One of the new brigade of crossbenchers set to play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the Coalition’s legislative agenda from next week, the Senator took the Prime Minister to task on breakfast television for exploiting his daughters during the election campaign to help win office.
Speaking this morning on Channel Nine’s Today program, Ms Lambie accused the PM of compromising his daughters’ safety and advised that someone in his position should be prepared for criticism.
“I understand there is times when our families will be caught in pictures and on TV monitors, but there’s a fine line between that and parading them for your own self purposes and … to forge your own career,” she told Today host Lisa Wilkinson.
“You’ve got one of two choices. You can run and hide or you can say to yourself, ‘Here’s a bucket of cement, toughen up’.”
Tony Abbott with daughter Frances Abbott.
Tony Abbott with daughter Frances Abbott.
Tony Abbott with daughter Frances Abbott.
The Tasmanian added she harboured ambitions to snare the nation’s top job, pointing to idol Margaret Thatcher as a leader who “stood her ground”.
“You don’t go into politics if you don’t want to go all the way. If you don’t have those aspirations, maybe you shouldn’t be here in the first place,” she said.
Ms Lambie has previously called Mr Abbott a “bare-faced liar” and “political psychopath.” She refused to back away from these comments today, saying “You’ve got to ask what sort of person we’re dealing with. Where’s his humanity?”
Ms Lambie insists the Palmer United Party will not be a rubber stamp for government policies such as the GP co-payment.
Her Senate term commenced on 1 July and she will take her seat, alongside fellow Palmer United Party Senators Dio Wang and Glenn Lazarus, on 7 July.
.jpg)
