Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster defends him against ‘dishonest’ claims

Christine Forster says British critics who castigated Tony Abbott are ‘dishonest’, as Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd weigh in.

Tony Abbott at sister Christine Forster's wedding with wife Virginia

Former prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd have weighed into Britain’s imminent decision to appoint another ex-prime minister Tony Abbott as a UK trade envoy, with high profile television appearances and newspaper columns fuelling further ridicule of his personality.

Both Australians went on the attack as the British Labour Party also called into question Boris Johnson’s preference for Mr Abbott’s trade experience to help post-Brexit Britain negotiate trade deals around the world.

Kevin Rudd tweeted: “Just what you want as your pin-up boy for a modern, globalising, post-Brexit Britain: a rolled-gold misogynistic, climate change denialist, pioneer of 21st century knighthoods for the Antipodes. What on earth were the British Government thinking…’’.

Then Ms Gillard appeared on UK’s Sky News with Kay Burley, which played parts of her 2012 speech calling out Mr Abbott being a misogynist.

“I certainly stand by every word of that speech, I doubt I’ll ever be able to put it better than the things I said that day,’’ Ms Gillard told the network.

On Thursday Ms Burley hosted Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who was also uncomplimentary about Mr Abbott. Ms Burley said she was “infuriated’’ about Mr Abbott.

Labour leader Keir Starmer also told Sky News: ”I have real concerns about Tony Abbott and I don’t think he’s the right person for the job.”

Sky News UK and Sky News Australia are separate and different entities.

Women who are close to Mr Abbott have come out in fierce defence of him. Peta Credlin, Mr Abbott’s one-time chief of staff and now a media personality, told UK’s TalkRadio: “Even in parliament for 25 years every single one of his chiefs of staff were women. It is complete and utter rubbish (he is a misogynist). The guy’s got three sisters, a very strong, independent wife and three daughters. He’s not a misogynist.”

Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster slammed the British critics who have castigated him as a homophobe and misogynist saying they are “nothing short of dishonest.”

Ms Forster said: “As a woman 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 ....with great compassion, respect for others and an indelible sense of doing what’s right.

My statement following media coverage regarding @HonTonyAbbott from London overnight #auspol #brexit #politics #london #uk @SkyNews @SkyNewsAust pic.twitter.com/OFemDX1V4E

— Christine Forster (@resourcefultype) September 4, 2020

“Tony would be an outstanding trade envoy for the UK, based on his track record as Prime Minister of delivering our three long-awaited and important trade deals with Japan, China and South Korea.’’

Former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop also defended Mr Abbott, telling Sky News her one regret was in failing to call out former PM Julia Gillard when she accused Mr Abbott of misogyny in a famous speech to parliament.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended Mr Abbott in an uncomfortable grilling by Ms Burley on Thursday when she questioned whether Mr Abbott was a fit and proper person to represent the country given the views he held.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended Mr Abbott in an uncomfortable grilling by Sky News host Kay Burley on Thursday when she questioned whether Mr Abbott was a fit and proper person to represent the country given the views he held.

Mr Hancock replied: “He is also an expert in trade. We need to have the best experts in the world … and as the former prime minister of Australia obviously Mr Abbott has got a huge amount of experience.”

'Is Tony Abbott the right person to represent us - even if he's a homophobic misogynist?' - @KayBurley

Health Secretary @MattHancock says the former Australian PM is "also an expert in trade" and denies the claims.

Follow #KayBurley live: https://t.co/Qj88d3ncEp pic.twitter.com/ELhm8PzXAo

— SkyNews (@SkyNews) September 3, 2020

Under Mr Abbott’s prime ministership Australia finalised free-trade deals with China, Japan and South Korea. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants Mr Abbott to help lead trade negotiations, post-Brexit.

UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss met Mr Abbott last week and ­described him as a principled politician. “He’s done an excellent job on trade,’’ she said. “And of course we’re working very closely with the Australians on striking a new trade deal.”

"Trade is not separate from the values and the reputation that a country wants to project internationally."@NicolaSturgeon tells @KayBurley that Tony Abbott is "not the kind of person who should be a trade envoy for the UK".

Follow live: https://t.co/tRDyBaQ5v4 #KayBurley pic.twitter.com/gpBLGCtdqg

— SkyNews (@SkyNews) September 3, 2020

Mr Abbott’s imminent ­appointment has upset many across both sides of politics. Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the women and equalities select committee, said: “He’s a misogynist, he’s got very poor views on LGBTQ rights and I just don’t think this is a man who should be anywhere near our Board of Trade.”

Labour trade spokeswoman Emily Thornberry said Mr ­Abbott was an “offensive, leering, cantankerous, climate-change-denying, Trump-worshipping misogynist’’.

Mr Abbott this week told a Westminster foreign affairs committee: “Yes, I’ve had some discussions with members of the British government and I’m more than happy to help but there’s nothing official just yet.

“All I could really say at this time is, as far as I’m concerned, it would be both in Britain’s interests and Australia’s interests to conclude a very full and comprehensive free-trade deal.’’