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'Disgraceful': Malcolm Turnbull condemns head-butt on Tony Abbott | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Malcolm Turnbull has condemned an alleged head-butt of Tony Abbott by a marriage equality supporter but says the incident is one of “a relatively small number” of such cases in the postal survey campaign. | |
Speaking to 3AW Radio on Friday, Turnbull said it was “a disgraceful incident” and urged calm after what he said amounted to an assault of the former prime minister. “Any violence coming into our political life is absolutely to be condemned,” he said. | |
Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz has claimed that the alleged incident is a “harbinger” of more violence, despite conceding it is not indicative of the yes campaign generally. | |
Marriage equality supporters have been quick to condemn the incident and denounce political violence but opponents have used the incident to rally against same-sex marriage. | Marriage equality supporters have been quick to condemn the incident and denounce political violence but opponents have used the incident to rally against same-sex marriage. |
Turnbull said Australia had a tradition of respecting political debate “sometimes with strong views being expressed, but without violence”. | |
“This is one of a number, a relatively small number of incidents, but any one is one too many.” | |
He urged everyone participating in the marriage equality debate to “exercise calm and restraint” and said campaigners should recognise that if they used violent or abusive language or engaged in “violent conduct as Tony suffered”, they were not helping their case. | |
Abbott said the incident was “a reminder of how ugly this debate is getting and the ugliness is not coming from the defenders of marriage as it’s always been understood”. | Abbott said the incident was “a reminder of how ugly this debate is getting and the ugliness is not coming from the defenders of marriage as it’s always been understood”. |
In the past two weeks there have been reports a Burnie Cafe was threatened with arson, a 14 year old Dubbo girl received a death threat and Kevin Rudd’s godson was bashed, all for supporting marriage equality. | In the past two weeks there have been reports a Burnie Cafe was threatened with arson, a 14 year old Dubbo girl received a death threat and Kevin Rudd’s godson was bashed, all for supporting marriage equality. |
On Friday Abetz told ABC News Breakfast the incident highlighted “the ugliness of the yes campaign” and demonstrated that the slogan “love is love” was “unfortunately shown in practice to be intolerance, not wanting people to be able to have their point of view”. | On Friday Abetz told ABC News Breakfast the incident highlighted “the ugliness of the yes campaign” and demonstrated that the slogan “love is love” was “unfortunately shown in practice to be intolerance, not wanting people to be able to have their point of view”. |
Abetz said Abbott had a swollen lip “for a short while” but “was in very fine form” at dinner later that evening. “He will continue to campaign for the no vote, unabated.” | Abetz said Abbott had a swollen lip “for a short while” but “was in very fine form” at dinner later that evening. “He will continue to campaign for the no vote, unabated.” |
Asked if the incident was out of character with the yes campaign, Abetz conceded “I think we can all agree with that”. But he said intolerance in the debate had “overwhelmingly been one-way traffic”. | Asked if the incident was out of character with the yes campaign, Abetz conceded “I think we can all agree with that”. But he said intolerance in the debate had “overwhelmingly been one-way traffic”. |
“[This] is just a bit of a foretaste of what will come should the yes campaigners feel even more empowered in the event that they were successful with the vote ... This is just a bit of a harbinger of what is likely to occur.” | “[This] is just a bit of a foretaste of what will come should the yes campaigners feel even more empowered in the event that they were successful with the vote ... This is just a bit of a harbinger of what is likely to occur.” |
Australian Marriage Equality co-chair Alex Greenwich said the Equality Campaign “condemns the violence against Tony Abbott that has been reported”. | Australian Marriage Equality co-chair Alex Greenwich said the Equality Campaign “condemns the violence against Tony Abbott that has been reported”. |
“There is never a place for violence or abuse. Marriage Equality is about respect and dignity for every Australian. There is no room for any disrespect either physical or verbal in this national debate.” | “There is never a place for violence or abuse. Marriage Equality is about respect and dignity for every Australian. There is no room for any disrespect either physical or verbal in this national debate.” |
Greenwich said the yes campaign “has always and will continue to call for respect and everyone involved in this debate to act in a respectful and dignified way”. | Greenwich said the yes campaign “has always and will continue to call for respect and everyone involved in this debate to act in a respectful and dignified way”. |
The Tasmanians United for Marriage Equality spokesman, Rodney Croome, urged yes and no supporters “to act with respect and restraint because, when this postal survey is over, we will still have to live together, side by side, as Australians”. | The Tasmanians United for Marriage Equality spokesman, Rodney Croome, urged yes and no supporters “to act with respect and restraint because, when this postal survey is over, we will still have to live together, side by side, as Australians”. |
Croome condemned the alleged attack as “beneath contempt” but said the yes campaign could not be “judged on the basis of the delinquency of one person whose only link to the yes campaign was wearing a badge”. | Croome condemned the alleged attack as “beneath contempt” but said the yes campaign could not be “judged on the basis of the delinquency of one person whose only link to the yes campaign was wearing a badge”. |
Abbott told the story to Steve Price and Sky News host Andrew Bolt on Melbourne’s 3AW radio on Thursday. | Abbott told the story to Steve Price and Sky News host Andrew Bolt on Melbourne’s 3AW radio on Thursday. |
“I was walking from the Mercury office across that docks area, that beautiful docks area in Hobart, towards my hotel,” Abbott said. | “I was walking from the Mercury office across that docks area, that beautiful docks area in Hobart, towards my hotel,” Abbott said. |
“A fellow sung out at me ‘Hey Tony!’ I turned around, there was a chap wearing a Vote Yes badge. He says ‘I wanna shake your hand’. I went over to shake his hand and then he headbutted me. | “A fellow sung out at me ‘Hey Tony!’ I turned around, there was a chap wearing a Vote Yes badge. He says ‘I wanna shake your hand’. I went over to shake his hand and then he headbutted me. |
“Now he wasn’t very good at it I’ve got to say, but he did make contact. The only damage was a very, very slightly swollen lip. | “Now he wasn’t very good at it I’ve got to say, but he did make contact. The only damage was a very, very slightly swollen lip. |
“I was with a member of my staff [who] briefly grappled with this guy, and he then ran off swearing his head off basically.” | “I was with a member of my staff [who] briefly grappled with this guy, and he then ran off swearing his head off basically.” |
A spokesman for Abbott said the staffer present at the alleged incident “sought to restrain the perpetrator after he assaulted Mr Abbott”. | |
“The Australian federal police were notified as soon as the incident occurred and both he and Mr Abbott have given statements to Tasmania Police.” | |
In a statement, the Tasmania Police said: “Police would particularly like to hear from the other man who was allegedly involved in the incident and have urged him to come forward and contact police.” |