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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/23/julie-bishop-says-voters-believe-mps-are-no-better-than-schoolchildren
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| Julie Bishop says voters believe MPs are ‘no better than schoolchildren’ | Julie Bishop says voters believe MPs are ‘no better than schoolchildren’ |
| (2 months later) | |
| Julie Bishop has warned that the public views politicians as worse behaved than schoolchildren, blaming question time’s combative culture and also citing the Liberal leadership change as a cause for confusion about Australia’s direction. | Julie Bishop has warned that the public views politicians as worse behaved than schoolchildren, blaming question time’s combative culture and also citing the Liberal leadership change as a cause for confusion about Australia’s direction. |
| The former deputy Liberal leader made the comments to Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, in a program in which another Turnbull ally – Craig Laundy – said calls for politicians to harden up and ignore bullying behaviour were “absolute rubbish”. | The former deputy Liberal leader made the comments to Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, in a program in which another Turnbull ally – Craig Laundy – said calls for politicians to harden up and ignore bullying behaviour were “absolute rubbish”. |
| The leadership spill has provided a catalyst for a general discussion on parliamentary standards after the Liberal MPs Julia Banks and Ann Sudmalis announced they would not contest the next election, citing bullying, and internal pressure prompted Scott Morrison to promise a new complaints handling process. | The leadership spill has provided a catalyst for a general discussion on parliamentary standards after the Liberal MPs Julia Banks and Ann Sudmalis announced they would not contest the next election, citing bullying, and internal pressure prompted Scott Morrison to promise a new complaints handling process. |
| Labor says it will force companies with more than 1,000 employees to publicly reveal pay gap | |
| Bishop said that since the spill she has “had many calls from my counterpart foreign ministers who are very politely asking why I am no longer the foreign minister and what happened to the prime minister”. | Bishop said that since the spill she has “had many calls from my counterpart foreign ministers who are very politely asking why I am no longer the foreign minister and what happened to the prime minister”. |
| “There have been some rather unkind comments about Australia being the Italy of the south Pacific and the coup capital of the world.” | “There have been some rather unkind comments about Australia being the Italy of the south Pacific and the coup capital of the world.” |
| Bishop – who chose not to recontest the Liberal deputy position and then declined Morrison’s offer for her to continue as foreign affairs minister when he replaced Malcolm Turnbull – said that the consequences of the spill had been great. | Bishop – who chose not to recontest the Liberal deputy position and then declined Morrison’s offer for her to continue as foreign affairs minister when he replaced Malcolm Turnbull – said that the consequences of the spill had been great. |
| But Bishop said that question time “probably does more damage to the reputation of the political class than any other issue”. | But Bishop said that question time “probably does more damage to the reputation of the political class than any other issue”. |
| “There’s far too much throwing of insults and vicious behaviour, name-calling and the like,” she said. “And the public see that as no better than schoolchildren. In fact, not as well-behaved as schoolchildren.” | “There’s far too much throwing of insults and vicious behaviour, name-calling and the like,” she said. “And the public see that as no better than schoolchildren. In fact, not as well-behaved as schoolchildren.” |
| Bishop said question time was characterised by a “deafening” wall of sound that she described as having an “overwhelming” and intimidating physical impact on the body. | Bishop said question time was characterised by a “deafening” wall of sound that she described as having an “overwhelming” and intimidating physical impact on the body. |
| “And particularly the response, the ridicule, the insults, can throw you off your game but you have to have a dogged focus to get to the end of the question or the answer.” | “And particularly the response, the ridicule, the insults, can throw you off your game but you have to have a dogged focus to get to the end of the question or the answer.” |
| Bishop accepted the criticism could apply to her own behaviour, conceding that she was “not at all” an angel in question time because “as a minister and a shadow minister you are judged on your ability to strike a blow against your political opponent”. | Bishop accepted the criticism could apply to her own behaviour, conceding that she was “not at all” an angel in question time because “as a minister and a shadow minister you are judged on your ability to strike a blow against your political opponent”. |
| Laundy, the former workplace relations minister, agreed that the public viewed politicians as “lower than bloody used car salespeople”, in part because of question time. | Laundy, the former workplace relations minister, agreed that the public viewed politicians as “lower than bloody used car salespeople”, in part because of question time. |
| Bishop said “it would make a difference” if parliament had a roughly 50-50 gender balance. | Bishop said “it would make a difference” if parliament had a roughly 50-50 gender balance. |
| Coalition admits states could derail its $4.6bn for Catholic and independent schools | |
| “I have been in a cabinet where I was the only female and then five female colleagues joined me and they were vastly different discussions and debates,” she said. “I believe that targets are an appropriate mechanism. It’s not the only mechanism but I have seen it work elsewhere.” | “I have been in a cabinet where I was the only female and then five female colleagues joined me and they were vastly different discussions and debates,” she said. “I believe that targets are an appropriate mechanism. It’s not the only mechanism but I have seen it work elsewhere.” |
| Asked whether all her parliamentary colleagues in “blue suits” were there on merit, Bishop equivocated by saying she “couldn’t possibly comment” and “you can go through it person by person”. | Asked whether all her parliamentary colleagues in “blue suits” were there on merit, Bishop equivocated by saying she “couldn’t possibly comment” and “you can go through it person by person”. |
| Laundy said the combative nature of politics did not help recruit women and took aim at “that extremity on my side that says ‘this is politics, harden up’”, an attitude he dismissed as “absolute rubbish”. | Laundy said the combative nature of politics did not help recruit women and took aim at “that extremity on my side that says ‘this is politics, harden up’”, an attitude he dismissed as “absolute rubbish”. |
| “Yelling, screaming, standing over, intimidating, there’s no place for any of that in any workplace in the country let alone federal parliament,” he said. | “Yelling, screaming, standing over, intimidating, there’s no place for any of that in any workplace in the country let alone federal parliament,” he said. |
| Bishop has indicated she intends to continue as the member for Curtin and left her options open, a move interpreted as designed to buy time for her to choose her successor in the seat and which also gives her enduring influence in the Liberal party. | Bishop has indicated she intends to continue as the member for Curtin and left her options open, a move interpreted as designed to buy time for her to choose her successor in the seat and which also gives her enduring influence in the Liberal party. |
| While Turnbull has already quit the parliament, triggering a byelection in the seat of Wentworth, the former prime minister Tony Abbott has won preselection to recontest Warringah despite a strong protest vote. | While Turnbull has already quit the parliament, triggering a byelection in the seat of Wentworth, the former prime minister Tony Abbott has won preselection to recontest Warringah despite a strong protest vote. |
| In an interview with Fairfax Media, published on Saturday, Abbott indicated he wished to remain in the parliament for at least six more years and openly canvassed the possibility he could be drafted back into the leadership if Morrison were to lose the next election to Labor. | In an interview with Fairfax Media, published on Saturday, Abbott indicated he wished to remain in the parliament for at least six more years and openly canvassed the possibility he could be drafted back into the leadership if Morrison were to lose the next election to Labor. |
| Julie Bishop | Julie Bishop |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| Liberal party | Liberal party |
| Scott Morrison | Scott Morrison |
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