Abbott cops flak over talks
THE Federal Government is trying to draw a line between what Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says at home and abroad, after the leader failed to raise his controversial policy to tow back asylum-seeker boats with Indonesia’s president.
Opposition MPs yesterday agreed Mr Abbott did not raise the issue during his Monday meeting with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Instead, it was taken up by opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison, who discussed the Coalition’s ‘‘ full suite’’ of borderprotection policies in a separate follow-up meeting with foreign minister Marty Natalegawa.
But Prime Minister Julia Gillard criticised Mr Abbott after he did not raise with the president a key aspect of the Coalition’s borderprotection plans.
‘‘ What it means is that Mr Abbott doesn’t have the guts to raise with international leaders issues that he says are important,’’ Ms Gillard told reporters in New Delhi.
‘‘He beats his chest at home, but when overseas, he doesn’t have the guts to raise them.’’
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen accused Mr Abbott of being ‘‘a lion in Canberra and a mouse in Indonesia’’.
‘‘ He talks tough in Canberra and doesn’t talk at all in Jakarta,’’ he said in Sydney.
Mr Bowen questioned whether it was the opposition leader’s intention to turn back boats without Indonesia’s agreement or co-operation.
But senior Liberal Eric Abetz said it made sense for Mr Abbott to discuss ‘‘broad umbrella issues’’ with the president, while the finer details were left for Mr Morrison to discuss in later meetings with ministers.