Sydney Councillor Christine Forster has called the comments of British pundits and politicians “cheap political” potshots after they labelled her brother, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a misogynist and a homophobe.
Abbott was in London to be appointed as a trade envoy for the United Kingdom. He will serve as one of 12 advisers to the United Kingdom’s Board of Trade.
“As a woman who has always been part of his life and who came out to him as gay in my early 40s, I know incontrovertibly that Tony is neither of those things.
“In reality he is a man of great conviction and intellect: an unabashed conservative but with great compassion, respect for others, and an indelible sense of doing what is right.”
Forster said her brother would make an “outstanding trade envoy for the UK,” and cited his achievements while prime minister in bringing about trade deals with Japan, China, and South Korea.
Finance minister, Senator Mathias Cormann, who served in the role even under Abbott, also lept to his defence.
“From where I sit, Tony Abbott is clearly a giant on Australian politics who has made a great contribution over a long time,” Cormann told Sky News on Sept. 4.
“Not everyone will agree with him, but people are entitled to their views, and that’s the way things work in a democracy,” he said.
Hancock shutdown the claims and reiterated that Abbott was appointed for his experience and expertise.
“We need to have the best experts in the world, working in their field,” he said.
Tory MP Caroline Nokes and UK Opposition International Trade Minister Emily Thornberry also weighed criticsed Abbott for his alleged views.
Nokes said: “He has very poor views on LGBTQ rights, and I just don’t think this is a man that should be anywhere near our border trade.”
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