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Abbotts campaign for government was always a Trojan horse packed with policies to resuscitate the old culture wars and economic austerity. And we, the Australian people, voted for him. An angry Aussie expat explains.

Heres the thing that shits me most about Australian politics right now: were blaming the wrong thing for the governments demise.

Stop blaming Abbott for the leadership crisis and the so-called missteps. Stop blaming captains calls, his street fighter tude, or his bunker mentality. Stop blaming it on giving a knighthood to a faraway Prince Idiot. Stop blaming Abbotts chief of staff, Peta Credlin (she does sound awful, but shes been awfully successful). Stop blaming this on budget messaging (ew), and stop blaming an obstinate Senate. Stop, above all, blaming this all on social media and the 24-hour news cycle. Its tedious, and it dates you to 2005.

Weare to blame. We did this; we got what we paid for. We elected this government. It doesnt take a great genius to have predicted that this was going to happen when we put Abbott and his team in office. Who could possibly be surprised now? Could we really have such short memories?

After the recent leadership spill motion failed, ABC presenter Leigh Salesclearly enjoying the impertinence of her role, and the PMs chastened composureasked Abbott to his face, Who are you?

I nearly choked on my dinner.

I know who Tony Abbott is. What voter doesnt know who Tony Abbott is?

Hes not new, and he hasnt changed much: hes been part of the Canberra furniture for decades. We knew him as health minister in the long Howard government, under which I grew up. The guy who railed against the morning-after pill RU486, and called abortion the easy way out; the guy whoverbally bashedan almost-dead asbestos sufferer; the strident monarchist; the party room fixer; the loyalist.

We knew him then again in opposition: the guy who called climate science absolute crap; the guy who took advantage of the gulf between the traditional free marketeers and the anti-science nutters to seize power in 2009. The guy who stood beneath ditch the witch signs, remember? The guy whos threatened by gays, who thinks virginity is the greatest gift you can give someone. The guy with the three-word slogans.

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Tony Abbotts terrible government is YOUR fault