Abbott says NIT report ‘very interesting’

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has accused the federal government of “dirty tricks and deception” following a claim that senior people in the prime minister’s office were involved in the Australia Day security breach.

An unnamed source has reportedly told the National Indigenous Times (NIT) a number of people within Julia Gillard’s office knew the protesters were going to be tipped off about Mr Abbott’s whereabouts.

“These are very interesting claims,” Mr Abbott told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

“They are coming from inside the indigenous community, presumably from the tent embassy.

“This is another example of the dirty tricks and deception we get from this government.”

The NIT has described its source as holding a “senior position within government bureaucracy”, although the report has not been confirmed.

It comes after about 200 protesters descended on a restaurant where Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were attending an awards ceremony, angry at what they mistakenly believed was a call by the opposition leader to remove the tent embassy.

Ms Gillard’s media adviser Tony Hodges resigned on Friday after admitting to making an unauthorised phone call to indigenous ACT union official Kim Sattler.

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine said the activists did not represent mainstream Aborigines.

“This is a minority of a minority that caused those problems and they need to move,” he told Macquarie Radio on Wednesday.

“What has happened in the last 10 years is that it (the tent embassy) has been hijacked by a motley crew of people who are whingeing about every little issue you can think about.”

Mr Mundine said he objected to the protesters using “the race card”.

“Quiet frankly, if we gave them everything they wanted they would still be sitting on the lawns of parliament house whingeing about something else,” he said.

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes