Bishop to forgive Abbott for age jibe

AAP news service has reported that while no woman likes to be reminded how old she is, Bronwyn Bishop is likely to forgive Tony Abbott.
 
Sandra O’Malley wrote on 8 December that Abbott labelled the highly-coiffed Sydney MP a senior but has also handed her a political resurrection few thought possible.

The 67-year-old is one of a trio of polarising figures from the former Howard government – the others are Kevin Andrews and Philip Ruddock – to be given a political rebirth in Mr Abbott’s first shadow ministry.

Reporters stifled their mirth as the Liberal leader extolled the virtue of having Ms Bishop on his front bench only to let rip with a back-handed compliment.

“I don’t know anyone with more energy than Bronwyn Bishop,” Mr Abbott said.

“Working with seniors – she will be one of them – as well as someone who is working for them,” he said.

Ms Bishop brings a chequered political history to her new role. Once touted as future prime ministerial material, Ms Bishop is best remembered for the kerosene bath controversy that occurred under her watch in aged care.

Ms Bishop was dumped from John Howard’s ministry a year later after the 2001 election and never returned to a senior role during the remaining six years in government.

Mr Abbott however, believes it’s time to move on from that controversy.

“Bronwyn moved swiftly to ensure that there were stricter accountability standards to be met by aged care homes,” he said.

He is confident seniors will be happy to have one of their own representing them.

“Ask them who they think is someone who embodies the dynamism and the commitment and the contribution that we want seniors to make to our society and I think that they’ll say Bronwyn Bishop is ideally placed to do it,” Mr Abbott said.

Seniors representatives were more circumspect about the appointment.

Michael O’Neil, from National Seniors Australia, says older Australians are keen for contemporary responses to the issues they face.

“We were surprised to see she has reappeared into that shadow portfolio,” he told AAP.

“Clearly she has some experience historically in the portfolio but we’d also be looking for more contemporary responses to the challenges of aged care.”