The Australian election campaign has only just opened but it will be difficult to top this quote:
“It would be better to attend campaign events fully clothed.”
It came from Prime Minister Julia Gillard in response to a stunt by Conrad French, who works at ALP Victorian election campaign HQ, and who interrupted opposition leader Tony Abbot while dressed only in speedos.
It’s a reminder of Don Brash’s ”I don’t want any candidates talking about their testicles, to be quite frank.” after a comment from then-Tauranga MP Bob Clarkson.
Things like this may be amusing for onlookers and the media but are very frustrating for parties and their leaders who are trying to keep campaigns focussed and positive.
The point of the stunt was that Tony Abbott is famous for appearing at beaches in red Speedos.
I kid you not.
He should take Gillard’s advice too – or at least change from red so he’s not wearing his opponent’s colours.
Abbot has a background in surf-lifesaving that long predates his political career, and still competes in iron man-type events. Unsurprisingly, at these events he wears standard male distance swimming attire aka speedos.It ain’t pretty, but try to swim a mile in boardies and you will understand why.