political party I voted for longer than some of you have been alive! Menzies would have expelled you from the party and you know it.
Now where is that bottle of red? I need another glass!
and one they missed
Random Observations of Life 
[…] to the political process at all. This is part of my dissatisfaction with the Liberal party. Labor has not been nearly as bad in this respect. I actually do expect to have adults in charge, not […]
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The second off the 2 shirts is totally defamatory, i and other readers do not know Tanyas sexual habits nor do i wish to wherever the t shirt came from is to draw attention away from this misogynist 300000 + hits on youtube Ms Gillard’s speech, i have retarded myself in using profanity against this government in frustration,this t shirt was made by i would say young abbots young bishops young pynes young liberals not all as im sure there are some reasonable people there 1 would hope, but experimenting on what people’s reactions are and what now acceptable in internet media as the t shirt states what it states does the persons who made it are as bad as the first t shirt makers probably 50% WORSE as to use profanity is to show how unintellectual you are (as my father once said to me), just sometimes it can get the stress out and makes you feel a little better, my judgement t shirt 2 is made by naughty children that have never been allowed to do anything before and this is their first attempt at being controversial, in the race last place you loss.
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It has been suggested that my choice of saying this is childish behaviour is not correct, citing this article http://news.stanford.edu/news/2008/november5/tanner-110508.html as evidence. However in my experience as a mother, children can be the most vindictive and cruel individuals, so I’m sticking with it.
HOWEVER, children could not have thought up the sexual implication that was SO unnecessary and such a personal attack on an innocent woman. Whoever was behind that t-shirt (and I have doubts it was the person currently claiming credit) should be ashamed of themselves. I hope his mother instigates appropriate punishment. I wonder how that individual treats the women in his family?
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Thank you Robyn!! Personally I don’t think the Abbott T-Shirts are appropriate, as we saw in the various marches, there are many witty ways to do a shirt that get your point across, BUT the Plibersek are just disgusting! As you correctly state, the whole connotation is different and to be perfectly frank, vile. How is this acceptable? Have conservatives declared war on successful & strong women and forget to tell us? No wonder there is only one woman in cabinet, obviously she must ‘knew her place’. 😦
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I made a similar comment about women in cabinet. Does make one wonder. Red boxes and now this. Why would any woman put up with such behaviour on a daily basis? I certainly wouldn’t. But the Liberals need a demographic overhaul to have any relevance in the future. Very sad really.
Anyway, thanks for your support on this one! 🙂
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Hi Robyn,
Love the article and I share the frustration. Living overseas I am so embarrassed to be an Australian due to our current leadership and political policies. That said the fact Australia is 23 million people on the a** end of no-where means it rarely hits the headlines over here in Tokyo.
It annoys me so many attack the person not the policy. It annoys me the nature of politics is now personal combat not a competition of ideas. It annoys me the egalitarian Australia I love seems to be slowly disappearing from the nations consciousness.
Despite this, I have hope the nation changes course, of course 🙂
-Paul
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Paul, try being here. It is worse, I can assure you. The “personal combat” (sans weapons) we inherited, I believe, from the USA. They made playing the man, not the ball, a political art form. Sad, as it just shows an inability to adequately debate the real issues.
I am not much one for ever going backwards, but in this case, reverting to past standards seems an eminently sensible way forward!
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I will admit to a deep level of uncomfortableness with the ‘f* TA’ shirt but for many it’s no more an offensive word than ‘bugger’ is to me. I’m more uneasy with ‘asbestos julie’ remarks or comments on Hockey’s weight or whatever relationships Pyne might have. This is not ‘political discourse’.
A play on names, Poodle or Bananaby, is one thing but we are taking this too far and being hypocrical with it at the same time. And we don’t call it out because we don’t wish to be schoolmarnish or think we may be being too sensitive ourselves. It’s nice to know we’re not alone.
As for the tee shirt slogan that started this, it’s beyond disgusting. As was pointed out, it may be slander. I hope that all the advertisers on the site withdraw & the perpetrators loose a good few night’s sleep worrying about defamation laws.
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Jan, I assure you, you are not alone. This isn’t about being schoolmarmish, this is about something we used to call common decency.
Defamation/slander is an interesting question in this case and if I was Tanya, I’d be following every legal avenue I could.
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Sad to see that some people stoop that low! That’s very disrespectful
I hadn’t seen that Tony Abbot “last week tonight” video. Quite funny!
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Sadly, the video is both funny and TRUE.
The Lib shirt was unacceptable. Totally unacceptable.
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Reblogged this on Curiosity and Challenge and commented:
Short, to the point and well worth the read.
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Nice rant;
NO, the two dont have the same connotation. For a starts one is a vehement and disgusted form of dismissal, the other infers the woman is a whore, a slut, a mattress back..pick the filthy innuendo of this slime bags preference.
No they aren’t even close, and regardless of party preference I agree with Russell Crowe when he referred to attacks on Julia Gillard, he basically said “this is personal & if she was my mother or sister I would be having strong words with those people”.
Or put plainly, would punch holes through the vile bastard that dared make the remark.
And rightly so, good article Robyn, go have that deserved red.
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Thanks, Brooksy. Worlds apart the meanings. A “F*ck Shorten” t-shirt would have been tit for tat. This was infantile and disgusting at the same time.
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Exactly, feck Shorten is fair enough, easy to assume plenty hate him and if im fair minded I must accept that as fair enough.
This is nothing but personal, as hurtful as they can be and entirely slanderous of the woman’s character in the worst possible way.
I hate these new Libs, but if I saw that with Julie Bishop on it instead of Tanya Plibersek, I would be equally outraged, its just filthy and beyond any excuse or justification the shirts creator could make.
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It makes me wonder why there are so few women in the Liberal cabinet. If THAT is the treatment women can also expect internally, who’d consider it? Not me!
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Great article as usual Robyn. I personally think theTee Shirt about Tanya Plibersek is the lowest of lowest, that we as a Nation have come.
I have not in all my many years have known politics to have reached such lows since Abbott and crew have come about. With the way they degraded Julia Gillard what else can you expect, as they have taught the Radical Immature Children to act just like they did. With their Ditch the Witch SHAME Abbott and Co for taking our Beautiful Country down so low. And Shame on Labor for following!!
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Thanks Maureen. I tried to stay out of it. I was on my flowers trip. It was nice. Peaceful. Pretty.
But I have been complaining about the standards of our political discourse for some time now and this just annoyed the F*CK out of me. Bloody stupid behaviour by all and sundry and TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.
Definitely the Tanya t-shirt was the worst of the two. Puerile. Ridiculous.
I’m officially a tribal elder now – I’m allowed to be grumpy!
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